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The quality of early childhood experiences is crucial to a child's development and educational success. Yet few early childhood education and care services in the world today offer a consistently high level of educational quality. In particular, educational quality depends on the context's characteristics. The aim of this study was therefore to measure and compare the educational quality experienced in two distinct educational contexts, located in Quebec: early childhood centres and 4-year-old preschools. Results of the study indicate that there are very few significant differences between these two educational contexts in terms of interaction quality and pedagogical orientations quality, while variables related to structural quality vary greatly. Correlational and regression analyses carried out separately on each educational context show that few variables are predictive of interaction quality levels, suggesting that other variables, notably related to pedagogical orientations quality, would better explain variations in adult-child interactions predictive of child development. These results have implications for initial training curriculum aimed towards adults working in early childcare and for future directions in research on educational quality, including rethinking the importance of pedagogical orientations and structures in the ecosystemic model of quality.

Positive transition to adulthood of youth with disabilities is influenced by the type of support they receive. This study aims to analyse current transition to adulthood practices in the province of Quebec to map them to recommended practices and present an overview of the situation and needs. A multiple case study methodology included focus groups in six schools with 65 participants as well as internet searches and interviews with experts. A thematic analysis within and across cases was used. Results underscore the best practices in place concerning student-focused planning, student development, interagency collaboration and family engagement. They also highlight youths' and parents' opinions about strategies to better support transition. While inspiring practices are present, further efforts with regards to programme structures are required to ensure adequate support for transition to adulthood.

This study examined opportunities and barriers for implementing evidence-based Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in Prairie Canadian Schools. Educators from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta completed an online survey on SEL feasibility and reported on five feasibility domains: (1) attitudes about SEL, (2) knowledge about SEL, (3) job stress, (4) resources for implementing SEL, and (5) SEL practices. Results indicated that positive attitudes toward SEL significantly predicted increased perceived feasibility for evidence-based SEL implementation. Additionally, both knowledge and access to resources predicted increased SEL practice by Prairie Canadian educators. Analyses for open-ended responses paralleled quantitative results. Specifically, Canadian educators had positive views about SEL programing, but like previous research conducted in other countries, indicated that they require better access to SEL training, and resources (e.g., more time to plan and teach SEL, funding and program materials). A unique Canadian context-related finding from this study was that some Prairie Canadian educators indicated a paucity of French materials for SEL programs, which impeded implementation. In order to effectively implement evidence-based SEL in Prairie Canadian schools, policy makers must address the indicated barriers for Canadian educators, such as increased SEL training and resources, and easy access to appropriate French materials.

With growing numbers of multilingual students who have first or primary languages other than English seeking the services of Canadian university writing centres where English is the language of instruction, providing these students with supportive and effective teaching and learning experiences is an important part of their post-secondary education. However, little research has been carried out to examine the impact of writing centre tutor skill development programs to foster meaningful teaching and learning experiences for multilingual students. This qualitative study employed focus group research methods to gather the writing centre tutors' shared perceptions of their skill development opportunities for working with multilingual students. Data were coded and analyzed using a thematic approach. Findings point to multilingual student expectations, tutoring challenges, program effectiveness, and program applicability as elements that impact the tutors' overall impressions of the skill development opportunities they encountered. While there were still areas for improvement, implementing a program of skill development for working with multilingual students in a writing centre was generally beneficial for the tutors in this study.

This mixed-methods study examined how WiseGuyz, a gender-transformative healthy relationships program, can support positive sexual health self-efficacy (SHSE) among adolescents. 570 adolescent boys provided data on SHSE from before to after the program, and 20 adolescent boys participated in interviews and focus groups to discuss their sexual health education needs. Results showed that boys who participated in WiseGuyz reported a significant increase in SHSE from pretest to post-test and that WiseGuyz was different from typical school-based sexual health education in terms of content and facilitation and increasing program engagement. These findings indicate the potential for gender-transformative interventions in supporting positive SHSE.

This study set out to explore English for academic purposes (EAP) student perceptions of their experiences at a university in western Canada. A qualitative approach was used, with 17 students completing a questionnaire toward the end of their EAP program, and one of those students taking part in an interview approximately one year later. Data from the questionnaires and interview were transcribed and descriptively coded, with the codes gathered into salient themes. Thematic analysis identified benefits related to developing academic writing and speaking skills, boosting confidence levels, fostering EAP friendships, providing a transition period, and learning about local culture. However, the analysis also revealed the need for improvements in overall teaching and learning experiences, reading and listening skills development, and sociocultural content. These findings point to the importance of conceptualizing EAP with a wide range of outcomes related to linguistic, academic, social, cultural, and personal growth to support students' additional language socialization in a postsecondary context. The findings also highlight areas for curriculum renewal and revision and underscore the role these programs can play in building on students' strengths as they develop their overall competence in an additional language to achieve the goals that matter to them.

