McGill Journal of Education / Revue des sciences de l'éducation de McGill

Teachers' noticing of the social development of students with special needs

Cinzia Di Placido — 2025-01-22

Learning disabilities are common among students in grades K-12. When I was a student teacher, I noticed that students with learning disabilities were struggling socially both in and outside of the classroom. As such, I decided to explore this aspect, but through a teacher’s point of view where I interviewed four individuals who are professionals in the field of education. Findings suggest that teachers felt that the social competence of students with learning disabilities is dependent on whether they acknowledge their learning disability. Moreover, teachers believed they (as teachers) played a role in helping students with learning disabilities to overcome their social challenges; however, teachers did not feel prepared to help students overcome such challenges.

The neurolinguistic approach (NLA) to second or foreign language acquisition: An attempt to adapt this method to DELF exam preparation

Valeria Emi Sgueglia — 2025-01-22

The neurolinguistic approach (NLA), a teaching method for French in particular, and for second or foreign language acquisition in general, transforms the conception of language learning processes and, therefore, teaching strategies. This note from the field provides an appraisal of the implementation of this method within a group of learners who, at the time, were demonstrating signs of lower self-confidence and engagement in their studies. It also provides an account of the author’s attempt to adapt the strategies of the NLA to the exam context and requirements of the Diplôme d’études en langue française (DELF), which corresponds to the first four levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Teaching Philosophy Statement: It is time to think outside the box

Nazlee Sharmin — 2025-01-22

The teaching philosophy statement in Canadian academia is integral to applying for faculty positions, promotions, awards, and grants. However, the notion of philosophy is quite unfamiliar to many science students and educators, which is one main audience for this Note from the Field. Moreover, teaching is no longer limited to a traditional didactic model. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many new technology-infused, online, and hybrid teaching models became popular. Years-old philosophies no longer fit with many of the latest innovative teaching approaches. We suggest considering some creative but equally effective alternatives for formal teaching philosophy statements. A reflective essay or short video introduction are two such possibilities which can be equally effective in evaluating one’s teaching practices and goals.

Volume 58 Issue 3: Editorial

McGill Journal of Education MJE — 2025-01-22

Volume 58 Numéro 3: Éditorial

McGill Journal of Education MJE — 2025-01-22

Engaging with meditative inquiry in academia and beyond: A conversation

Ashwani Kumar — 2025-01-22

In this conversational MJE Forum piece, Ashwani Kumar and Bonnie Petersen discuss the importance of meditative inquiry in academia and beyond. The primary focus of the conversation is Kumar’s new edited book, Engaging with Meditative Inquiry in Teaching, Learning, and Research: Realizing Transformative Potentials in Diverse Contexts. This book is a collection of chapters written by authors representing a wide range of perspectives, each discussing their own engagement with meditative inquiry. The conversation explores the underlying ideas behind Kumar’s meditative inquiry as an approach for learning and life, and the creation of the book.

Pas de deux: The complicated relationship between cooperating teachers and pre-service teachers

Philippa Parks — 2025-01-22

The practicum experience is a crucial moment of learning for a pre-service teacher (PST). At the heart of the experience is the relationship PSTs have with their cooperating teachers (CTs). To examine how this relationship was negotiated during the practicum, this article applied Cortazzi’s analysis of narrative approach to stories told by 13 PSTs, stories that comprised part of a larger mixed-method study. Findings from analysis of the more than 200 narratives told by the 13 PSTs disclosed the several ways in which PSTs experienced support from their CTs, including planned introductions of the PST to the classroom students, the CT’s explicit support of PST decisions, and a negotiated withdrawal of the CT’s presence.

How does the writing of self-assessment reports by future teachers evolve according to their profile?

Catherine Deschepper — 2025-01-22

In this article, we focused on the evolution of future teachers' writing in their internship self-assessment reports. Specifically, we explored (1) what students discuss in these self-assessments, (2) how their writing evolves throughout their training, and (3) whether indicators of reflexivity are present in these writings. To answer these questions, we analyzed all the self-assessment reports produced by six students during their training. The content analysis revealed links between the progression of students' writing, their reflective writing, and their progress from one internship to the next.

Postfeminism at play: Pretend play with Disney princess transmedia in the early childhood education classroom

Tifanie Valade — 2025-01-22

This article examines how young children take up gender and sexuality discourses embedded in Disney Princess transmedia narratives and merchandise. A feminist ethnographic study conducted in two Canadian early childhood education and care (ECEC) classrooms found that young children often take up stereotypically gendered, heteronormative roles from princess transmedia during pretend play. The author contends that princess play includes problematic postfeminist themes, yet also offers agentic, pleasurable roles for children to embody. Disney’s hyperfeminine princess aesthetic is sometimes utilized by girls to subvert inequitable gender hierarchies and claim powerful positions within play scenarios. However, femmephobia can result in reinforcement of hegemonic gender discourses via gender policing. Implications for gender equity in ECEC environments are discussed.

