Canadian Parents for French New Brunswick submitted a position paper Friday to the commissioners appointed to oversee the review of the Official Languages Act.
The 46-page document consists of 23 recommendations to improve French Second Language learning in New Brunswick.
The report is written by Dr. Joseph Dicks, the retired director of the Second Language Research Institute of Canada and professor at the University of New Brunswick’s Department of Education.
Placed under six categories, the recommendations address early childhood education, FSL program models, language programs and proficiency levels, enrolment, attraction, and retention in French Immersion programs, FSL program access and quality, and post-secondary education and workplace FSL.
“While the review of the Official Languages Act is not inherently related to French-Second Language Learning in New Brunswick, it plays an integral role to becoming a more bilingual, unified province,” said Austin Henderson, Vice-President of CPFNB.
Much of the French Second Language education in New Brunswick occurs in settings that are not governed under the Official Languages Act, according to Dorothy White, a director of CPFNB.
“If we’re going to improve bilingualism, we need to have means .and we need to have good educational practices, good programs,” said White.
In February, Premier Blaine Higgs appointed Judge Yvette Finn and former deputy education minister John McLaughlin as the commissioners overseeing the review.
They are responsible for consulting with the public and other key groups, reviewing suggestions submitted during the process, and presenting a final report with recommendations to the government by Dec. 31.