High level of mental health problems are a critical concern among youth experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Using data from a randomized controlled trial on Housing First in Canada, this study examined the risk factors and protective resources associated with mental health recovery among 215 homeless youth with mental illness at baseline and at a 24-month follow-up. At study entry, higher levels of recovery were associated with a lower number of adverse childhood experiences, less frequent presence of mental health symptoms, higher level of satisfaction with social relationships, and a higher level of psychological integration at baseline. At 24-months, a lower frequency of experiencing mental health symptoms and a higher level of psychological integration were associated with a higher level of recovery. The study's findings highlight the importance of protective resources, notably having supportive social relationships and a sense of belonging in the community as contributors to mental health recovery

This article discusses an innovative family literacy project that was implemented in a community setting. Male trios consisting of a male significant figure, a struggling reader in elementary school, and a pre-service teacher were created. The goal was (a) to develop the student's motivation to read by using a male reading role model and allowing the student to read what he truly enjoys in a non-school environment and (b) document reading practices as trios. To document the progression of four trios, we used a semi-directed interview, a focus group, and a logbook. The results of this multiple-case research study showed an improvement regarding the student's motivation to read in the context of male trios, different reading practices inside the trios, and a positive evolution in the relationship between the student and participating male relative.

Protecting coastal ecosystems and communities requires the engagement of ocean literate citizens. Along the St. Lawrence Estuary, in Canada, a rural community mobilized to save its middle school by creating an innovative program connecting the existing curriculum to the ocean. This research explores the rationale, barriers, and enablers of including ocean literacy in schools through a case study of this program. Interviews and surveys with school community members showed that although the school managed to stay open, the program faces considerable barriers, including the lack of an educational framework, educational resources, and funding. Support from community members and access to a coordinator were the program's greatest enablers. From these findings, I develop recommendations to support the establishment of similar programs in other schools.

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, classroom activities in the primary school, marked by physical distancing between students and teachers, raise some challenges. Thus, this article seeks to document the primary school students' perceptions regarding their socio-pedagogical environment in the context of a socially distanced classroom. For this purpose, responses to the "Questionnaire sur l'environnement sociopédagogique au primaire" (QESPP) provided by 1,002 students aged from six to 12 in the fall of 2020 were subjected to descriptive quantitative analyses and to some comparative inferential analyses (SPSS 23.0). Results show a strong tendency of students' positive perceptions toward the various climates of their socio-pedagogical environment, although the relational climate seems to be perceived somewhat less positively.

Given the increasing value placed on research among social work practitioners, and that field education is primarily responsible for the integration of social work values, knowledge, and practice, it is essential that research skills be incorporated into BSW and MSW field practica. In 2020, a team of faculty co-investigators and students explored the integration of research activities into Canadian BSW and MSW field practica through the review of online field education materials of all accredited programs. We make the argument that not only is it essential for professional social workers to receive training in practice research, but also that there is much room for us to integrate such research into field education. We begin with a review of the literature regarding social work student attitudes toward research, widely known to be hesitant and even hostile, before discussing the limited international literature (English and French) on the experience of integrating research into field education. After describing our methods, we then present our findings in terms of BSW and MSW programs at Canada's anglophone and francophone universities. We conclude with a discussion of the implications in terms of ways to increase the role of research in field practica.

The present study investigated the effects of different types of form-focused instruction (FFI) on the acquisition of French grammatical gender attribution. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 140 participants in six intact French as a second language (L2) classes. The classes received six 80-minute instructional sessions consisting of FFI on only sublexical cues, FFI on both sublexical cues and pronunciation, or the control condition (two classes per condition). To measure the effects of the instructional conditions, a pretest, an immediate posttest, and a delayed posttest were administered. Results showed that the participants receiving FFI on only sublexical cues showed significant improvement in binary-choice, text-completion, and listening tasks, but not in an oral picture-description task. In contrast, those receiving FFI on both sublexical cues and pronunciation showed significantly higher scores on all tasks after the instructional sessions. The present study highlights the importance of pronunciation instruction in L2 grammar acquisition and its interdependence with lexical and morphological domains.

