Dans un Cameroun, officiellement bilingue, le constat de la dégradation de l'apprentissage de la lecture et de l'écriture du français, langue seconde/étrangère (FLS/FLE), est clairement établi. Notre travail de recherche porte sur l'origine de ces carences, en utilisant des méthodes de sociolinguistique et de didactique. Notre étude, sur le terrain scolaire, a analysé l'appropriation du français dispensé par des enseignants à des élèves de première année de secondaire, en système anglophone et francophone camerounais. Dans cette première année de post primaire, de niveau équivalent pour les deux sous systèmes éducatifs, nous avons analysé le déroulement des apprentissages du français et son utilisation. Notre choix de lieu d'enquête s'est porté, dans les Lycées bilingues de Buea et de Yaoundé, en zones urbaines, sur deux classes de 6ème (francophones) et deux classes de F1(anglophones). Nous avons constaté, dans cette étude synchronique, que les recommandations officielles du domaine linguistique pour le français sont mal connues des enseignants, que les éléments de base, dispensés au cycle primaire, sont mal assimilées par les élèves, qu'il existe des incompétences dans la production de certains phonèmes, que les règles prosodiques du français ne sont pas suivies (absence ou mauvaises liaisons, perte ou insertion, ou déformation/confusion de certains sons, etc.), que la production de l'intonation est délétère. Des facteurs sociaux et didactiques ont aussi été identifiés comme des obstacles à l'appropriation de la lecture et de l'écriture (plurilinguisme, faible intérêt pour l'écrit, rareté et mauvais usage des manuels scolaires, effectifs pléthoriques, indiscipline chronique, projets pédagogiques absents ou mal structurés, méthodes et méthodologies non efficientes, etc.). Toutes ces pratiques et ces facteurs précédents placent les élèves du corpus d'étude dans une insécurité linguistique grandissante. Des pistes possibles de remédiation à la dégradation de ces apprentissages se dégagent de notre recherche. Il serait souhaitable d'instaurer des pratiques pouvant favoriser la construction de micro processus qui permettraient d'installer la compétence de lecture et d'écriture chez les élèves : étude de la phonologie, amélioration des pratiques d'oral, production et reproduction constantes d'écrits... / In Cameroon, with two official languages, findings clearly show that there is a drop in learning how to read and write French as a second/foreign language (FSL/FFL). This project, using the sociolinguistic and didactic method, looks at the origin of these gaps. The study which was carried out in schools analyzed the ownership of French taught by teachers to first year students in secondary schools in the English-speaking subsystem and French-speaking subsystem. In the first year of post primary education, at the equivalent levels for both subsystems of education, this study analyzed the learning and usage of French. The study was carried out in Bilingual High Schools in urban areas, Buea and Yaounde, in two classes of 6ème for French-speaking students and two classes of Form One for English-speaking students. The synchronic study made the following findings: the official linguistic recommendations for French Language are poorly understood by teachers; basic elements taught in the primary school are poorly assimilated by students; poor production of certain phonemes; students do not follow French prosodic rules (absence or poor liaison, loss or insertion, or deformation/confusion of some sounds, etc.); and production of intonation is poor. Social and didactic factors were also identified as obstacles to the ownership of reading and writing (multilingualism, low interest in writing, scarcity and misuse of textbooks, overstaffing, chronic indiscipline, lack or poorly structured teaching plans, inefficient methods and methodologies, etc.). All these factors and practices put the students in this study under growing linguistic insecurity. The study further makes recommendations to remedy the gap in the learning of French. It would be desirable to introduce practices that promote the building of micro processes that will help students acquire skills in reading and writing: study of phonology, improvement of oral practices, constant production and reproduction of writing.

