Dual Language Books Go Digital: 'Storybooks Canada' in French Immersion Schools and Homes
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| Title: | Dual Language Books Go Digital: 'Storybooks Canada' in French Immersion Schools and Homes |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Zaidi, Rahat, Metcalfe, Robin, Norton, Bonny |
| Source: | Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics / Revue canadienne de linguistique appliquée. 2022 25(1):64-87. |
| Availability: | Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics / Association Canadienne de Linguistique Appliquée. Departement de langues, linguistique et traduction, Pavillon de Koninck, Universite Laval, Quebec, QC G1K 7P4, Canada. Web site: http://www.aclacaal.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 24 |
| Publication Date: | 2022 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Kindergarten Primary Education Grade 1 Grade 2 |
| Descriptors: | Bilingual Instructional Materials, Multilingualism, Case Studies, French, Immersion Programs, Personal Autonomy, Foreign Countries, Books, Second Language Learning, Second Language Instruction, Native Language, Electronic Publishing, Student Diversity, Family School Relationship, Individualized Instruction, Difficulty Level, Parent Role, Educational History, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Elementary School Students, Open Educational Resources |
| Geographic Terms: | Canada |
| ISSN: | 1481-868X |
| Abstract: | In response to Canada's growing ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity, educators in French immersion classrooms are increasingly responding with enhanced cross-linguistic initiatives, and dual language books are promising resources in the promotion of multilingualism (Zaidi, 2020; Zaidi & Dooley, 2021). This paper details a research project we completed in a 2019 classroom-based qualitative case study in a French immersion school experiencing an increasing enrollment of linguistically diverse students. The researchers sought to determine if "Storybooks Canada," a free digital platform with 40 dual language books in multiple languages, could help promote literacy engagement and strengthen home-school connections. Five teacher participants identified a range of features that make the platform a useful resource for promoting literacy engagement, text comprehension, learner autonomy, meaning-making, and instructional differentiation. These included (i) the multilingual features, (ii) the ability to project stories on a large screen, (iii) the audio component, (iv) the illustrations, and (v) the different levels of text difficulty. While teachers made almost exclusive use of the French language features of the site, for classroom purposes, they supported cross-linguistic uses of the platform in the home context, with a view of strengthening home-school connections. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2022 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1336349 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | In response to Canada's growing ethnic, cultural, and linguistic diversity, educators in French immersion classrooms are increasingly responding with enhanced cross-linguistic initiatives, and dual language books are promising resources in the promotion of multilingualism (Zaidi, 2020; Zaidi & Dooley, 2021). This paper details a research project we completed in a 2019 classroom-based qualitative case study in a French immersion school experiencing an increasing enrollment of linguistically diverse students. The researchers sought to determine if "Storybooks Canada," a free digital platform with 40 dual language books in multiple languages, could help promote literacy engagement and strengthen home-school connections. Five teacher participants identified a range of features that make the platform a useful resource for promoting literacy engagement, text comprehension, learner autonomy, meaning-making, and instructional differentiation. These included (i) the multilingual features, (ii) the ability to project stories on a large screen, (iii) the audio component, (iv) the illustrations, and (v) the different levels of text difficulty. While teachers made almost exclusive use of the French language features of the site, for classroom purposes, they supported cross-linguistic uses of the platform in the home context, with a view of strengthening home-school connections. |
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| ISSN: | 1481-868X |