Centres for teaching and learning (CTLs) often play a brokering and supporting role in student partnerships (SaP), but there is little research exploring partnerships between students and academic developers. Our study qualitatively examined whether students perceived themselves as partners within a CTL, even though this was not explicitly articulated as SaP. Results indicated students perceived themselves as partners and developed transferable skills: professionalism, communication and collaboration, leadership, and research. Additionally, the benefits enhanced the CTL mission for teaching and learning. Our findings imply that meaningful partnerships with students and related benefits can occur in a relationship-rich context outside a formally articulated SaP program.

Making the most out of a short-term study abroad program is vital for students who are investing in an experience they hope will benefit them personally and academically. This study explores participants' counterfactual understandings of a three-week short-term study abroad program focusing on content and English as an additional language learning for Japanese undergraduate students at a university in British Columbia, Canada. It identifies what participants wish they had known about where they were going and what they would have done if they had known that information. Qualitative methods were used to gather written narrative data from 37 participants and analyze that data for themes emerging from the participants' counterfactual reflections. Results point to six themes related to the participants' unexpected short-term study abroad experiences: food and drink, facilities, money matters, shopping, climate and geography, and community characteristics. On reflection, if the students had known more about those themes, they may have prepared differently for their trip and they might have had different experiences during the program. To prepare students to get the most out of a short-term study abroad program, pre-departure activities making use of inquiry and task-based/experiential learning are recommended.

The teaching profession has been studied and discussed from a problem-oriented point of view and cultivated by a problem-oriented scientific tradition. Years of research have enabled a better understanding of difficult teaching conditions and teachers' ill-being; an ideological and scientific shift, however, appears necessary to enrich and broaden our present knowledge. One particular question arises: which determinants optimize teachers' professional well-being? In response, our study seeks to identify indicators that allow teachers to create, maintain or restore a state of professional well-being. Our research objective thus aims to describe teachers' indicators regarding the "optimal functioning" that characterizes professional well-being (Seligman, 2011). The research protocol targets physical education teachers insofar as they are now recognized as leaders and models for promoting healthy lifestyles in schools and communities (MEQ, 2001). The methodology involved 5 focus groups composed of 37 teachers from 7 regions of Quebec. As the findings indicate, this approach allowed us to paint an integrative portrait of teachers' indicators relative to professional well-being. Two categories have proved effective in terms of professional well-being: the first is Self and includes 4 variables: meaning, positive emotions, engagement and vitality; the second is Others and includes 3 sub-categories: students, colleagues and school administration. The sub-categories comprise 6 variables divided as follows: positive relationships, learning, collaboration, transfer (specifically for the two first sub-categories), followed by vision and valorization for the third sub-category.

Graduate programs typically expect students to publish their scholarly work; however, few researchers have investigated their experiences in publishing. What literature does exist suggests that mentorship through co-authorship is helpful in supporting the development of emerging scholars. Importantly, there were no studies exploring the perspectives of education graduate students regarding their publication experience. The researchers of this article were all affiliated with an education journal run by and for graduate students who encountered student-authors who were not well prepared to engage in the publication process. In order to understand these student-authors' needs, the researchers conducted a needs assessment through the framework of Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 2014). Specifically, this needs assessment provided voice to thirty education graduate students regarding their career aspirations, previous publishing experience, helpful influences, barriers, and needed supports to engage in the publication process. The findings suggested that the students in this needs assessment lacked formal instruction on how to navigate the publication process, and they perceived mentorship from supervisors, when it existed, as helpful. Implications for graduate training based on the findings are also discussed.

Background: Several studies conducted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have shown its harmful effects on young people's mental health. In Québec and Canada, few studies have focussed on adolescents, and even fewer of these studies have examined this subject using a methodology that involved comparisons of data obtained before and during the pandemic, which is the purpose of this study. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety of secondary 1 and 2 students in Québec, using data obtained before and during the pandemic. Method: Participants were 2990 French Canadian students in secondary 1 (grade 7) and secondary 2 (grade 8) in Québec. Two independent samples completed the questionnaires, one sample before the pandemic (fall 2019) and one sample during the pandemic (fall 2020). Their answers were subjected to descriptive analysis and multivariate analysis of variance. Results: Results show that the pandemic has had variable impacts on the student's mental health, with some of them reporting negative effects on their lives, others reporting no effect, and some reporting positive effect. However, the students surveyed during the pandemic generally reported more symptoms of generalized anxiety, and higher levels of test anxiety, fear of judgment and perfectionism than the ones surveyed before the pandemic. Conclusions: The discussion puts forward possible explanations for the results obtained, which contribute to a better understanding of young adolescents' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also discusses the importance of developing interventions for adolescents affected by this pandemic.