Este estudo foi realizado para testar técnicas de ressonância magnética funcional (RMf) para investigar aspectos funcionais da pineal humana. Foram coletadas imagens funcionais e amostras de sangue total para a dosagem da melatonina plasmática antes, durante e após a apresentação de estímulo com luz azul quase monocromática em indivíduos saudáveis. Os participantes realizaram o exame de tomografia computadorizada do crânio sem o uso de contraste endovenoso (TC), para a avaliação qualitativa do grau de calcificação pineal. As conclusões foram: a) não houve ativação da pineal em resposta à aplicação da luz; b) não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as condições pré-estímulo, durante o estímulo ou pós-estímulo usando diferentes métodos de análise dos dados de RMf, porém, observou-se tendência de maior poder espectral na pineal durante a aplicação do estímulo luminoso do que nas condições pré e pós-estímulo; c) foi identificada a conectividade funcional da pineal, que poderá ser melhor avaliada em estudo futuro. / This study aimed to test the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques in order to investigate the functional aspects of human pineal gland. Some functional images and total blood samples for dosing the plasmatic melatonin concentration were collected before, during and after the presentation of a monochromatic blue light stimulation in healthy individuals. All subjects were examined by a brain CT scan, with no the administration of endovenous contrast, for the qualitative assessment of the pineal calcification level. The conclusions were the following: a) there was no pineal activation in response to the application of light; b) there were no statistically significant differences between the pre-, during and poststimulation conditions with different analysis methods of fMRI data, however, there was a trend of greater spectral power in the pineal gland during the luminous stimulation application than under the other conditions; c) the functional connectivity of the pineal could be identified, which should be better assessed in a future study.

Este estudo foi realizado para testar técnicas de ressonância magnética funcional (RMf) para investigar aspectos funcionais da pineal humana. Foram coletadas imagens funcionais e amostras de sangue total para a dosagem da melatonina plasmática antes, durante e após a apresentação de estímulo com luz azul quase monocromática em indivíduos saudáveis. Os participantes realizaram o exame de tomografia computadorizada do crânio sem o uso de contraste endovenoso (TC), para a avaliação qualitativa do grau de calcificação pineal. As conclusões foram: a) não houve ativação da pineal em resposta à aplicação da luz; b) não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre as condições pré-estímulo, durante o estímulo ou pós-estímulo usando diferentes métodos de análise dos dados de RMf, porém, observou-se tendência de maior poder espectral na pineal durante a aplicação do estímulo luminoso do que nas condições pré e pós-estímulo; c) foi identificada a conectividade funcional da pineal, que poderá ser melhor avaliada em estudo futuro. / This study aimed to test the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques in order to investigate the functional aspects of human pineal gland. Some functional images and total blood samples for dosing the plasmatic melatonin concentration were collected before, during and after the presentation of a monochromatic blue light stimulation in healthy individuals. All subjects were examined by a brain CT scan, with no the administration of endovenous contrast, for the qualitative assessment of the pineal calcification level. The conclusions were the following: a) there was no pineal activation in response to the application of light; b) there were no statistically significant differences between the pre-, during and poststimulation conditions with different analysis methods of fMRI data, however, there was a trend of greater spectral power in the pineal gland during the luminous stimulation application than under the other conditions; c) the functional connectivity of the pineal could be identified, which should be better assessed in a future study.

Les référentiels de compétences et la formation professionnelle des enseignants sont devenus des sujets qui suscitent beaucoup d’intérêt de la part de plusieurs chercheurs en éducation, dont Paquay (1994), Perrenoud (2001) et Berchoud (2007). La présente étude est une recherche-développement qui se donne pour objectif principal de concevoir et d’élaborer un référentiel de compétences pour les futurs enseignants de français langue étrangère (FLE). Pour y parvenir, notre démarche générale consistait à partir de l’analyse des référentiels de formation des enseignants ainsi que des standards de performance que nous pouvions déjà trouver partout dans le monde. Cette analyse nous a amenée à repérer les points communs et, par la suite, à les synthétiser pour trouver les éléments pertinents qui pourraient nous inspirer pour une première ébauche de notre référentiel. Ainsi, nous avons dressé une liste des domaines de performance nécessaires à la formation des futurs enseignants que nous avons repérés dans les écrits. Pour enrichir cette liste, nous avons mené des consultations auprès de quelques experts en Égypte où le français est enseigné comme deuxième langue étrangère dans les écoles publiques. Et, à l’aide de trois outils de recherche, les