Current explanations for the development of immersion programs in relation to language
reform in Canada were found to be inadequate and superficial. The lack of attention to the existence
of different sociopolitical contexts has, furthermore, flawed the sociological interpretation of
programs. A comparative case study and multi-method approach was therefore proposed to
examine the historical development of programs in two provinces with very different sociolinguistic
and sociopolitical contexts, Quebec and British Columbia. Comparative analysis revealed that both
commonalities and differences could be identified in the development of immersion programs in
these two provinces and that these have implications for the political and sociological analysis of
programs. In both contexts, it was seen that the implementation and expansion of programs has
required similar organizational adjustments. The relationship of programs to language reform is,
however, very different In Quebec, programs represent a community response to the changing
status of French and are only indirectly related to federal efforts to implement a national policy of
official bilingualism. In British Columbia, programs were initiated by parents, but eventually became
directly related to federal involvement in language education and to Ottawa's efforts to implement a
national language policy. By providing support to the parent association "Canadian Parents for
French", Ottawa found a constituency in English Canada willing to promote official bilingualism.
"Canadian Parents for French" and federal funding have played a critical role in the development of
immersion programs in British Columbia; whereas in Quebec, neither of these elements has been an
important factor in the expansion of programs. Although the development of immersion programs in
Quebec and British Columbia has been framed by divergent language policies, in both provinces, the
development of immersion programs reflects the adjustment of the English speaking community to
the enhanced status of French. Similar sociological patterns were found in how the Anglophone
community has made this adjustment and in how schools have been called upon to respond to
societal change.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/6718 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Lamarre, Patricia B. Grace |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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