Research indicates that rates of alcohol use and alcohol consequences are higher among LGBQ emerging adults (EAs; ages 18-25) than among their heterosexual counterparts and this is partly due to experiences of sexual orientation-based discrimination. To date, however, there is limited research on factors that mitigate against increased alcohol outcomes among LGBQ EAs. The purpose of the current study was to examine the buffering effects of LGBQ social identity components (ingroup ties, centrality, ingroup affect) on the relationship between two types of discrimination (homonegative microaggressions and discrimination violence) and alcohol use and consequences. A community-based sample of 252 LGBQ EAs completed an online survey. There was a significant moderating effect for ingroup ties and ingroup affect where the relationship between homonegative microaggressions and alcohol use and consequences was lower for those higher on these social identity components; there was no moderating effect of any social identity component on the association between discrimination violence and either alcohol outcome. Social identity factors strongly affiliated with the LGBTQ community act as both a buffer in the face of subtle forms of discrimination and, more generally, a way to counteract the typical trajectory of increased alcohol use and consequences among LGBQ EAs.

Adult education has a long tradition of engagement in social justice, but prisoners do not seem to garner much attention. This paper presents the findings of a case study of nine incarcerated women who attended a weekly screening of a documentary followed by a discussion for four weeks and individual interviews with all participants. Preliminary data analysis shows four main findings. First, participants appreciated non-formal learning and took pride in participating in discussions that were respectful of differences. Secondly, they expressed curiosity for new information and other perspectives. Thirdly, participants were inspired by stories of ordinary people facing adversity with perseverance and creativity. Finally, the carceral setting shaped their learning experience; although the films provided a break from the monotony of being imprisoned, the activity was nonetheless situated within the context of participants' correctional plans. As the numbers of incarcerated women in Canada continue to rise, these findings suggest that adult education has a role to play and that activities like this documentary series can offer stimulation and reflection to people who are incarcerated.

This study examined the longitudinal evolution of 3 to 5 year old children's level of engagement in Quebec's early childcare centres. A latent transition analysis was conducted on child engagement measured by the inCLASS. Results revealed three engagement profiles at ages 3 and 5: (1) low engagement profile; (2) low- medium engagement profile; (3) medium engagement profile, suggesting a generally positive but low engagement. The study also identified that over 80% of children, regardless of profile at age 3, transition to the medium engagement profile by age 5. Various predictor variables were explored to explain this transition with socioeconomic context of the child's family at age 5 found to be the sole predictive variable, suggesting a strong impact of family context on children's engagement. This suggests that engagement is a distinct construct from the wider educational quality concept, modulated by child-specific characteristics. Implications for research and educational practice are discussed.

The story extracts presented here reflect the experiences of five teacher candidates from Japan on a shortterm study abroad program focusing on developing English-language skills while exploring Canadian culture and English-language teaching methods. Narrative inquiry techniques were employed to gather data related to the participants' program experiences. These data were crafted into stories with participant input and review. The story extracts relate to intercultural interactions, First Nations culture, teaching methods, meals, and extracurricular activities. On reflection, the narrative inquiry process employed in this study worked as both a research and pedagogical tool to uncover meaningful program experiences.

In Canada, high stakes objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) administered by the Medical Council of Canada have relied exclusively on physician examiners (PEs) for scoring. Prior research has looked at using SPs to replace PEs. This paper reports on two studies that implement and evaluate a standardized patient (SP) scoring tool to augment PE scoring. The unique aspect of this study is that it explores the benefits of combining SP and PE scores. SP focus groups developed rating scales for four dimensions they labelled: Listening, Communication, Empathy/Rapport, and Global Impression. In Study I, 43 SPs from one site of a national PE-scored OSCE rated 60 examinees with the initial SP rating scales. In Study II, 137 SPs used slightly revised rating scales with optional narrative comments to score 275 examinees at two sites. Examinees were blinded to SP scoring and SP ratings did not count. Separate PE and SP scoring was examined using descriptive statistics and correlations. Combinations of SP and PE scoring were assessed using pass-rates, reliability, and decision consistency and accuracy indices. In Study II, SP and PE comments were examined. SPs showed greater variability in their scoring, and rated examinees lower than PEs on common elements, resulting in slightly lower pass rates when combined. There was a moderate tendency for both SPs and PEs to make negative comments for the same examinee but for different reasons. We argue that SPs and PE assess performance from different perspectives, and that combining scores from both augments overall reliability of scores and pass/fail decisions. There is potential to provide examinees with feedback comments from each group.

