Exploration des compétences initiales relatives au français de scolarisation chez des élèves hispanophones de 1re année scolarisés en Outaouais

• Published in: Canadian journal of applied linguistics Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 71 - 92
• Main Authors: Bastien, Marie-Pier, Fleuret, Carole
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 10.07.2020
• ISSN: 1481-868X; 1920-1818
• DOI: 10.37213/cjal.2020.31214

This article explores the initial French language knowledge of 10 Spanish-speaking students in the Outaouais region in terms of the alphabetic principle (i.e., linearity, orientation, etc.) and the alphabetic code (e.g., knowledge of letters, syllables, and phonemes). To account for this, qualitative research has been conducted. Results of this study show that certain tendencies are observable, in particular, that first-grade Spanish-speaking students can recognize and identify letters of the alphabet. Identifying allographs has also proven to be an easy activity. Our results also invite us to describe the French schooling functions of the participants in our study, namely that the usefulness of reading-writing lies mainly in the activities they perform on a daily basis. With regard to the paratextual aspects and the various types of books, these seem completely unknown to the participants. It can be assumed that exposure to books at home is rather rare.