Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute

Last updated
Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute
ILOB OLBI HOR BLACK - Copy.png
Former names
Centre for Second Language Learning (CSLL) (1968-1989) Second Language Institute (SLI) (1989-2007)
MottoCommitment and Innovation
TypeInstitute
Established1968 (1968)
DirectorJérémie Séror
Location
Ottawa
,
Ontario
,
Canada
LanguageEnglish and French
Affiliations University of Ottawa
Website www.olbi.uOttawa.ca

The Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) (French: Institut des langues officielles et du bilinguisme) is a language institution affiliated with the University of Ottawa, in Ottawa, Canada. Its mission is to promote excellence and innovation in the fields of bilingualism and language acquisition, [1] thus helping the University fulfill its role to "further bilingualism and biculturalism and preserve and develop French culture in Ontario." [2]

Contents

Specifically, creating the Institute would allow the University to achieve the following objectives:

  1. Strengthen the bilingual image and character of the University of Ottawa nationally and internationally, and express in concrete terms its commitment to the social and human values underlying bilingualism and biculturalism;
  2. Recognize—and continue to build on—the vital role played to date by the Faculty of Arts and, in particular, by the Second Language Institute in promoting bilingualism and Canada's official languages;
  3. Highlight, strengthen and expand teaching and research not only in language acquisition and teaching, but also in language planning;
  4. Actively promote skill and expertise in language acquisition and teaching, and in language planning; share this body of knowledge with the entire university community, throughout Canada and abroad. [3]

History

OLBI at 600 King Edward ILOB at 600 King Edward.jpg
OLBI at 600 King Edward

The unit was first created in 1968 under the name Centre for Second Language Learning (French: Centre des langues vivantes), with the mandate of "teaching English and French as second languages (ESL and FLS) to undergraduate students and others in the University community, and of evaluating second language proficiency for the graduation requirements of the various faculties". [4] The Centre was situated at 154 Waller at the University of Ottawa, and was initially part of the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages. However, it established itself as an autonomous unit of the Faculty of Arts and acquired its first official director, Raymond LeBlanc, in 1970. [5]

OLBI in Hamelin Hall at 70 Laurier Avenue East OLBI at 70 Laurier Avenue East.jpg
OLBI in Hamelin Hall at 70 Laurier Avenue East

The Centre for Second Language Learning experienced many moves around campus in its early days, including a move to 59 Laurier Avenue East (the former home of the Department of Linguistics), Lamoureux Hall, [6] and Montpetit Hall. The centre finally settled at 600 King Edward, around 1980. [7] Due to the discrepancy between the English and French names, [8] a decision was made to change the name of the Centre to the Second Language Institute (SLI) (French: Institut des langues secondes, ISL) on January 1, 1989. [9] On July 1, 2007 the Institute went through yet another transformation when it became the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) that exists today. In February 2013, it moved permanently to Arts Hall (renamed Hamelin Hall in September 2015), at 70 Laurier Avenue East. [10]

List of directors

Raymond LeBlanc: 1970-1980, 1990–1994, 1995-1998

Philip C. Hauptman: 1980-1986

Marjorie B. Wesche: 1986-1990

Robert Courchêne: 1994-1995 (interim), 1998–2002, 2005-2007 (interim)

Marie-Claude Tréville: 2003-2005

Richard Clément: 2007-2017

Larry Vandergrift: January to June 2011 (interim)

Marie-Josée Hamel: January to June 2015 (interim)

Jérémie Séror: since July 2017 [11]

Direction

Jérémie Séror: Director and Associate Dean

Monika Jezak: Assistant Director, Administration

Beverly Baker: Director, Language Assessment

Marie-Claude Dansereau: Second Language Teaching Program Coordinator

Marie-Josée Hamel: Director, Graduate Studies

Parvin Movassat: Director, Undergraduate Studies Program

Nikolay Slavkov: Director of the Canadian Center for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL)

Teaching

OLBI offers a wide range of courses in English and French as second languages or as foreign languages to University of Ottawa students, faculty, staff, as well as to others outside the University. Undergraduate, graduate, intensive, and customized courses and programs are available.

