Can governments control language use?

It is generally agreed that governments can control or affect language use. That has been documented and well illustrated in Language Policy (2004) , a book written by Bernard Spolsky, an eminent professor at Bar-IIlan University, who studies language practices, ideology and beliefs and who focuses in this book on language policy. He provides examples where individuals, organisms or governments have decided to manage a language practice or control language use. The reasons are diverse, but mainly it is done to protect the use of a specific language, a minority language, an indigenous or vernacular language threatened by surrounding other languages.
Language use has always interested me as a Québec citizen and as a mother. The present summer course, Language Policy and Practice, taught by Professor Carol Chapelle is of great interest as it allows me to understand much better the complexities of language practices, the multiple aspects that relate to language use and policy. Reading Spolsky (2004) was instructive on language policy. He points out that 125 of the world's constitutions have a language policy, 100 countries name one or more official languages with special privileges (pp.11-12). Congo, for example, has 4 national languages and 2 official languages (p.13). Other countries, even without mention in their constitution, manage language use in specific language laws or policies.
On May 13th, our Language Policy and Practice class had the great opportunity to hear from two experts of the Secrétariat à la politique linguistique about Québec's language policy. The two speakers presented a portrait of the linguistic history of Québec since the 1950's, the problems concerning the decline of French (people or language, the different commissions which studied these problems and their recommendations. They presented Bill 22 and Bill 101, the Charter of the French Language, and its regulations and measures which accompany the policy. The basic principles behind Bill 101 were explained as well as its objectives which pertain to the presence of French in four major areas: signalization and advertising, services to consumers, education and the workplace. It acknowledges that French is the national language and should be predominant in all public spaces. While it imposes French, it recognizes the right for the English minority to have their services in English (medical, school, court, etc). The law provides for collective rights over individuals right. Anglophones suffer from what they consider as infringement on their individual rights, some Francophones who are denied access to the English school system also complain about infringement. Québec's language policy in this case considers the survival of the language of the French minority paramount in an ocean of English in the North-American context.
It has been noted that the implementation is not coercive, and offenders are rarely punished. The Office québécois de la langue française, which acts as a surveillance organism, will cooperate and discuss with the non conforming enterprises. It controls the application of the law and will try to accommodate certain particular cases rather than applying the regulations strictly. In some cases, for bridging schools (les écoles passerelles) for example, the government must be strict and apply the rules and its consequences. In my opinion, the allophones should also be forced to transfer linguistically into the French demographic group. In the actual policy, they are encouraged to do so and the allophone children have to attend French public school. However, given the North American context, they very often transfer linguistically to the English socio-linguistic group.
National language policy is a delicate topic. It is evident that governments can control language use to a certain extent. However, whatever the policy, it is the daily use and customs that people develop that will have an impact on the outcome, or the success of a policy.
The language policy may be instituted and the regulations explained, and there may be a lot of goodwill on the part of the Québec government, but the French language is still threatened on many fronts and its situation is still very fragile. In fact, many observers, including myself, share the opinion that the outlook is not hopeful.
Because of globalization, the ever growing dominance of English on worldwide communications and market forces, Quebecers are ever more inescapably exposed to English – for better or worse!.

References :
Spolsky,B.(2004). Language Policy. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press. (Chapter1)

"Bernard Spolsky looks at the many debates at the forefront of language policy in this up-to-date introduction. The topics covered include ideas of correctness and bad language; bilingualism and multilingualism; language death and efforts to preserve endangered languages; language choice as a human and civil right; and language education policy. Spolsky develops a theory of modern national language policy and the major forces controlling it and explores questions that arise concerning the recognition of language policies and language management."

Secrétariat de la politique linguistique du Québec, Gouvernement du Québec, http://www.spl.gouv.qc.ca

Being an observer of language use

Being an observer of language use in Québec City; observation of code-switching.

Since Quebec City's linguistic landscape is predominantly French, it is not surprising to observe very little bilingualism in daily language use; little code-switching or alternation. French is the main language taught at school. French is evaluated nation-wide (across the province) at the end of Secondary 5, at the end of Cégep and when entering University.
True, there are some borrowings and some Anglicism here and there, but on the overall the language used is French in the French speaking community. The main media, Radio-Canada, La Presse, Le Devoir, promote the correct usage of French. Contrary to France, the introduction of English words is not fashionable here, in the upper educated layers of society. The average Quebecer is rarely fluent in English, not sufficiently to alternate effortlessly from one language to the other. Most will use some occasional words (wipers, tires, tester, brushing, etc.) The average Quebecers who engage in conversation with tourists in English (L2) will code-switch when they are experiencing difficulties finding some words.