Mentorship has been shown to enhance engagement, participation, and understanding of the workplace through the development of soft-skills and leadership capacity. This research identifies and describes the social representations of second and third year Baccalaureate accounting students relating to their experiences in mentoring first year accounting students. We used an exploratory research method based on a qualitative analysis of 34 semi-structured interviews. Our research intends to answer these question: To what extent is a mandatory Student Peer Mentorship Project useful for second and third year Baccalaureate accounting students in developing their interpersonal and communication skills and leadership capacity?; and How can this experience be transferable to the workplace? The main results show that the mentoring experience has provided Baccalaureate students' with the opportunity to develop their soft-skills, both interpersonal and communication skills, and has improved their leadership capacity. They took diverse actions to motivate their mentees to succeed, drawing on their own past experience of the school, program, courses, and their professors. They provided mentees with information on what to expect in the first semester in their courses as well as where, how, and when to study. These students mentioned that their intrinsic motivation, their personal satisfaction, and their leadership capacity had increased by helping and supporting their mentees. Also, they felt that they improved their communication skills through the ability to provide information and meet and support new accounting students. Finally, their experience seems as valuable for them as for their mentees and is transferable to the workplace.

While service learning platforms hold great potential for adult learners of English as an additional language (EAL), there has been little research to date related to the impact of these programs on adult newcomers' linguistic and social development. The Multicultural Café was a food service learning platform for adult EAL learners operated over a 7-month period at a regional college in the British Columbia interior. The café was developed to provide adult immigrant learners of EAL with an opportunity to authentically engage in using English to provide a valued service to the local community. The current study was conducted to explore the impact of the service learning experience from the perspective of the participants. Using a qualitative case study research design, data were gathered from participants (n = 10) through a questionnaire, semistructured interviews, and a focus group. Data were transcribed, coded, and collected into emerging themes. Opportunities for authentic interactions with customers and with other volunteer coworkers emerged as two of the primary outcomes of the service learning experience. Incorporating the service learning opportunity of the Multicultural Café into the participants' English language learning experiences appeared to enhance their interactions within the college community. [Note: The issue number (11) shown on this PDF is incorrect. The correct citation is v34 n1.]

The Dual Failure Model suggests that peer victimization (social failure) and academic difficulties (academic failure) mediate the association between externalizing and later internalizing problems. The present study sought to better understand why children with externalizing problems develop later internalizing problems by testing the Dual Failure Model using a sample of 744 children (aged 6 to 10 at Time 1 [T1]), of whom 434 (44.7% girls) presented with high levels of conduct problems at study inception. Both parent and teacher ratings of externalizing and internalizing problems support the social failure pathway, but not the academic failure pathway. Children with externalizing behaviors at T1 who developed internalizing problems 2 years later did so via their experiences of peer victimization. These results apply for both boys and girls and do not vary according to child age at T1 or the level of conduct problems at study inception. These findings underscore the importance of early screening and intervention for externalizing behavioral problems in order to reduce subsequent peer victimization and internalizing problems. Findings regarding the consequences of internalizing are also discussed.

From the perspective of newcomers to Canada, using English as an additional language (EAL), this study explores how newcomers' interlocutors might impede workplace communication. Six participants speaking EAL and with a variety of language backgrounds shared their workplace experiences. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, with anecdotes compiled, coded, and analyzed for emergent themes. CELPIP-General LS test scores were also obtained to provide a measure of the participants' general English language proficiency. Based on the anecdotes shared by the participants, affective tension, interlocutor language use, interlocutor understanding, time pressure, and their own perceptions played a role in inhibiting workplace communication. It appeared that their capacity to deploy the full range of their communicative competence in English often depended on their interlocutors. These findings point to how the attitudes and actions (real or imagined) of interlocutors may affect workplace language skills. Based on these findings, the potential of intercultural skills development for newcomers, their interlocutors, and the wider community is examined with the goal of facilitating workplace communication.

An emerging area of research on religion and trauma has documented religious change in the wake of trauma, with some individuals casting doubt on their faith and others renewing their investment. However, the cognitive processes involved in faith change remain unclear. This study addresses this gap in the literature through in-depth interviews with 11 participants who experienced changes in their religiosity as a result of a traumatic experience. Data was analysed thematically using the grounded theory approach. Findings indicated that participants engaged in the cognitive process of faith change that generally followed one of three paths: weakening of faith, strengthening of faith, and developing an individual spirituality.