Credit programs and courses

At the undergraduate level, the Institute offers program Majors, Minors, and Advanced Minors in FLS and ESL, as well as FLS and ESL elective credit courses. Course topics range from reading and writing to listening and speaking, and are offered from the beginner level. Special accompanying FLS and ESL courses cover vocabulary used in certain University of Ottawa classes from the student's chosen field of study. [12] In the 2015-2016 academic year, over 1,200 students enrolled in at least one ESL course, while more than 4,000 enrolled in an FLS course administered by OLBI. [13]

Students can also obtain an Honours BA or Major in Second Language Teaching in either French or English through a program managed jointly by the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Education. The program focuses on learning how to teach a second language, and to students of all ages and levels. [12]

OLBI introduced its graduate program in September 2014, a Master of Arts in Bilingualism Studies (MA). The program is centered on critical issues in the field of Applied Linguistics, including innovations in second language instruction, assessment of second language skills, as well as language policy and planning. [14]

French immersion studies

OLBI also administers the language component of French Immersion Studies, an academic path allowing Anglophone students to study partially in French while earning their undergraduate degree. The program made its debut in 2006, and has served over 2884 students since. It is now offered in conjunction with 58 programs at the University of Ottawa, in addition to another 16 programs in the Faculty of Science that offer the Extended French Stream.

In geographic terms, about 85% of Immersion students are from Ontario, 5% from Quebec, 5% from British Columbia, and 5% from other Canadian provinces and territories and other regions of the world.

Immersion students are divided among faculties as follows: 42% from the Faculty of Social Sciences, 17% from the Faculty of Arts, 17% from the Faculty of Science, 10% from the Faculty of Health Sciences, and 13% from the Telfer School of Management. [13]

Second language intensive programs

Since September 1981, the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute has offered intensive (25 hr/week) and semi-intensive (12 hr/week) courses for students wishing to learn English or French as a second language. Approximately 250 students per year enrolled in these non-credits courses in the 1980s, the majority of students in the ESL program being Libyans and Algerians. Since then, the program has expanded considerably, and now includes a number of non-credit intensive ESL and FLS programs and teacher-training programs for a variety of different groups with different needs, both within Canada and abroad. Around 1,000 participants each year come from all over the world.

Intensive language programs:

Research

OLBI's research centre, the Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (known by its French acronym, CCERBAL), promotes research on all aspects of second language education and learning, bilingualism and language planning. The CCERBAL also serves as an advisory body on language policy and social cohesion in Canada and internationally. Its services are available to the academic community, to governments, and to non-governmental organizations with interest and responsibilities in the field of bilingualism, broadly defined. Its mandate is to promote exchanges, interdisciplinarity and research partnerships. Created in October 2008, the centre hosts numerous conferences and symposia, and research forums. CCERBAL also publishes its own peer-reviewed publication "OLBI Working Papers". [18]

CCERBAL has established two Research Chairs in Bilingualism: [19]

These four research groups are affiliated with CCERBAL:

Founding members of CCERBAL include Nathalie Bélanger (Faculty of Education), Linda Cardinal (Faculty of Social Sciences), Richard Clément (OLBI), Pierre Foucher (Faculty of Law), Juana Liceras (Faculty of Arts), Shana Poplack (Faculty of Arts), Larry Vandergrift (OLBI), and Luise von Flotow (Faculty of Arts). [20]

Language assessment

From the 1970s to the 1990s, all undergraduate students at the University of Ottawa were required to pass a second language proficiency test in order to meet their graduation requirements. [21] These language tests had been developed and administered by the Centre for Second Language Learning to more than 3,000 students a year. [5] Up until 1993, those who did not succeed in passing the test were required to take a second language course, also run by the Centre. [22]

While second language proficiency is no longer obligatory for graduation at the University of Ottawa, the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute remains actively engaged in the administration of English and French language tests and evaluations.This includes internationally recognized certification tests as well as in-house placement tests.

Tests administered by OLBI:

Development and promotion

With the goal of fostering bilingualism, OLBI's Development and Promotion Office maintains agreements with language organizations around the world.

OLBI's partner institutions:

Resources

Julien Couture Resource Centre Julien Couture Resource Centre.JPG
Julien Couture Resource Centre

The Student Resource Centre, now known as the Julien Couture Resource Centre, was established in 1986 to promote autonomy in second language learning. [5] It holds a large collection of helpful materials and resources for language teachers and learners, scholars, and the general public. Among these are books, magazines, audio-visuals, and more.

In addition to the Resource Centre, OLBI provides students with conversation workshops, language labs with audio recording technology, and the project Portail Francophile, which fosters exchange between Francophone and Francophile students. [26]

Related Research Articles

In bilingual education, students are taught in two languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The time spent in each language depends on the model. For example, some models focus on providing education in both languages throughout a student's entire education while others gradually transition to education in only one language. The ultimate goal of bilingual education is fluency and literacy in both languages through a variety of strategies such as translanguaging and recasting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Ottawa</span> Bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The University of Ottawa, often referred to as uOttawa or U of O, is a bilingual public research university in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on 42.5 hectares directly to the northeast of Downtown Ottawa across the Rideau Canal in the Sandy Hill neighbourhood.

