Dr. Fred Genesee, “Early Childhood Bilingualism: Perils and Possibilities”

Message from Jane Keith, Executive Director, Canadian Parents for French:

On May 14, 2008, Dr. Fred Genesee will be giving a free, public talk in Fredericton, New Brunswick. The title of his lecture is “Early childhood bilingualism: Perils and possibilities”. We believe this presentation will appeal to anyone interested in issues pertaining to bilingualism in education, second language learners, immersion, and the challenges associated with accommodating the varied needs of learners from varied cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Dr. Genesee is a world-renowned scholar of bilingualism, language development and language immersion programs, a Professor of Psychology at McGill University and the author of numerous scientific research books and reports on language learning in children.

We would be grateful for your assistance in circulating this message to your members, colleagues, and staff who might benefit from attending this event. Teachers, in particular, might be able to count this event toward mandated professional development requirements.

May 14, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (in English)
Wu Conference Centre, UNB Fredericton
Kent Auditorium, 6 Duffie Drive, Fredericton, NB, E3B 5A3

Local Contact Info - Jane Keith, Executive Director
Tel.: 506.432.6584

For additional information on Dr. Genesee’s talk, please visit the Minerva Lecture Series page on the Canadian Council on Learning’s website.

May we quote you?

Health Minister Mike Murphy is quoted as saying, “All New Brunswickers have the right to be served in the official language of their choice.”

Kelly Lamrock could set him straight.

Not if Kelly Lamrock has his way

[Rob Hoadley passed on the following:]

From former Governor General Adrienne Clarkson’s remarks when arriving in Fredericton, Oct 10, 2000:

Not only do you have francophone and anglophone education based on history, but you also have the most successful French-immersion program of any province in Canada. There are more children per capita in French-immersion schools here than in any other province. And as Governor General of the people of Canada, I want to congratulate you on this marvellous achievement. This is a standard to be emulated by the rest of Canada.

Reflecting on the death of Pierre Trudeau, which touched us all so profoundly, I am reminded that his dream of Canada is very much a reality here. New Brunswick is Canada’s only officially bilingual province, a place where the nation’s dual character is a living heritage, the warp and woof of the social fabric of communities, large and small.

In the wider world:

Ireland faces similar struggles. And, from the sounds of it, similar politicians.

To put things in a wider context:

Here is an article by Helena van Tol in The Argosy: “Second languages around the world: A comparison of how other countries handle second (and even third) language education.”

If you aren’t reading

the comments sections after the online news articles, you’re missing half the fun. Cut and pasted from one such comment by Tyler Durden:

A list of those who support EFI removal:

• Kelly Lamrock
• Doug Willms

A partial list of those who oppose the Lamrock plan:

• The Commissioner of Official Languages, NB
• The Commissioner of Official Languages, Canada
• The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers
• Canadian Institute for Research on Linguistic Minorities
• The Center for Research on Education at the Université de Moncton
• The Second Language Research Institute of Canada
• Liberal Party Riding Association Presidents in Kings-East, Tantramar, and Nigadoo-Chaleur.
• Co-Author of the Official Languages Act Robert Pichette
• Political Scientist and Liberal Party Strategist Donald Savoie
• Association Canadienne des Professeurs D’Immersion
• L’Association des enseignantes et des enseignants francophones du
• Nouveau-Brunswick (AEFNB),
• Consortium of Universities Advising the Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers
• Association Francophone des Parents du NB
• Canadian Parents for French
• Paul Zed, Liberal MP
• Saint John Mayor and City Council

Update (Apr 15/08): I have added a page that lists critics of the Lamrock plan and/or the Croll/Lee report.

By the numbers

Regarding test scores, from the 2006 Liberal platform:

“…being first in education is not only about test scores. It’s about being the leader in giving our children the best start in life.”

So what happened, Kelly, between then and now?

So

Kelly Lamrock has a letter in the Globe and Mail this morning that can only be described as defensive. Well, defensive and delusional. When will he stop saying that N.B. can achieve 70% bilingualism with a programme that, according it its own criteria, will turn out students who are, at best, “intermediate”? Though to be fair, he doesn’t seem too clear on what bilingualism is: with my own ears I have heard him say that the status of his French was “intermediate” (though that was enough, he went on to say, to debate political opponents en français), while at the CBC roundtable, shortly after Bob Bernier resigned, I believe, he said that he was “fluently bilingual.”

So the standard has been set, and as long as we don’t get a Minister of Education whose French is advanced or better, N.B. kids are good to go.

More from

the Globe and Mail editorial from yesterday:

The real problem in New Brunswick appears to be that the government is not willing to train and hire enought qualified teachers.

New Brunswick, like the island of Montreal, is one part of Canada where bilingualism can be a lived reality, and French immersion is a program in which our country leads the world. It will be a grave national setback if the Fredericton government does not change its mind.

Some recent media stories

Here is an interesting news story: “Ottawa urged to put $1-billion into official languages” (Globe and Mail, March 20/08). Talk about being out of step!

In local news, four Saint John doctors are considering leaving the region because of the loss of early French immersion; this at a time when New Brunswick is crying for doctors. It does make you wonder if the different government ministers even talk to one-another.

And, on YouTube:

.