As a mother of teenagers who listen to American music and who practice sports, I do observe some English words: download, check, game, etc., but in our household, we prefer that they use the appropriate vocabulary and syntax.
At Laval University, in the Beals program (Baccalauréat de l'enseignement de l'anglais langue seconde), I observe a somewhat different language use: some students are Anglophones and expresses themselves in English all the time, some are bilingual (native bilinguals) and speak both languages depending on their interlocutors. Finally, some are French speaking students who have learned English later on, like I did. They speak English in the classrooms but regularly revert to French in the middle of conversation. It is a perfect example of the mixing of languages resulting from interaction with others.
When I observe code-switching in the Beals program, it seems to occur for the following reasons:
- Francophone students encounter a difficulty while expressing themselves in English, they revert to French when not finding the appropriate word.
- When they feel shy or inadequate in front of Anglophones who are very fluent.
- Some native bilinguals are so fluent in both languages that they use the alternation of both languages without any particular reason.

NB: Code-switching is also referred to as language alternation, code-mixing or"alternance codique " in French. See Code-switching (2009).

More reading : Gardner-Chloros, P.(2009). Code-switching. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press.

Internet for Peace

Internet is nominated for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize. The movement supporting this candidacy, Internet for Peace , claims that Internet« is an endless web of people. Men and women from every corner of the globe are connecting to one another, thanks to the biggest social interface ever known to humanity.Digital culture has laid the foundations for a new kind of society.»

The idea has been initiated by Riccardo Luna, in Wired, a ICT magazine.

Some argue in favor, some argue against it because of some aspects of internet are consumer-oriented.

However, I believe that the extraordinary impact of internet is social and political. Walls and frontiers are falling apart, collaboration and sharing of ideas is possible for all.The opportunity has been given to Iranians and others around the world to express their voice.

Curiously enough, I found about Internet for Peace on a traditional news media: the independant newspaper Le Devoir, in today's edition ( April, 30th).

PS: Sorry for the delay ! Just realized that these news came out in internet in February...

Learning for meaning

Click-create-share or
Click-surf-chat


My reflections on learning/teaching approaches: Collaborative or teacher-centered? Web-exploration or instruction?

In this inspiring video, Mr. J.S.Brown is interested in types of learning environments: learning from each other, learning in teaching others. Out, the obsolete skills. Mr. Brown joins others leading experts in the field of E-learning, such as Marc Prensky, Mario Asselin, François Guité and others. They are proponents of socio-constructivism and technology for educational purposes. "The class outside the walls" is Mario tout de Go's leitmotiv. These prominent icons all have the merit of confronting the shortcomings of the traditional education and proposing ICT education, embracing changes for the 3rd Millennium. A quick research on the word tinkering led me to many alternative schools in the US where engineering and technology is taught to kids from 7 to 16 years old! I was surprised ! Children are curious and want to discover by experimenting. That’s true – but not for all of them.
I have been reflecting on educational approaches for a few years now and I admit, I am still perplexed. Learning from each other? That's In ! The teacher? He's out! He's now a collaborator. Learning by teaching others. Yes, sounds good, but what do we teach each other?
Over the last 12 years, I have followed my three boys in the Quebec school system, and I study presently in a program which promotes cooperative learning, "swim or sink" in its Pedagogy classes. (Beals)

- Here are my main observations and questions :
-When allowed their portables in classrooms, 50% of students with portables aren't listening, they are following their FB or doing other work. They do not take advantage of the teacher's presence and knowledge he/she could share. They think the notes accessible on-line are sufficient. Are classes obsolete or should uninterested students stay home?

- In classes where team work is promoted, some work is truly creative. I have observed great work in Protic classes, students writing editorial texts, news texts, etc. for a web radio-show. Still, I observed that some teams had spent quite a few periods surfing for topics and music, leaving little time for the actual writing and producing quality material.

- In teamwork, human nature prevails: some participate, others, dead logs , benefit from the collective work. I have experienced this year some valuable teamwork in one class and some some far less convincing work with non-motivated partners. Too bad, because the idea of workshops is precisely to experiment and applicate the theory.

- In second language learning, I find it difficult to learn from partners that are beginners. I can't imagine how I could learn German or Italian by exchanging with other new learners? On the other hand, as I remember my painful experiences of grammar translation in Latin, I am aware that Latin is now taught differently with good use of digital tools, with creative and dynamic teaching.

-In geography, my son (sec 3) was so tired of team projects, finding the information on the web and looking here and there for creating texts about countries and sharing with others, he was glad when finally came a teacher who wrote on the board and taught them something (as he said).
-They don't memorize geographical data like we used to. One might argue that they will be in competition with Asian students and they have to acquire new tools, perhaps new information, to be competent...but I'm not sure the Asians are not building up on cultural background knowledge. None of my boys could say in which country Brussels is located, when I was serving them Brussel sprouts. I was flabbergasted. Times have changed, we used to memorize the world’s Capitals and review them in high school. Perhaps it is no longer considered important. I am confused.

- My other son (sec5) is excellent in communicating about sciences; he has researched and written about nanotechnologies and hybrid cars (Competency 3). Yet, at the same time, he fails in math in competency 2 "use mathematical reasoning" and in chemistry in the competency2 "Make the most of his knowledge of chemistry" . Shouldn’t he be required to do more exercises to master the basics? Socio-constructivism has yet to prove itself in science acquisition: the regular practice (of exercises?) is important. ICT are good to stimulate and emulate, present pertinent videos, but still the resolution of problems and mental processes can not be neglected.