Quality of interactions in home-based childcare: Considering normative and meaning-making approaches

Julie Lachapelle — 2025-01-22

This article aims to describe home-based childcare providers’ conceptions of quality interactions. Based on a meaning-making approach, participants’ conceptions were collected through semi-structured interviews and then analyzed through a cultural lens. The conceptions were also compared to the domains and dimensions of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System Toddler, a standardized instrument designed to measure the quality of interactions as a normative concept in childcare centers. The results show that there are mainly differences in the conceptions regarding interactions as experienced in home-based childcare and in childcare centers. A diversity of languages is necessary to consider the distinct cultural context of home-based childcare.

Nature-based education: A rampart of quality interactions in early childhood centers in times of pandemic

Caroline Bouchard — 2025-01-22

This research aims to describe the quality of interactions in six groups of children (aged three to five) experimenting with nature-based education in early childhood centers (ECE), before (T1) and during (T2) the COVID-19 pandemic, and to study its influence on the latter. No significant decline in the quality of interactions in the natural environment was observed between T1 and T2. The interviews with the educators reveal that wearing personal protective equipment (e.g., surgical mask) was nevertheless a hindrance to the quality of the interactions, while the continuity of the experiences in the natural environment favored it. Nature-based education seems to be an innovative solution to challenges in ECE centers within a pandemic context, as well as other contexts.

Shifting routines among families with school-age children with disabilities due to mandatory school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Québec, Canada

Gustina Giordano — 2025-01-22

This study explored the changes in routine and emotional themes experienced by families of children with learning differences or disabilities due to mandatory school closures during COVID-19 in Québec, Canada. A questionnaire was used to compare the family routines of 21 participants before and after the school closures. The study’s findings highlight an overall concern regarding the social and emotional outcomes of long-term school closures. Family routines after the school closures included increased technology usage, lack of socialization, cease or decline of extracurriculars and therapies, and an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety among school-aged children with learning differences and disabilities. The authors suggest enhanced support services to mitigate negative outcomes among school-aged children with learning differences and disabilities.

Forging ties between immigrant families and schools in a pandemic context: Challenges encountered and strategies implemented by school-immigrant family-community liaison officers

Gabrielle Morin — 2025-01-22

This article examines the practices of school-family-community liaison officers during the first wave of COVID-19 in Québec. The pandemic significantly impacted families facing multiple vulnerabilities, particularly recently immigrated families, and affected the ways ties were established between these families and schools. The findings of this article are based on a thematic analysis of 12 practice stories collected from these liaison officers. The analysis identified the challenges encountered and the strategies implemented to bridge the gap between immigrant families and schools. The results notably highlight a boundary between Québec schools and immigrant families.

Perspectives of a teaching tandem integrating the writing of textual genres in French and English at the primary level in Québec

Joël Thibeault — 2025-01-22

This article presents the results of an exploratory study conducted in an intensive English program in Québec. A French classroom teacher and an English as a second language teacher simultaneously cotaught two units on writing genres (recommendations and opinion letters) to grade-6 students. Using data from a series of individual semi-structured interviews conducted after each unit, we focus on the teachers’ points of view regarding the parameters of each integrated unit, the students’ experiences throughout the linguistic integration as well as the coteaching of languages in an integrated way.

Between welcome space and welcome culture: A systemic study

Caterina Mamprin — 2025-01-22

Over the past decade in Quebec, enrollment has risen noticeably in “reception classes,” a program oriented toward teaching the French language. In this article, we study the experience of a department of second-language teachers from a systemic perspective. Eight high school teachers from the Greater Montreal area participated in this qualitative multiple-case study. Using a systemic model, we studied how the recent opening of new reception classes, the relationships between teachers from in and outside the classes, and the misunderstanding of the program by school staff created a gap between the reception department and the regular programs. Our results shed light on the importance of promoting a welcoming culture within the school.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the resistance to change scale (RTC) to the Quebec context

Maude Loi Zedda — 2025-01-22

This research presents the history of the Resistance To Change Scale (Oreg, 2003a) and its adaptation to the Quebec context. The four dimensional scale concerns the disposition to resist change, a trait reflecting a negative attitude towards change. Four studies were conducted. First, using the backward translation method, a preliminary version was produced and evaluated by experts and teachers. Then, two pretests were conducted with two samples of university students. Last, the final version of the ÉDRAC was submitted to 294 undergraduate students. The ÉDRAC presents various proofs of validity and offers a portrait of students’ disposition to resist change. Its characteristics are discussed.

Parent commissioners’, elected commissioners', and directors' perceptions of parental participation in school board decision-making in Quebec

Patrice Cyrille Ahehehinnou — 2025-01-22

The purpose of this article is to understand the perceptions of parent commissioners, elected commissioners, and principals on the political participation of parents in the decision-making process within the councils of commissioners since the adoption of Bill 105 amending the Education Act. A multiple case study was conducted with two school boards in the City of Québec area, and semi-structured interviews were held with 13 participants. A content analysis of the data revealed that greater numbers and the right to vote have brought parent commissioners more legitimacy and recognition, as well as a more egalitarian relationship with the other members of the school governing bodies. The role of parent commissioners is now more decision-making than simply advisory.