Language Culture and Curriculum
Editor and Book Reviews Editor: Eoghan Mac Aogain (St Patrick's College)
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Volume: 14 Number: 2 Page: 187–199
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Literacy Instruction in Two French Immersion Classrooms in Western Canada
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Gestny Ewart and Stan Straw
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This pair of qualitative case studies looks at the pedagogical practices of two teachers, and the role they played in the development of print literacy of young anglophone children who were immersed in
French as a second language. In one classroom literacy instruction was carried out in French, and in the other classroom literacy instruction was carried out in English. Data collection methods included
participant observation, interviewing, and the collection of some artifacts. The results of the data analysis suggests that teachers who provide a structured instructional scaffold for their students offer
a richer literacy learning environment that those who do not provide this kind of support, which is described in the paper. The study suggests that there is no simple answer as to whether students should
receive initial literacy instruction in L1 or L2. Language of instruction is only one of the many decisions to be made, and the decision needs to be placed in the broader context of instructional strategies.
Key elements in the discussion should include the pedagogical practices of the teacher, which are based on his or her understanding of language development, as well as the role literacy plays in the development
of oracy.
© Multilingual Matters 2001
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