- It is true however, that one retains more when one is actively involved. Have a look at the pyramid of learning, provided by the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Science, «An important learning principle, supported by extensive research is that people learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process.»
«Learners retain approximately:90% of what they learn when they teach someone else/use immediately.5% of what they learn when they've learned from lecture.»

- It is true the web is a fantastic tool, and an vector of knowledge, but I still believe the students, young and old, need to be inspired by an excellent teacher, an educator and communicator. Perhaps I am wrong. There are now many school programs across U.S and Canada which offer learning through the use of digital content. For graduate students , for example, there are the Master of education in leadership and digital learning or Master in education, technology integration. Maybe I should have registered in such a program?

- An interesting point brought up by J. S. Brown is the criticism from the master, such as in an architectural studio. It is a good idea. One can accept and learn from criticism. However, J.S.Brown omits telling us that before producing their model, there are prior steps, the students are taught the basics about materials, structural forces and principles of design.

-In the current Québec Mels educational program (renouveau pédagogique), the ESL students are supposed to extract or induce the rules from experiencing communication, written and oral forms. Acquire rather than learn through explicit teaching. In my advanced English Grammar classes at university, I have observed some Anglophone students who do not master or understand the rules, while I have had a solid grammatical basis in French and English through traditional instruction.(Thank God, I had those years of rigorous French and English syntax and grammar classes).

- In my first practicum, I observed dynamic teachers of ELA who believe in cooperative learning and socio-constructivist approach, and their students are said to achieve very well. Interaction can be great, mind-mapping and awareness of meta-cognitive strategies are necessary. However, at the same time, I observed teachers who are more comfortable with teacher-centered instruction either because they have heterogous groups of regular and lower students or higher levels (EESL).

Which is the best? I am still not sure, and I have to find an answer. Is it perhaps a combination of both?

John Seely Brown's philosophy: A whole new social capital

Here are my comments about the ideas presented by John Seely Brown as seen in this inspiring video.

The idea is wonderful: to be recognized not by what you wear or by what you own, your reputation is not founded not on the wealth you have accumulated but by what you have created and shared with others. Consider your participation in the network world as your social capital, and the benefits it gives to others as your major contribution to life! Sounds great, perhaps a little utopian or socio-globalist, a socio-constructed network for the benefit of mankind. I believe some free and open source information are already participating and helping large chunks of population. All the Wall Street vultures afraid of regulations in the banking system aren't building much in terms of social network capital, that's for sure !
Coming back to Brown's ideas, it is hardly utopian to hope for such generous contributions; books, music, scientific studies, research papers are now shared on the web, available for all cultures. It is absolutely fantastic, and indeed, I find that Mr. J.S. Brown's humanistic attitude is worth praising and a model to follow.
However, it mustn't be forgotten that most of our life, for better or worse, is lived in reality. Not with FB friends, or bloggers or virtual twitterers, but within a real-life social network, composed of real caring friends, real family close and extended. Whatever a person has achieved in his or her professional life, it seems to me that the true value of a personal life, the important thing, is not what you have shared on the web, but what you have done for humans surrounding you. Another objection to Brown's philosophy is the vacuous nature of what constitutes much of the web chatter. Unfortunately, many citizen’s participation on the web remains in the realm of gossip, adult restricted voyeurism or even overt racism and hateful criticism on many hate blogs.
Lastly, Corporatist goals are menacing the free network. Ning for example is now charging fees. Mario Asselin informed us of this news: "Ning Fails at Free Social Networking".

Women in art and technology

A beautiful video to discover. It is a video about women's portraits in Western art. It has been created by a web-artist from famous portaits painted thoughout history. Philip Scott Johnson creates some videos with computer technologies. How many portraits can you recognize? How many of the original artists? Probably more in the modern period? If you are interested, you may follow the link to 500 Years of Women in Art where the art works and artists are identified.

Computer class management

Managing a Computer class may present a challenge. It is true that a computer class can turn to a noisy nightmare and that some teachers prefer to skip the period. It is true also that students can waste time and take deviant ways to play and explore wrong avenues.
For a few years, while my children where in primary school, I was a volunteer parent at the school library which was next to the computer class. In fact, the new library and computer room had been designed so they would be joined by large glass paneling and door. Some teachers would separate their groups: half in the library, half in the computer room. I could observe that it is difficult for the teacher to be everywhere at the same time. Now, I realize that the teacher needs to have good skills and strategies to deal with the technical problems as well as the disciplinary problems.
Mr. Miller provided us with the principal guidelines and shared some of his experiences, which was very helpful(Stay on the task, orange sheet of death! freeze screen option,etc). Now, I believe that I am more prepared to handle possible problems such as students exploring adult-restricted websites.
I truly believe that the computer class can be fun and educational when it is well-prepared and provides authentic activities. As for all teaching contexts, the professional should plan, organize and supervise the classroom experience ( Mels competency 6). The teachers have to set rules and abide by those rules if they want the classroom experience to be nice and stimulant.