Description

Course Details

Schedule and Format

• 8 lessons over 8 weeks that blend theory and practice:
  • Synchronous 90-minute lessons on Tuesdays, 6:30–8 p.m. ET (Zoom)
  • Asynchronous learning activities during the week
• First class: October 1, 2024
• Last class: November 19, 2024

Registration Fees

Registration includes a free digital copy of the Action-Oriented Approach Handbook. Participants who successfully complete a course will also receive a $20 gift card for CASLT’s online boutique.

*Includes a one-year CASLT membership.

Course Completion

All participants who finish the course successfully will receive a certificate of completion.

Participant Profile

Teachers of Core, Extended, or French Immersion programs who communicate with a B1 CEFR French proficiency level who wish to improve their linguistic skills in an inclusive and safe environment while learning ways to develop their pedagogical practice.

Placement

Registrants do not need to take a language assessment and may place themselves by reviewing the CEFR B1 description and can-do statements. All four proficiency courses will run at the same time, so instructors may use their discretion to move students to a different level.

CEFR B1 Description

B1 level communicators can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. They can respond to situations that may arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken. They can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest. When describing experiences and events, B1 communicators develop their skills by using increasingly complex structures. They can respond spontaneously to everyday situations.

Language of the Course

This course is taught with a bilingual approach. The course content will be presented in French at a B1 level with bilingual instructions. Participants may engage with coursework and discussions in English or French, depending on their comfort level. Participants are encouraged to practice their French as much as possible in order to improve their proficiency.

While some of the course content will be presented in English, the instructor will model instructional and student engagement strategies in French. Participants are encouraged to engage with coursework in French but should feel free to use English to seek clarification or discuss specific linguistic or pedagogical questions.

Instructional Approach

• Activer–Acquérir–Ancrer: Participants will activate prior knowledge, acquire new information, and anchor their learning through practical application.
• Collaborative Learning: Each synchronous class will involve collaborative learning and sharing of what was tried in the classroom, fostering a community of practice.
• Iterative Learning Process: Participants will engage in asynchronous learning by trying activities or approaches in their classrooms. They will then share their experiences and observations with peers during synchronous sessions. Reflective discussions will be held to deepen understanding and refine teaching practices.
• Additional Resources: Supplementary resources for viewing and reading will be provided to support and extend learning.

Course Description

In this course, participants will use their increasingly independent language skills to explore the challenges of FSL teaching, including classroom space, perceived value, student diversity and engagement, Differentiated Instruction (DI), and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). They will engage in meaningful and practical coursework designed to develop language proficiency specific to the FSL teaching profession.

During this course, we will listen, read, and share research; collaborate on solutions; and share experiences to develop excellent pedagogical practices — in B1 level French! By actively participating and reflecting on our own language learning journey, we are equipping ourselves not only with tools we need to learn French, but with insight into our students’ learning as well.

In an inclusive and welcoming environment, participants will be invited to listen, speak, read, and write while forming professional connections. FSL teacher-learners will share strategies, ideas, and resources (songs, videos, images, text) beneficial for teachers (and students) at this level of language development. Teachers will build community around FSL teaching, creating a network that will allow them to continue community building after the course, thereby helping to combat the isolation of the FSL profession.

Participants will engage in both synchronous and asynchronous tasks to help them reflect on their own progress and celebrate their successes. They will build their professional toolkits by learning strategies and next steps and fostering strong connections to other FSL educators.

Please note that the course will focus primarily on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) but the material is also applicable to other frameworks.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this 8-week course, participants will be able to:

• Grow their pedagogical and linguistic knowledge by self-assessing their French skills and teaching practices in order to value their demonstrated and growing proficiency
• Accurately assess their own CEFR language proficiency and the competency areas in need of growth or reinforcement
• Develop the language skills necessary to engage students in their own learning journeys in the French classroom
• Build community around FSL teaching by collaborating in an inclusive space to encourage risk-taking and use of the target language
• Combat isolation in the FSL profession by forming professional connections in class and in the CASLT CoLab community

Course Overview