entrevues individuelles, le focus-group et le questionnaire, nous avons pu développer et valider des standards de performance pertinents à chacun des domaines identifiés ainsi que des indicateurs pour chaque standard. L’analyse statistique des données recueillies nous a permis d’en faire une description globale, de confirmer des points de convergence de façon significative, et aussi de repérer des éléments sujets à discussion. Ainsi, nous sommes parvenue à élaborer un référentiel qui comprend trois composantes principales : les domaines de performance, les standards et les indicateurs. Ce référentiel contient vingt standards de performance essentiels à la formation des futurs enseignants de FLE. Les standards sont regroupés sous six catégories appelées domaines : compétence linguistique, communication, processus d’enseignement, gestion de classe, évaluation et professionnalité. Le référentiel comprend aussi soixante-trois indicateurs reliés aux standards retenus. Le résultat de notre recherche est donc ce référentiel de compétences destiné aux futurs enseignants de FLE et dont les éléments ont été validés en Égypte. Nous croyons que cet outil servira, d’une part, de cadre de référence pour les professeurs des facultés d’éducation surtout lors du choix de contenu de leurs cours et, d’autre part, comme un guide pour les futurs enseignants qui leur permettra de s’autoévaluer et de se situer par rapport aux différents standards de performance identifiés dans ce référentiel. / Competency frameworks and professional education of teachers have become subjects of great interest among educational researchers (Paquay, 1994 ; Perrenoud, 2001 & Berchoud, 2007). This study is a Research & Development research that has as main objective to design and develop a competency framework for the future teachers of French as foreign language (FFL). To achieve this objective, our general approach was primarily based on the analysis of teacher education competency frameworks and performance standards that existed across the world. This analysis has led to identify the common points and subsequently, find the relevant elements that could inspire us in the development of a first draft of our competency framework. Thus, we have compiled a list containing the key performance domains for the education of the future teachers that we have identified based in our review of literature. To develop this list, we have consulted some experts in Egypt where French is taught as a second foreign language in public schools. By means of three research tools, interviews, focus-group and questionnaire, we have developed and validated the performance standards relevant to each of these domains as well as some indicators for each identified standard. The statistical analysis of data collected have allowed us to make an overall description of this data to confirm points of convergence significantly and also to identify some items subject of discussion. Hence, we could develop our competency framework that includes three main components: performance domains, standards and indicators. This framework consists of twenty performance standards that are essential for the education of future teachers of FFL. These standards are grouped under six categories called domains: language competence, communication, teaching process, classroom management, assessment and professionalism. The framework includes also sixty-three indicators related to the defined standards. Thus, the result of our research is this competency framework designed for the future teachers of FFL that its components have been validated in Egypt. We believe that this tool will be used, on the one hand, as a reference for the professors in faculties of Education helping them in the selection of the course content ; on the other hand, it will be used as guide for the future teachers enabling them to self-assess in reference with the defined performance standards.

Les référentiels de compétences et la formation professionnelle des enseignants sont devenus des sujets qui suscitent beaucoup d’intérêt de la part de plusieurs chercheurs en éducation, dont Paquay (1994), Perrenoud (2001) et Berchoud (2007). La présente étude est une recherche-développement qui se donne pour objectif principal de concevoir et d’élaborer un référentiel de compétences pour les futurs enseignants de français langue étrangère (FLE). Pour y parvenir, notre démarche générale consistait à partir de l’analyse des référentiels de formation des enseignants ainsi que des standards de performance que nous pouvions déjà trouver partout dans le monde. Cette analyse nous a amenée à repérer les points communs et, par la suite, à les synthétiser pour trouver les éléments pertinents qui pourraient nous inspirer pour une première ébauche de notre référentiel. Ainsi, nous avons dressé une liste des domaines de performance nécessaires à la formation des futurs enseignants que nous avons repérés dans les écrits. Pour enrichir cette liste, nous avons mené des consultations auprès de quelques experts en Égypte où le français est enseigné comme deuxième langue étrangère dans les écoles publiques. Et, à l’aide de trois outils de recherche, les entrevues individuelles, le focus-group et le questionnaire, nous avons pu développer et valider des standards de performance pertinents à chacun des domaines identifiés ainsi que des indicateurs pour chaque standard. L’analyse statistique des données recueillies nous a permis d’en