Translanguaging practices come into play in social interactions between bilinguals when they are making use of all their shared linguistic resources and blending their languages in natural ways. Stemming from these practices is translanguaging pedagogy, which is designed so that students in school-based additive bilingual programs can benefit from drawing on their entire linguistic repertoire. Whereas translanguaging pedagogy applies especially well to contexts where minority-language students are learning some or all of their school subjects through a majority language that is not their home language, this paper questions the relevance of translanguaging pedagogy across all contexts of bilingual education. Specifically, an argument is made against more use of English L1 in Canadian and US immersion programs featuring minority languages such as French or Spanish, given the high status of English that militates against the use of non-English languages. A research-based example of translanguaging pedagogy is presented to illustrate how it goes against current proposals for immersion pedagogy designed to systematically develop students' academic literacy in the minority language. Arguments are put forth for more sustained use of the minority language, drawing support from previous research on the benefits of separate spaces for instructional languages and from cognitive notions such as depth of processing and skill acquisition. Counterbalanced instruction integrating language and content along with strategies for scaffolding comprehension and production are presented as alternatives to translanguaging pedagogy.

The worldwide rise in obesity makes this the first non-infectious epidemic in human history. The rapid increase is, in fact, influenced more by environment than biology. In an effort to halt the trend, Quebec has launched a major awareness-raising campaign that focuses on healthy environments and targets stakeholders in schools, municipalities, communities and the health sector. The purpose of the present study, then, is to determine how this campaign can promote action towards environments conducive to healthy lifestyles. The theoretical framework is based on planned change. The objectives are to 1) evaluate the quality of awareness-raising methods offered by trainers, and 2) place the impacts of the sessions into perspective. A qualitative approach was prioritized, consisting of two focus groups conducted with 17 trainers. From the standpoint of a healthy environment, sensitization sessions expanded networking, provided a common frame of reference and drove coherent actions for stakeholders involved. As an agent of change, the trainer played a key role in implementing the sessions. The conditions offered encouraged the transition from awareness to information, thereby generating significant results in terms of action. A sensitization session is thus a prerequisite for training transformation activities aimed in innovation.

Independent confirmation that vocabulary in use unfolds across levels of performance as expected can contribute to a more complete understanding of validity in standardized English language tests. This study examined the relationship between Lexical Frequency Profiling (LFP) measures and rater judgements of test-takers' overall levels of performance in the Speaking and Writing modules of the CELPIP-General test. In particular, the potential of measures such as lexical stretch and number of frequency bands accessed was examined. Randomized quota sampling from previously rated test-taker responses resulted in 200 speaking samples and 200 writing samples being compiled to create corpora of 211,602 running words and 70,745 running words respectively. Pearson r was used to examine the relationships between the LFP measures and rater judgements of CELPIP levels. Results point to significant correlations, with increasing CELPIP levels of performance generally accompanied by test-takers' increasing ability to produce greater numbers of words, deploy a greater variety of words, rely less on high-frequency vocabulary, tap into mid-frequency vocabulary, and access a greater number of frequency bands. These results underline the contribution of independently obtained lexical measures toward a fuller understanding of concurrent validity in standardized English language proficiency testing.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs designed to meet postsecondary English language proficiency requirements are a common pathway to higher education for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Grounded in a Canadian context, this study seeks to examine the prevalence of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in EAP, common examples of EAP tasks, and the benefits and drawbacks of this approach for EAP students. EAP professionals (n = 42) were recruited from the membership of TESL Canada, and participants completed a questionnaire on their perceptions of TBLT for EAP. Of those who participated, 69% reported using TBLT in at least half of their lessons, with 86% of the participants indicating that TBLT was suitable for EAP instruction. Further qualitative analysis of the data revealed that presentations, essays, and interviews were the top three tasks employed by EAP teachers; the practicality, effectiveness, and learner-centredness of TBLT were its major benefits; and mismatched student expectations, lack of classroom time, and excessive instructor preparation were TBLT's major drawbacks. Ambiguity regarding what constitutes TBLT was also found in the data. It appears that TBLT is used by participants across Canada and is well accepted as a teaching approach. However, some concerns associated with TBLT in EAP remain to be addressed.

This article recounts three studies that portray an evolution from research examining the effects of researcher-designed instructional interventions to research examining the impact of helping teachers to design their own instructional interventions. Study 1 investigated the effects of an instructional treatment designed by the research team on students' ability to accurately assign grammatical gender in French. The treatment yielded positive outcomes and evolved into an instructional model employed in two subsequent researcher-led professional development (PD) initiatives (Studies 2 and 3). The PD in Study 2 aimed to engage teachers with instructional practices considered effective for integrating language and content across their classes in French L2 and social studies classes taught in French. Study 3 had biliteracy instruction as its primary goal, aiming to make connections between French and English classes, specifically with respect to derivational morphology. Together the three studies point to the benefits of developing a synergy between teachers and researchers as a means (1) to support teachers in their implementation of pedagogical insights yielded by instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) research and (2) to strengthen ISLA itself in its endeavor to improve language teaching and learning.

