French Immersion Teachers' Experiences with the Factors that Influence Student Attrition

Abstract

This instrumental qualitative case study sought to explore the experiences of four Ontario elementary French immersion teachers with the factors that influence elementary student attrition, where French is the minority language. The study used the social constructivist approach to learning and development (Vygotsky, 1978), as well as the principles of interaction and continuity in experience (Dewey, 1971), to show that experience shapes learning within a social context. The three research questions that guided this study were: 1) According to a group of Ontario elementary French immersion teachers, what academic and social factors influence student attrition from French immersion?; 2) How are this group of teachers’ current teaching practices affected by their previous experiences with the academic and social factors that influence student attrition in French immersion, by their personal and professional learning experiences, as well as by their social context?; and 3) How might these teachers encourage students to stay in or leave French immersion? Two semi-structured individual interviews with each of the four participants were conducted. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim for coding and analysis. Results suggest that academic and social factors influence student attrition, that the teachers regularly change their teaching approaches and strategies to address student attrition and to help their students learn French, and that the teachers have experience encouraging students to stay in and leave French immersion. The findings of the present study contribute to the literature on French immersion teachers’ experiences with the factors that influence student attrition.