The challenges of education and belonging in a multicultural context : a case study of the primary school level within Quebec educational system (Canada.2012- 2013)

Abstract

This Magister dissertation deals with the status of mother tongues in an educational context, particularly in Quebec where two official languages are prevailing: French and English. Such a linguistic situation raises the issue of identity construction and belonging. At the educational level, institutions must create an appropriate context where the socio-cultural background can shape the teaching and facilitate the learning process. At the societal level , education must aim at fostering critical and creative thinking skills addressing linguistic and cultural diversity towards the promotion of a common cultural identity embracing intercultural understanding .The educational and multilingual experience of Quebec shows ,to some extent, that language and identity are closely related and that intercultural communication is the “raison d’être” of human self-fulfillment. Conflict or cooperation in future inter-ethnic society depends largely on education. The dissertation is divided into four chapters. The first chapter describes Canada and its educational system as well as the Canadian policy toward immigration and ethnic minorities. As to the second one it explains the most commonly known approaches and theories with a particular emphasis on Multicultural Education and language planning. The Third one involves data collections and analysis of results from various facetted perspectives; concerning elementary pupil from different generations while the fourth one includes assessment to some extent the adequacy of an educational program and offers some suggestions for potential improvement of Quebec educational system. The conclusion is intended to open further paths of research related to the subject study.