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At the Crossroads of Research and Practice: Perspectives on Language Pedagogy

Alena Barysevich, Sushma Dusowoth, Rosa Hong and Natallia Liakina

Community Service Language Learning: From Practice to Research

Laura Ambrosio
Based on an analysis of pedagogical practices, this article explains how community-based projects expand the learning space of university students enrolled in credit courses in French as a second language (FSL) or second language teaching (SLT). Community Service Learning (CSL), which is enriched by guided, progressive and regular critical reflection, enables students to take on the role of social actors who, using the target language, pursue the objectives of the course they take, while interacting authentically with the community of the target language.Positive psychology is the primary theoretical framework through which an exploratory qualitative analysis, based on a representative corpus of about 100 journals, has enabled us to identify seeds of autonomy, motivation, learning and self-confidence in language learning. We have also identified a correspondence between CSL and the development of transversal skills. Training future generations to engage in a greater sharing of experiences is a model of an experiential and action-oriented approach at the crossroads of research and practice.

De la recherche à la pratique : mieux comprendre les facteurs de motivation et de persévérance des personnes étudiant une langue étrangère à l’université pour leur offrir un enseignement adapté

Sebastian Döderlein, Britta Starcke and Juliane Bertrand
This article presents the results of a two-year project aimed at understanding the key factors influencing the perseverance of students learning German as a foreign language at a university in Montreal: These factors include 1) the motivation for enrolling in a course, 2) the factors linked to didactic approaches and teaching methods which support continued enrollment, 3) the teacher’s personality, 4) working methods and learning strategies, and 5) students’ preferences regarding their cognitive, social, and emotional engagement, as well as the relationships between the various participants that emerge and develop in the classroom. It appears that the variables linked to the third factor are particularly important in the eyes of the students. A second objective is to examine how these factors are correlated with perseverance in learning. The article also discusses several activities designed to foster a sense of belonging among students with diverse profiles and to promote positive relationships with the team of teachers.

Reinterpreting Experiential Learning for FSL in Canada: Bridging Community and Classroom

Alena Barysevich and Marie-Élaine Lebel
This article presents a reinterpreted approach to experiential learning (EL) for French as a Second Language (FSL) in Canada, where asymmetrical bilingualism, minority Francophone settings, and widespread multilingualism profoundly shape learner experience. Rather than viewing these sociolinguistic realities as obstacles, the article argues that they can be leveraged for creating meaningful, contextually grounded experiential learning experiences.The presented approach consists of two complementary components: community-based EL and classroom-based EL, the Discussion Group and Peer Review Summary (DGPRS). Both components are grounded in Kolb’s experiential learning cycle and framed through task-based and genre-based pedagogies. Community-based EL systematically integrates authentic interactions with Francophone communities—whether local, institutional, or digital—directly into the FSL curriculum, thereby expanding learners’ exposure to linguistic diversity and enhancing social value of French. The DGPRS, as a form of classroom-based EL, creates structured opportunities for authentic communication, peer observation, collaborative reflection, and the development of a classroom-based language community, that validates learners as legitimate users of French. Together, these two complementary components foster experiential learning that enhances sociolinguistic competence and learners’ ability to navigate linguistic diversity. This EL approach bridges classroom learning and real-world experience.

Diversity Is Only Skin-Deep: Intercultural Inclusion in Ontario FSL Classrooms

Rosanne Abdulla
Despite growing demographic diversity among French-speaking newcomers to Canada, as well as recent curricular changes at the provincial level, many French as a Second Language (FSL) classrooms in Ontario remain grounded in Eurocentric norms. This article explores superficial gestures of inclusion in the classroom that mask deeper systemic exclusion, thus hindering the success of underrepresented students. We examine how current institutional paradigms and pedagogical practices tend to tokenize non-European voices, romanticize the notion of la Francophonie, and reinforce colonial hierarchies of power. In response, we propose practical strategies and critical frameworks to support educators in moving beyond performative diversity toward meaningful, anti-oppressive inclusion. By centering collective educator self-reflection and a fundamental reimagining of French language education, the piece invites Ontario educators and policymakers to re-envision the FSL classroom as a transformative, intercultural space rooted in critical inquiry, plurilingual identity affirmation, and global equity.

