Thank you, Ms Alfonso, for highlighting the critical nature of this teacher shortage, particularly in BC. I would like to point out that there are a number of possible ways to invite French teachers who have moved from immersion into the English stream as well as encourage strong core French teachers to move into immersion, such as providing subsidies to take French language immersive courses to boost their proficiency and share promising practices with other French second language educators. One great example of this is UBC’s Institut de français in Quebec City (http://quebec.frenchcentre.ubc.ca) where, for 25 years, teachers have been continuing their professional learning in the summer. School district subsidies to supplement what provincial governments can provide could be very helpful.
Wendy Carr, Associate Dean, Teacher Education, UBC