Student and Teacher Perceptions of First Language Use in Secondary French Immersion Mathematics Classrooms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v61i1.55919Keywords:
French immersion, first language use, codeswitching, sociocultural theory, mathematics education, Mots clés, immersion française, emploi de la langue première, alternance de codes, théorie socioculturelle, enseignement des mathématiquesAbstract
This phenomenological study (Creswell, 2003, 2007; van Manen, 1997) explores student and teacher perceptions of first language use in French immersion mathematics classrooms at a large, urban high school in Canada. During individual interviews, participants discussed their perceptions and experiences of French immersion mathematics, language use, and, in particular, first language use. Interview data are analysed through a sociocultural theory lens (e.g., Lantolf, 2000; Swain & Lapkin, 2000), drawing on key notions such as language interdependence and the use of language as a cognitive tool. While first language use in second language classrooms remains controversial, this article contributes to an open discussion on the potential role students’ first language can play in determining effective language and content learning.
Cette étude phénoménologique (Creswell, 2003, 2007; van Manen, 1997) porte sur les perceptions des élèves et des enseignants sur l’emploi de la langue première pendant les cours de mathématiques dans un contexte d’immersion française d’une grande école secondaire en milieu urbain au Canada. Pendant les entrevues individuelles, les participants ont discuté de leurs perceptions et leurs expériences relatives aux cours de mathématiques en immersion et à l’emploi de langue, notamment la langue première. Les données d’entrevues ont été analysées dans l’optique de la théorie socioculturelle (p.ex., Lantolf, 2000; Swain & Lapkin, 2000), puisant dans des notions clés telles l’interdépendance des langues et l’emploi de langue comme outil cognitif. Alors que l’emploi de la première langue dans les classes d’immersion est controversé, cet article contribue à une discussion ouverte sur le rôle potentiel que peut jouer la langue première des élèves dans la détermination de l’apprentissage efficace de la langue et du contenu.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA COPYRIGHT LICENSE AND PUBLICATION AGREEMENT
If accepted, authors will be asked to sign a copyright agreement with the following points:
A. Where there is any inconsistency between this Copyright License and Publication Agreement and any other document or agreement in relation to the same subject matter, the terms of this Agreement shall govern.
B. This document sets out the rights you are granting in relation to publication of your article, book review, or research note entitled (the “Article”) through inclusion in the academic journal titled Alberta Journal of Educational Research (the “Journal”) published through the Faculty of Education, representing the Governors of the University of Alberta (the “Journal Editor”).
C. There will be no payment to you for this publication and grant of rights. In consideration of the agreement to publish the Article in the Journal:
1. You are warranting that:
- the content of the Article is your original work, and its content does not contain any material infringing the copyright of others; or, where the Article is not entirely your original work, you have obtained all necessary permissions in writing to grant the rights you are giving in this agreement;
- the content of the Article does not contain any material that is defamatory of, or violates the privacy rights of, or discloses the confidential information of, any other person;
- the Article has not been published elsewhere in whole or in part, and you will not allow publication of the Article elsewhere without the consent of the Journal Editor;
- the names of all co-authors and contributors to the Article are:
2. You agree to license the copyright in the Article to the Journal Editor, on a worldwide, perpetual, royalty free basis; and to the extent required by the terms of this agreement. You shall retain the right at all times to be acknowledged as the/an author of the Article.
3. You further agree that the Journal Editor has the entitlement to deal with the Article as the Journal Editor sees fit, and including in the following manner;
- The right to print, publish, market, communicate and distribute the Article and the Journal, in this and any subsequent editions, in all media (including electronic media), in all languages, and in all territories, ing the full term of copyright, and including any form of the Article separated from the Journal, such as in a database, abstract, offprint, translation or otherwise, and to authorize third parties to do so;
- The right to register copyright of the Journal;
- The right to edit the Article, to conform to editorial policy as the Journal Editor sees fit.
4. If any co-author or contributor to the Article does not sign this agreement, the Journal Editor reserves the right to refuse to publish the Article.