Norsk Kan Hjelpe! A Study of Student Perceptions, Abilities, and Confidence in the Teaching of Intercomprehension of the Romance Languages and How the Use of a Norwegian Text Unlocks Students' Potential

Cedric Joseph Oliva
In North America, over 70 million people know English and a Romance Language (often Spanish). Many students who enter college or university already possess such bilingual or plurilingual skills. The Intercomprehension of the Romance Languages: a Pathway to Plurilingualism courses (California State University, Long Beach (2014–2026), St. Lawrence University (2018), Bryant University (2023–2026)) offer a manner to foster linguistic growth for such students. The article expands on previous research (Oliva & Gómez Larriva, 2020) on students’ linguistic PCA (predispositions, confidence, and ability) scores that studies their perception when they mobilize their linguistic repertoire and approach unknown languages (Tyvaert, 2008) through proximity strategies, as “[n]o foreign language is totally unknown territory” (McCann et al., 2003, p. 8). It then explores the value of studying texts in Germanic languages to help heighten student confidence when reading unknown texts in Romance languages by revealing the applicability of intercomprehensive strategies beyond the scope of Romance languages.

Language Awareness as a Catalyst for Modern Language Learning: Italian in Canadian Post-secondary Education

Alena Barysevich and Liz Smeets
This paper investigates the integration of a language awareness approach within Canadian post-secondary education, with a focus on Italian as an Additional Language (IAL). Drawing on student and instructor surveys and self-assessment data collected between 2020 and 2024, the study illustrates how linguistic training can be embedded into the core curriculum of introductory IAL courses through targeted activities that promote language awareness. This pedagogical intervention was developed in response to challenges experienced by students when transitioning from high school to university. We introduced language-awareness exercises to address substantial gaps in foundational linguistic knowledge among students and language instructors. We offered linguistically enriched activities that support IAL learners in reactivating prior language knowledge and in transferring key linguistic principles across languages. This process fosters a more analytical and critical orientation toward language learning. The study furthermore discusses how these activities inform broader instructional practices and contribute to a more effective pedagogical design within post-secondary IAL programs.

From Data Generators to Beneficiaries: Impacts of Learning Analytics on Student Learning

Rosa Hong, Sara Pagliaro and Ivan Chow
This paper examines the transformative potential of Learning Analytics (LA) in higher education, with a focus on how student-generated data can enhance student learning experiences. Using the University of Toronto’s implementation of the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS), we investigated an opt-in tool called the Student Learning Mastery Gradebook (SLMG), which can align a course’s learning outcomes with online assessments. We explored the affordance of LA on student performance and attitudes towards learning and learner autonomy using SLMG. Our mixed-method study, conducted in a second-year online English Grammar course, examined the potential for effective use of LA in university settings, especially for students. The results of this preliminary experimentation reveal insights into the benefits and challenges of LA use at the instructional level and in curricular design, emphasizing the need for further research into more ethical and student-centered approaches in institutional uses of LA.

The History and Development of Latin Language Education from the Late 19th to the Early 21st Centuries

John Walsh
Historically, Classical Latin had a fundamental role in the history of Western education systems. This paper examines the teaching of Latin over the past 150 years in the US, Britain, and Australia and demonstrates how Latin teaching has moved in step with complex social changes during the history of modern education. A conclusion follows that evaluates methods of delivering Latin language education to meet student and institutional expected learning outcomes in a modern climate of pedagogical reform, technological innovation, and social development.

Nautilo / Nautilus / Nautile

Julio Torres-Recinos
A poem in honour of Denise Mohan.

Mi camino, mi sombra / My Path, My Shadow / Mon chemin, mon ombre

Julio Torres-Recinos
A poem in honour of Denise Mohan.