faire une description globale, de confirmer des points de convergence de façon significative, et aussi de repérer des éléments sujets à discussion. Ainsi, nous sommes parvenue à élaborer un référentiel qui comprend trois composantes principales : les domaines de performance, les standards et les indicateurs. Ce référentiel contient vingt standards de performance essentiels à la formation des futurs enseignants de FLE. Les standards sont regroupés sous six catégories appelées domaines : compétence linguistique, communication, processus d’enseignement, gestion de classe, évaluation et professionnalité. Le référentiel comprend aussi soixante-trois indicateurs reliés aux standards retenus. Le résultat de notre recherche est donc ce référentiel de compétences destiné aux futurs enseignants de FLE et dont les éléments ont été validés en Égypte. Nous croyons que cet outil servira, d’une part, de cadre de référence pour les professeurs des facultés d’éducation surtout lors du choix de contenu de leurs cours et, d’autre part, comme un guide pour les futurs enseignants qui leur permettra de s’autoévaluer et de se situer par rapport aux différents standards de performance identifiés dans ce référentiel. / Competency frameworks and professional education of teachers have become subjects of great interest among educational researchers (Paquay, 1994 ; Perrenoud, 2001 & Berchoud, 2007). This study is a Research & Development research that has as main objective to design and develop a competency framework for the future teachers of French as foreign language (FFL). To achieve this objective, our general approach was primarily based on the analysis of teacher education competency frameworks and performance standards that existed across the world. This analysis has led to identify the common points and subsequently, find the relevant elements that could inspire us in the development of a first draft of our competency framework. Thus, we have compiled a list containing the key performance domains for the education of the future teachers that we have identified based in our review of literature. To develop this list, we have consulted some experts in Egypt where French is taught as a second foreign language in public schools. By means of three research tools, interviews, focus-group and questionnaire, we have developed and validated the performance standards relevant to each of these domains as well as some indicators for each identified standard. The statistical analysis of data collected have allowed us to make an overall description of this data to confirm points of convergence significantly and also to identify some items subject of discussion. Hence, we could develop our competency framework that includes three main components: performance domains, standards and indicators. This framework consists of twenty performance standards that are essential for the education of future teachers of FFL. These standards are grouped under six categories called domains: language competence, communication, teaching process, classroom management, assessment and professionalism. The framework includes also sixty-three indicators related to the defined standards. Thus, the result of our research is this competency framework designed for the future teachers of FFL that its components have been validated in Egypt. We believe that this tool will be used, on the one hand, as a reference for the professors in faculties of Education helping them in the selection of the course content ; on the other hand, it will be used as guide for the future teachers enabling them to self-assess in reference with the defined performance standards.

This qualitative study was guided by the framework of Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). In Canada, although researchers recognize that learning French through a cultural context will promote understanding and acceptance of cultural diversity, as well as the learning of the target language, there is little evidence to support the ways in which this methodology may influence the learning of elementary Core French students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the ways in which a group of Grade 4 students, from an English community, perceived their peers from a French community, and to describe any changes in their attitudes toward learning French as a Second Language in response to the opportunity to learn through a cultural context. This action research study used a questionnaire, an observation checklist of task-related behaviour, and semi-structured group photo-interviews to explore 15 Grade 4 students’ perceptions and attitudes in response to a new research-based teaching approach. As the cultural exchange unfolded, I sought evidence of the three savoirs (that according to the ICC model, primary students have the ability to develop), in order to promote interculturality: savoir être (related to students’ attitudes towards the other students), savoirs (related to knowledge of the other culture), and savoir apprendre/faire (related to behaviour toward the other culture). Results indicated that students showed evidence of two savoirs: savoir être and savoirs. Savoir apprendre/faire, however, was not shown. In addition to the two savoirs, the exchange promoted the learning of French in the classroom, and supported the development of students’ confidence in communicating in French. The findings of this study contribute to the teaching of Elementary Core French in Ontario, by providing valuable insights into the possible ways that learning French through an intercultural experience holds potential in developing students’ communication abilities as well as awareness and acceptance of otherness, which is the bedrock upon one can develop effective communicators in the target language. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2014-04-23 18:35:56.721