Language education – the process and practice of teaching a second or foreign language – is primarily a branch of applied linguistics, but can be an interdisciplinary field. There are four main learning categories for language education: communicative competencies, proficiencies, cross-cultural experiences, and multiple literacies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">English as a second or foreign language</span> Use of English by speakers with different native languages

English as a second or foreign language is the use of English by speakers with different native languages, often with students whose native language is not English and are learning to speak and write English, commonly among students. Language education for people learning English may be known as English as a foreign language (EFL), English as a second language (ESL), English for speakers of other languages (ESOL), English as an additional language (EAL), or English as a new language (ENL), which refers to the practice of studying English in a country where it is not the dominant language. These programs, especially ESL, are usually an academic subject, course, or program designed to teach English to students who are not yet proficient in the language. While some people only refer to learning in an English-speaking country, learning this language can also entail learning in a non-English speaking or non-native nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renison University College</span> Canadian college in Waterloo, Ontario

Renison University College is an affiliated university college of the University of Waterloo and located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Renison's campus is situated on the western border of Waterloo's main campus. The university college offers academic programs that count as credit toward a University of Waterloo degree. Most academic courses are offered within Waterloo's Faculty of Arts, focusing on social sciences, language and culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Language immersion</span> Use of two languages across a variety of educational subjects

Language immersion, or simply immersion, is a technique used in bilingual language education in which two languages are used for instruction in a variety of topics, including math, science, or social studies. The languages used for instruction are referred to as the L1 and the L2 for each student, with L1 being the student's native language and L2 being the second language to be acquired through immersion programs and techniques. There are different types of language immersion that depend on the age of the students, the classtime spent in L2, the subjects that are taught, and the level of participation by the speakers of L1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glendon College</span> College in Ontario

Glendon College is a public liberal arts college in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Formally the federated bilingual campus of York University, it is one of the school's nine colleges and 11 faculties with 100 full-time faculty members and a student population of about 2,100. Founded as the first permanent establishment of York University, the school began academic operation under the mentorship of the University of Toronto in September 1960. Under the York University Act 1959 legislation, York was once an affiliated institution of the University of Toronto, where the first cohort of faculty and students originally utilized the Falconer Hall building as a temporary home before relocating north of the St. George campus to Glendon Hall — an estate that was willed by Edward Rogers Wood for post-secondary purposes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Université Sainte-Anne</span> Public university in Nova Scotia, Canada

Université Sainte-Anne is a French-language university in Pointe-de-l'Église, Nova Scotia, Canada. It and the Université de Moncton in New Brunswick are the only French-language universities in the Maritime Provinces.

A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, for example, communicative competence in a foreign language. Language learning in such schools typically supplements formal education or existing knowledge of a foreign language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French immersion in Canada</span> A form of bilingual education in Canada

French immersion is a form of bilingual education in which students who do not speak French as a first language will receive instruction in French. In most French-immersion schools, students will learn to speak French and learn most subjects such as history, music, geography, art, physical education and science in French.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales</span> Academic language institution in France

Institut national des langues et civilisations orientales, abbreviated as INALCO, is a French university specializing in the teaching of languages and cultures from the world. Its coverage spans languages of Central Europe, Africa, Asia, America, and Oceania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Ottawa Faculty of Medicine</span>

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Ottawa is a bilingual medical school in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada founded in 1945. It is located at a campus centred on Roger-Guindon Hall in the east end of Ottawa and is attached to the Ottawa Hospital's General Campus. The Health Sciences Complex is separate from the downtown University of Ottawa campus.

English-language learner is a term used in some English-speaking countries such as the United States and Canada to describe a person who is learning the English language and has a native language that is not English. Some educational advocates, especially in the United States, classify these students as non-native English speakers or emergent bilinguals. Various other terms are also used to refer to students who are not proficient in English, such as English as a second language (ESL), English as an additional language (EAL), limited English proficient (LEP), culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD), non-native English speaker, bilingual students, heritage language, emergent bilingual, and language-minority students. The legal term that is used in federal legislation is 'limited English proficient'. The instruction and assessment of students, their cultural background, and the attitudes of classroom teachers towards ELLs have all been found to be factors in the achievement of these students. Several methods have been suggested to effectively teach ELLs, including integrating their home cultures into the classroom, involving them in language-appropriate content-area instruction early on, and integrating literature into their learning programs.

Explore, Destination Clic, and Odyssey are three educational exchange programs administered by the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) and funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage to promote bilingualism in Canada.