Peer collaborative second language (L2) writing has recently gained a lot of traction (Hu & Lam, 2009; Swain & Lapkin, 2013) as both instructors and students recognize its advantages. Although research on peer feedback in L2 contexts has a long history, peer collaborative L2 writing research has been sparse. This article reports on a study that investigated student perceptions on collaboration in an extended, take-home writing assignment in an English for academic purposes context at a Canadian university. Data were collected from questionnaire surveys, student writing, and semistructured interviews. Findings suggest that although there are some challenges in peer collaborative writing, it also has certain benefits. The main challenges identified were participants' unfamiliarity with peer collaboration, lack of clear instructions regarding the steps to be followed, unequal proficiency levels within groups, and group members' different backgrounds, causing difficulty in communication among partners. The benefits include students' critical awareness about the use of language in academic writing, which led to an improved understanding of the meaning-making processes in text production. Drawing on these findings, the authors discuss implications for teaching and learning.

Indigenous people in North America and around the world are in dire circumstances with respect to language maintenance and cultural continuation. However, Indigenous communities are also taking back increasing control of the education of their children. In so doing, they are frequently exploring culture-based education and language immersion models as a means of perpetuating language by passing it on to the youngest generation. This is the goal of the Mnidoo Mnising Anishinabek Kinoomaage Gaming (MMAK) Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe) immersion school on Manitoulin Island. In this paper, we describe the linguistic results of early years education at the MMAK. We begin with a description of the development of the MMAK and share its successes and challenges in the framework of larger policy developments in the region. We then discuss the linguistic outcomes thus far for students in the MMAK; having collected data with Junior and Senior Kindergarten students over the past two years using multiple assessment methods, we have been able to establish clear patterns with respect to the impact of Anishinaabemowin language immersion on the language development of these students. Finally, we explore how Aboriginal language immersion may be a tool for language revitalization for this and other communities.

The authors argue that the professional learning practices of teachers in precarious employment may have a significant impact upon their understandings of specific policy reforms. The analysis considers a teacher's understandings of learning about a new policy in light of the various 'epistemological resources' he brought to bear to his learning opportunities and the particular 'framing' which developed. The research reveals that enactment of policy reform is dependent upon opportunities for teachers in precarious employment circumstances having access to paid, professional learning opportunities on an ongoing basis. Such access may be reduced by the neoliberal challenge to historical employment relationships in education.

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This study builds on previous work exploring reading and listening lexical thresholds (Nation, 2006; Laufer & Ravenhorst-Kalovski, 2010; Schmitt, Jiang, & Grabe, 2011) in order to investigate productive vocabulary targets that mark successful entry-level undergraduate writing. Papers that passed the Effective Writing Test (EWT) were chosen to create a corpus of novice university level writing (N = 120). Vocabulary profiles were generated, with results indicating the General Service List (GSL) and the Academic Word List (AWL) cover an average of 94% of a typical paper. Further analysis pointed to 3,000 word families and 5,000 word families covering 95% and 98% respectively of each paper. Low frequency lexical choices from beyond the 8,000 word family boundary accounted for only 0.6% coverage. These results support the frequency principle of vocabulary learning (Coxhead, 2006), and provide lexical targets for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curriculum development and materials design.

A problem common to university faculty and students is an implicit sense of inadequacy regarding institutional hierarchies and disciplinary boundaries. Through a focus on multidisciplinarity, learning communities enable members to navigate multiple points of view within, between, and beyond apparent institutional boundaries. After having led a workshop that placed participants in the positions of both students and faculty members negotiating multidisciplinarity through learning communities, we conclude that learning communities' methodological leveling of traditional hierarchies implicit in higher education leads to a sense of belonging that enables students and faculty to take risks essential for authentic learning. Anxiety over participation in academic discussions both inside and outside the classroom, and from within and beyond one's disciplinary expertise, thus becomes productive rather than debilitating.

In this study, I investigate how French immersion students in two junior high schools in Alberta see themselves in Canadian society. The data come from three years of ethnographic research that included classroom observations and 94 interviews with students, teachers, administrators, and parents. This study shows how French immersion students do not belong to either legitimized group in Canada; they develop their own bilingual world and identities, which are not recognized in Canadian society. I argue for inclusion of all learners of French with varying linguistic and cultural competencies in schools and workplaces so they can contribute to Canadian political, societal, and social spheres. (Contains 4 footnotes.)

