OCOL - QUADRANT ANALYSIS – FACTORS AFFECTING PERCEPTIONS OF FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN SASKATCHEWAN

QUADRANT ANALYSIS – FACTORS AFFECTING PERCEPTIONS OF FRENCH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE IN SASKATCHEWAN

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Demographic/Socio-Economic Factors	Public Attitudinal Factors
Francophone Population Decline and Shifts Population declined from 4.4% to 2% of provincial population since 1951 Currently, there are approximately 19,500 Francophones and 50,000 French speakers Exogamous relationships between Francophone and Anglophones The Francophone median age is 52 years Urban shift of Francophone population from historically rural clusters Aboriginal Population Growth Fastest growing segment of provincial population Aboriginal language and heritage perceived priority over French language and culture Resource allocation priorities of provincial agencies might be affected French language and culture may not be a priority for Aboriginals	Factors Affecting Public Attitude/Sentiment Separatist movement in Quebec cause of negative sentiment Local Saskatchewan Francophone communities perceived as small, close-knit group Lack of consistent campaigning or advertising to promote French language, education and culture
Education System Factors Supply and quality of French teachers a concern in Saskatchewan School Boards/Administrators/Counselors need to improve promotion of French courses School Boards/Administrators need to allocate more resources to French courses Number of entry points/options in French Immersion too few Governmental/Public Policy Factors Lack of active promotion from senior levels of provincial government Concerns that the French Education and Languages Branch is under-funded and under-staffed Increased government efforts to promote other languages and cultures, specifically Aboriginal Lack of public sector infrastructure to encourage mainstream use of French in daily life	Childhood and Career Development Related Factors Fear that parents will be left out of their children's education if they don’t speak French Perception that children's English language skills will suffer Perception that French education is primarily intended for super bright children (elitist mentality) Perception that children's social development will suffer especially due to small class size of French courses Overall, French perceived as less important subject French courses not perceived as important for university enrollment Perception that French courses will bring grades down and hinder admission into faculties of choice at university level Income benefits of bilingualism less evident in the Prairies

Demographic/Socio-Economic Factors

Public Attitudinal Factors

Francophone Population Decline and Shifts

Population declined from 4.4% to 2% of provincial population since 1951
Currently, there are approximately 19,500 Francophones and 50,000 French speakers
Exogamous relationships between Francophone and Anglophones
The Francophone median age is 52 years
Urban shift of Francophone population from historically rural clusters

Aboriginal Population Growth

Fastest growing segment of provincial population
Aboriginal language and heritage perceived priority over French language and culture
Resource allocation priorities of provincial agencies might be affected
French language and culture may not be a priority for Aboriginals

Factors Affecting Public Attitude/Sentiment

Separatist movement in Quebec cause of negative sentiment
Local Saskatchewan Francophone communities perceived as small, close-knit group
Lack of consistent campaigning or advertising to promote French language, education and culture

Education System Factors

Supply and quality of French teachers a concern in Saskatchewan
School Boards/Administrators/Counselors need to improve promotion of French courses
School Boards/Administrators need to allocate more resources to French courses
Number of entry points/options in French Immersion too few

Governmental/Public Policy Factors

Lack of active promotion from senior levels of provincial government
Concerns that the French Education and Languages Branch is under-funded and under-staffed
Increased government efforts to promote other languages and cultures, specifically Aboriginal
Lack of public sector infrastructure to encourage mainstream use of French in daily life

Childhood and Career Development Related Factors

Fear that parents will be left out of their children's education if they don’t speak French
Perception that children's English language skills will suffer
Perception that French education is primarily intended for super bright children (elitist mentality)
Perception that children's social development will suffer especially due to small class size of French courses
Overall, French perceived as less important subject
French courses not perceived as important for university enrollment
Perception that French courses will bring grades down and hinder admission into faculties of choice at university level
Income benefits of bilingualism less evident in the Prairies

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