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BCATML lobbies for Languages 11 graduation requirement

25/11/2017

BCATML has written to Minister of Education, Honourable Rob Fleming, requesting that the Ministry of Education consider adding a Languages 11 course requirement for high school graduation. This letter comes on the heels of another letter earlier this month submitted by the Standing Committee On Language Articulation (SCOLA) - one of the sub-committees of the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) for postsecondary education. Click here to view this post from earlier this month.

BC's redesigned curricula explores the qualities of the Educated Citizen both implicitly and explicitly, especially within the Core and Curricular Competencies of second languages curricula. BCATML believes that these qualities need to be encouraged and explored over the continuum of learning beyond the currently mandated Grade 8 year. The inclusion of a Language 11 course requirement (and beyond) will help foster life-long learners who will benefit immensely from learning an additional language and acquire many skills that will enhance society. BCATML believes that now is the critical time to lobby the Ministry considering the number of reports published recently advocating for the improvement and support of French programmes in British Columbia as well as other world languages.

In the last six months, the Ministry has received reports and letters from Canadian Parents for French BC and Yukon Branch, the Standing Committee On Language Articulation, the BC Association of Teachers of Modern Languages, and the Senate Committee on Official Languages. In May 2017, the Senate Committee released its report, Horizon 2018: Toward Stronger Support of French-language Learning in British Columbia encouraging the BC government to work with French-language stakeholders to implement 17 important recommendations, with federal government support for the sustainability and enhancement of French language programmes throughout British Columbia.

BCATML will inform members once the Ministry responds. View the letter below.

moelanguage11gradrequirementletter_24nov2017.pdf
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BCATML comes to Cowichan District #79

25/11/2017

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BCATML was thrilled to return to Vancouver Island (Duncan, BC) on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at the Quamichan Campus of Cowichan Secondary School.

French Immersion teacher Jesse Whittington planned and coordinated the day for over 40 teachers for this training event filled with high levels of interaction, energy, and laughs. TPRS facilitator experts Michelle Metcalfe and Adriana Ramirez led a library full of diverse second language teachers who were looking to explore this approach for Second Language Acquisition.

BCATML will post additional resources and other materials from this event shortly in the Members Only Area of our website.

Many thanks to Adriana, Michelle, and Jesse for organizing an excellent day of professional learning and sharing for teachers!

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BC Francophones Federation calls for public consultation on French-language services

20/11/2017

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The British Columbia Francophones Federation has launched a provincial public consultation on the need for French-language services in British Columbia. British Columbia is the only province left in Canada without a policy on French-language services.

Your opinion matters! Please take the survey. Share it with your local partners through email and social media.

All British Columbia residents can take part either in English (survey.ffcb.ca) or in French (sondage.ffcb.ca ).

It only takes a few minutes!

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La Fédération a lancé sa grande consultation communautaire pour les services en français en Colombie-Britannique. On vous invite à participer à ce sondage et à le faire suivre dans vos réseaux (courriel, siteweb et médias sociaux) pour que nous ayons un nombre convainquant de participants.

Tous les résidents de la province peuvent participer en français sondage.ffcb.ca ou en anglais survey.ffc.ca.

Cela ne prend que quelques minutes.

Cet exercice de consultation nous permettra de faire des propositions concrètes de services en français reflétant vos besoins au gouvernement provincial. C’est d’autant plus important que nous sommes la dernière province sans politique de services en français alors faites entendre votre voix!

RL

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BC Universities and Colleges lobby Ministry for Language 11 graduation requirement

16/11/2017

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The Standing Committee On Language Articulation (SCOLA) - one of the sub-committees of the British Columbia Council on Admissions and Transfer (BCCAT) for postsecondary education - wrote the Minister of Education, Honourable Rob Fleming requesting that the Ministry consider revising its graduation requirements to include a Language 11 course credit requirement for all high school students in BC.

In her letter, SCOLA Chair Charlotte Jones of Okanagan College (Kelowna), explained how the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) model emphasized the increased awareness of the cultures of the languages being taught and the development of intercultural competency amongst learners. She further explained that SCOLA's mandate was to create awareness of a globally recognized language proficiency model and to demonstrate how it might be integrated into existing language programs in British Columbia. It was during this period that SCOLA re-established its partnership with the BCATML Executive in 2014 when the redesign of British Columbia's curricula for second languages began.

At its 2017 Annual General Meeting, SCOLA members unanimously passed a motion endorsing its support for BCATML's initiative to include a Language 11 course credit as a graduation requirement. In May 2017, BCATML wrote a letter to the Ministry requesting the inclusion of a Language 11 course credit for high school graduation. The following day, the Senate Committee of Official Languages released the report, Horizon 2018: Toward Stronger Support of French-language Learning in British Columbia in which it recommends

scola_support_bcatml.pdf
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that the BC government work with French-language stakeholders to implement 17 important recommendations, with federal government support for the sustainability and enhancement of French language programmes throughout British Columbia. Since then, Canadian Parents for French BC and Yukon Branch also lobbied government to include a Language 11 course requirement.

With the appointment of Rob Fleming as the new Minister of Education, BCATML has decided to once again lobby the Ministry to require a Language 11 course credit prior to graduating from BC's high schools. BCATML will release its second letter before this month's end.

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BCATML lobbies for Languages 11 graduation requirement

BCATML comes to Cowichan District #79

BC Francophones Federation calls for public consultation on French-language services

BC Universities and Colleges lobby Ministry for Language 11 graduation requirement

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