To improve the mastery of French among primary and secondary school students, the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, notably offers daily writing exercises.
The success rate for the written exam in secondary 5 increased from 79% in 2019 to 69% in 2022. Only 48% of students obtained the passing mark for the criterion concerning grammar rules and spelling.
This “tumble” cannot continue, said Mr. Drainville at a press conference in Quebec City on Monday.
He unveiled the “orientations” that he will give to a group of experts responsible for revising French programs by 2025. Among other things, he will ask him to comment on the benefits for children of daily writing exercises.
The minister also wants teachers of all subjects to pay attention to mistakes in French that are made in assignments and exams, and that they provide students with feedback on the quality of their French.
He gave the example of a history teacher who might decide not to correct a paper filled with spelling mistakes.
The Ministry of Education will identify the most frequent errors made by students in the French tests, and will share this portrait with teachers, in order to allow them to better target the actions to be implemented.
Mr. Drainville has also promised to add French pedagogical advisers to the schools who will notably “support and accompany” teachers who teach other subjects.
At the moment, however, Quebec is struggling to find enough qualified teachers to teach classes. “It’s a huge challenge,” admits Bernard Drainville.
He also indicated that he wanted to integrate Quebec culture more into the teaching of French.
“We cannot afford to watch the results plummet. […] It needs a turnaround. Everyone has to get their hands dirty,” summed up the minister.
“French teachers need more support. We have to help them and we also have to help all the other teachers, because it has to become the business of the whole school team, the quality of French at school,” he added. .
More to come in the next few months
For the Centrale des unions du Québec (CSQ), this is a series of “intentions” and “orientations”.
“So we’ll see what happens over the next few months. […] We want to be part of the discussion at all stages of the process, ”responded by press release the president of the CSQ, Éric Gingras.
“It’s the whole of society that must mobilize for the protection and sustainability of French,” he added.
Québec solidaire (QS) spokesperson for education, Ruba Ghazal, also welcomed the minister’s desire to review programs in French.
“Despite these good intentions, the Minister must not forget that if we want to improve the teaching of French in our classes, we must act against the shortage of personnel in the network,” she declared.