This paper explores the development of Canadian immigration legislation from the mid-Nineteenth Century to the present day. The aim is to show, through an historical lens, how people with disabilities have been and continue to be treated as inferior to nondisabled people when it comes to immigration. Similar to other minority populations, including people of colour, gays, lesbians, as well as people from ethnically and culturally diverse communities, people with disabilities have been assigned to the prohibited and inadmissible classes of various immigration acts. While significant legislative changes have been instituted to address immigration policies which were once racist, sexist, and/or homophobic, no similar changes have been made to address ableist immigration legislation. As a result, Canadian immigration legislation continues to deny or restrict immigration opportunities for people with disabilities, as case studies will attest. By developing this history, it is hoped that readers will address important questions about the ethics of the continued discrimination against potential immigrants with disabilities and the ethics of decision-making processes which devalue the lives of people with disabilities.

Training is one of the basic means of human resources development in business organizations, aiming to motivate employees, to develop their potential and to help them perform better. The end of the 20th century has seen the advent of globalisation and the diffusion of new information and communication technologies. Businesses have to change and adapt to the requirements of the new knowledge-based and skill-based economy. Facing pressures from an increasingly competitive business environment, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are called upon to implement strategies that are enabled and supported by information technologies and e-business applications in order to compete with others' organizations. One of these applications is e-Learning, whose aim is to enable the continuous assimilation of knowledge and skills by managers and employees, and thus support organisational training and development efforts through the use of the Internet and Web technologies. Little is known however as to the level of awareness of e-Learning in SMEs and as to the actual role played by e-Learning with regard to these firms' training needs. A multiple case study of sixteen SMEs in the Atlantic region of Canada, including twelve that use e-Learning with varying degrees of intensity, was designed to explore this question. We observed the firms' training process, identifying to what extent the SMEs know and use e-Learning, and to what extent e-Learning meets their training needs.

Focus groups with First Nations students and faculty revealed five themes that help identify strategies for creating a more positive learning environment for First Nations students: enhancing the professor-student relationship, including relevant First Nations content in curriculum, using flexible teaching methods, adopting a more culturally-appropriate teaching style, and gaining an understanding of the unique life of a postsecondary First Nations student. (EV)

Background: An important pedagogical practice is the provision of structure (Farkas & Grolnick, 2010, "Motiv. Emot.," 34, 266). According to self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985, "Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior," Plenum, New York, NY), structure allows students to develop perceived competence in different school subjects, which in turn facilitates the development of autonomous motivation towards these subjects and limits the development of controlled motivation. Aims: In this study, we test a mediated moderation model that posits that teacher structure has a stronger positive effect on students' autonomous motivation (and a negative effect on controlled motivation) in French class when differentiated instruction is used, and that this moderation effect is mediated by perceived competence. Sample: To test this model, we used a sample of 27 elementary school teachers and 422 students from Quebec, a province of Canada. Methods: Data for teachers and students were collected with self-report measures. The method used was a correlational one with a single measurement time. Results: Results revealed that (1) the effect of teacher structure on students' autonomous motivation was positive only when differentiated instruction strategies were frequently used, and this moderated effect was partially mediated by perceived competence, and (2) teacher structure was negatively associated with students' controlled motivation only when differentiated instruction was provided infrequently, and this moderated effect was not explained by perceived competence. Conclusions: These findings are discussed in the light of the literature on SDT and on differentiated instruction.

The objective of this study is to describe the way in which two important biological phenomena, namely diffusion and osmosis, are addressed in the classroom. The study builds on extensive research conducted over the past twenty years showing that students' appropriation of these two phenomena remains partial and incomplete. To understand some of the difficulties these students face in understanding such concepts, we have geared our research toward analysis of classroom practices based on a theoretical framework involving general and specific dimensions of teaching science. Using a case study (a course made up of eight periods), we collected data in three stages: interviews with the teacher regarding his planning; a video recording of the entire course; and feedback interviews with the teacher subsequent to the course. The study's results show that the difficulties encountered by the students cannot be attributed solely to their personal characteristics (state of development of the scientific mindset, prior learning, etc.). Instead, they appear to be largely associated with teaching practices and the potential these practices hold in terms of allowing students to appropriate these concepts. The results presented in this article are significant in their contribution to improving teaching methods for diffusion and osmosis, and thus to facilitating their understanding by students. The paper also presents an example of a conceptual and methodological framework for the study of classroom practices with a view to addressing the gap between educational research and classroom practice.