The Suitability of French Immersion for Allophone Students in Saskatchewan - Exploring Diverse Perspectives on Language Learning and Inclusion

Oct 15, 2026

French immersion programs in Saskatchewan have been designed largely around additive bilingualism between Canada’s two official languages, French and English. Immigration has diversified students’ linguistic backgrounds, yet allophone learners often face unequal access and may be excluded when English proficiency is considered insufficient. This mixed-methods study uses Likert-scale surveys and semi-structured interviews with parents and educators across Saskatoon schools to examine perceived suitability and propose recommendations for future immersion programming in the province.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages37

Reading Time1 h 33 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Research purpose and context

Methodology

French language education history in Saskatchewan

CJAL * RCLA Davis, Ballinger, & Sarkar 27 The Suitability of French Immersion for Allophone Students in Saskatchewan: Exploring Diverse Perspectives on Language Learning and Inclusion Stephen Davis Saskatoon Public Schools Susan Ballinger McGill University Mela Sarkar McGill University Abstract French immersion programs in Saskatchewan have traditionally served to further the goals of additive bilingualism between Canada’s two official languages, French and English. Whereas these programs have historically consisted of predominantly Anglophone populations, recent trends in immigration have contributed to the increasingly diverse linguistic backgrounds of students throughout the province. The motivation, family support, and high academic achievement of allophone students learning French as an additional language have been documented extensively in Canada (Dagenais & Jacquet, 2000; Mady, 2013, 2014, 2015) . Nevertheless, allophone students often do not benefit from the same access to second language education programs as their Anglophone and Francophone peers; indeed, such learners are sometimes excluded from French immersion programs on the basis of their lack of English language proficiency (Roy, 2015) . Through Likert-scale surveys and semi-structured interviews, this mixed-methods research explored the perceived suitability of French immersion for allophone students by examining the perspectives of parents and educators in several schools in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This study will share the triangulated findings of the research, discuss the suitability of French immersion programs for allophone students, and provide recommendations for the future of such programs in Saskatchewan. Résumé L’immersion française renvoie à une approche pédagogique qui a pour but la préparation des élèves à travailler et à vivre en français tout en leur permettant de développer des compétences dans les deux langues officielles du Canada. Bien que, historiquement, les élèves anglophones nés au Canada aient été ceux qui ont le plus fréquenté l’immersion française en Saskatchewan, on observe une hétérogénéisation de la population d’élèvesinscrits dans ce type de programme, grâce à une augmentation récente de l’immigration dans la province qui contribue à la diversité grandissante tant sur le plan linguistique que culturel. Plusieurs études ont examiné la motivation des élèves allophones envers l’apprentissage du Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics: 22, 2 (2019) : 27-63 CJAL * RCLA Davis, Ballinger, & Sarkar 28 français au Canada, leurs capacités d’acquérir le français et l’anglais simultanément, et l’importance que leurs familles accordent au multilinguisme (Dagenais et Jacquet, 2000 ; Mady, 2013, 2014, 2015) . Malgré leur succès bien documenté en immersion, les élèves allophones sont parfois exclus de ces programmes à cause de leurs niveaux insuffisantsd’anglais (Roy, 2015) . Cette recherche vise à explorer divers discours au sujet des élèves allophones en immersion française. Spécifiquement, l’étude adopte une méthodologie mixte, menée par l’entremise de questionnaires et d’entretiens, afin d’examiner les perspectives de parents et d’éducateurs, provenant de plusieurs écoles de Saskatoon, en Saskatchewan. Cette étude présentera les résultats quantitatifs et qualitatifs de la recherche, ainsi que certaines recommandations pour les programmes d’immersion dans le but d’offrir une éducation équitable à une population diversifiée. The Suitability of French Immersion for Allophone Students in Saskatchewan: Exploring Diverse Perspectives on Language Learning and Inclusion The recent history of Canada’s linguistic identity has been characterized by a discourse of dualism between the country’s two official languages, English and French (Haque, 2012). This ideology has been shaped by the revised Official Languages Act, which includes a commitment to “enhance opportunities for all to learn both English and French”(Govern

FAQs

Why is French immersion considered potentially suitable or unsuitable for allophone students in Saskatchewan?

The study addresses a critical mismatch between increasingly diverse student demographics and educational policy that has often overlooked allophone learners. It examines educators’ and parents’ perspectives on suitability and inclusion within French immersion programs.

What research methods were used to explore these perspectives?

The research uses Likert-scale surveys and semi-structured interviews. Participants include parents and educators from several schools in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

What issue do the study’s background sources highlight regarding access to second-language programs?

Allophone students often do not benefit from the same access as their Anglophone and Francophone peers. They can be excluded from French immersion programs on the basis of insufficient English language proficiency.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Anna Hans