Cette thèse a pour objet l’étude des représentations des professeurs des écoles relatives aux spécificités du français en usage à l’école afin d’orienter et d’optimiser l’outillage pédagogique nécessaire à l’accueil, en classe ordinaire, d’élèves allophones nouvellement arrivés en France. La première partie de la thèse dresse un état des lieux de l’enseignement du français aux nouveaux arrivants allophones scolarisés à l’école élémentaire sans soutien spécifique. Puis, une clarification des concepts de français langue seconde (FLS) et de français langue de scolarisation (FLSco) est effectuée. Cet éclairage vise à fournir l’appui théorique nécessaire à l’analyse des enquêtes menées auprès des professeurs des écoles, interrogés sur les spécificités du français en usage à l’école, à la fois, langue de communication particulière, matière enseignée et langue des matières enseignées. Le recueil et l’analyse de leurs réponses composent la seconde partie de cette thèse. Les résultats générés servent de point d’ancrage aux diverses propositions didactiques et pédagogiques élaborées pour faciliter la prise en charge des nouveaux arrivants allophones, mais également de tous les élèves qui connaissent des difficultés avec la maitrise du français de / à l’école. / This research aims at studying the representations of elementary school teachers about the specificities of the French language used at school, in order to guide and optimize the educational materials needed by allophone pupils recently arrived in France, included into ordinary classes. The first part of the thesis proposes an inventory of French teaching at allophone pupils immersed in an elementary school without any support. Next, some clarification of the concepts of French as a second language (FSL) and French as the language of schooling is done. It will help enlightening the analysis of the surveys of school teachers questioned about the specificities of French used at school, such as a specific communication language, a language as subject and a language of the other subjects. The collection and the analysis of the answers compose the second part of this thesis. The results obtained serve as a support to make didactic and pedagogical proposals to facilitate school inclusion of newly arrived allophone children, and also, of all pupils who have difficulties with French of / at school.

The aim of this work was to establish a comprehensive processing pipeline of cervical spinal cord HARDI dMRI data and T2-weighted anatomical MRI images in high-resolution. In the research part we provide description of anatomical data processing, theoretical background of dMRI, description of current approaches to 3D anisotropic diffusion estimation as well as current imaging methods of spinal cord axonal bundles. As one of the first in the world, we are investigating multiple-direction diffusion models for human in-vivo spinal cord white matter minority bundles imaging. We designed our own processing pipeline utilizing Spinal Cord Toolbox (SCT), FSL, in-house developer scripts and TORQUE-based batch system for grid computation, tested on real data from cervical spinal cord area between segments C4-C6 from 26 healthy volunteers. Designed processing pipeline with one non-automatic step, works from pre-processing to parcelation of selected spinal cord structures based on co-registration with anatomical spinal cord template for 25 subjects. One person data includes motion artifacts for which the proces failed. There are visible waves in sagittal images of some subjects caused probably by blood-vessel pulsing. Local quantification metrics of spinal cord anatomy (fractional anisotropy – FA, fractional volumes of first – f1 and second – f2 direction of anisotropic diffusion) from different parts (white matter, gray matter, cortico-spinal tract) and from different population groups (men vs. women), were extracted from dMRI data. As we expected, FA maps show visible decreases in areas of gray matter. We also detected second diffusion dirrection in slices, where the spinal roots come out. In some areas, fractional volume of second diffusion direction reaches up to 40% of the total component of the dMRI signal. All mentioned parameters probability density functions for all mentioned groups are non-normal distributions. Between male and female groups there were no significant distribution differences for f1 and f2 volumes. The distribution of FA values between men and women is statistically different. Unfortunatelly, there is a significant inter-subject variability in results, which has much higher dispersion than differences between different group distributions. Despite the inter-subject variability, this work significantly extends the knowledge about data acquisiton capabilities and MRI and dMRI data from cervical spinal cord image processing. This work also lays down foundations for utilization of the imaging method in future and planned clinical research, where it will be possible to test the alteration of the spinal cord anatomy on the minor secondary bundles separately.