Merrill Swain is a Canadian applied linguist whose research has focused on second language acquisition (SLA). Some of her most notable contributions to SLA research include the Output Hypothesis and her research related to immersion education. Swain is a Professor Emerita at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto. Swain is also known for her work with Michael Canale on communicative competence. Swain was the president of the American Association for Applied Linguistics in 1998. She received her PhD in psychology at the University of California. Swain has co-supervised 64 PhD students.

Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute (CILLDI) - an intensive annual "summer school for Indigenous language activists, speakers, linguists, and teachers" - hosted at the University of Alberta, Edmonton - is a "multicultural, cross-linguistic, interdisciplinary, inter-regional, inter-generational" initiative. CILLDI was established in 1999 with one Cree language course offered by Cree speaker Donna Paskemin. By 2016 over 600 CILLDI students representing nearly 30 Canadian Indigenous languages had participated in the program and it had become the "most national of similar language revitalization programs in Canada aimed at the promotion of First Peoples languages." CILLDI - a joint venture between the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan - responds to "different sociolinguistic situations in language communities under threat" and includes three faculties at the University of Alberta in Edmonton - Arts, Education, and Native Studies. CILLDI provides practical training to students which is "directly implemented back in the community." Initiatives like CILLDI were formed against the backdrop of a projection of a catastrophic and rapid decline of languages in the twenty-first century.

Teaching English as a second (TESL) orforeign language (TEFL) and teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) are terms that refer to teaching English to students whose first language is not English. The terms TEFL, TESL, and TESOL distinguish between a class's location and student population, and have become problematic due to their lack of clarity. TEFL refers to English-language programs conducted in countries where English is not the primary language, and may be taught at a language school or by a tutor. For some jobs, the minimum TEFL requirement is a 100-hour course; the 120-hour course is recommended, however, since it may lead to higher-paid teaching positions. TEFL teachers may be native or non-native speakers of English.

The neurolinguistic approach is a pedagogical method used in acquiring/teaching second or foreign languages in a school setting, singling out the ability to communicate, both orally and in writing. Originally, it was developed for the teaching of French, but there are now a variety of programs based on this approach for the teaching of several different languages. The most widely used program in Canada is that known as "Intensive French" (IF).

In bilingual education, students are taught content areas like math, science, and history in two languages. Numerous countries or regions have implemented different forms of bilingual education.

Patsy M. Lightbown is an American applied linguist whose research focuses on the teaching and acquisition of second and/or foreign languages in a classroom context. Her theories of second language acquisition earned her the SPEAQ Award for "contributions which have had an impact on the entire English teaching community in Quebec". She served in the United States Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa from 1965 to 1967. In her more than forty years in the field she has taught at multiple universities across the United States, Australia and Canada. She holds the title of Distinguished Professor Emerita at Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. She has written seven published books and has been featured in many book chapters and refereed journals. She currently works as an independent consultant, editor, researcher and writing in second language acquisition and learning.

References

  1. "Our mission, our Values". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  2. "Bilingualism". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  3. University of Ottawa Archives: Sénat 2006-2007 Vol II, Creation of the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) at the Faculty of Arts. April 2007.
  4. The Centre for Second Language Learning: Priorities for the Future. 1987. p. 3.
  5. 1 2 3 The Centre for Second Language Learning: Priorities for the Future. 1987.
  6. Courchêne, R., Burger, S., Cornaire, C., LeBlanc, R., Paribakht, S., & Séguin, H. (1996). Twenty-Five Years of Second Language Teaching at the University of Ottawa/Vingt-cinq ans d'enseignement des langues secondes à l'Université d'Ottawa. Ottawa, Canada: University of Ottawa Press.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. Livret de l'étudiant : École française d'été. 1975.
  8. The Centre for Second Language Learning: Priorities for the Future. 1987.
  9. "Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute Fonds". Archives of the University of Ottawa. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  10. "Autrement Dit/In Other Words" Archived 2016-08-20 at the Wayback Machine . Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  11. OLBI Human Resources Archives.
  12. 1 2 "Programs". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 18 December 2014.
  13. 1 2 Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute Annual Report 2015-2016. Ottawa, Canada. 2016.
  14. "Graduate Studies". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  15. "Destination Clic". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  16. "University of Electronic Science and Technology of China". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  17. "Intensive Program". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  18. "Mandate". Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  19. 1 2 "Research Areas". Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  20. "Founding Members". Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  21. Livret du professeur. Ottawa, Canada. 1978.
  22. La Rotonde. Ottawa, Canada. September 7, 1993.
  23. "Tests". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute.
  24. "CALDO". caldo.ca. Retrieved 2024-03-19.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. "Development". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  26. "Resources". Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute. Retrieved 16 December 2014.