"We worked hard to prepare our students, but this was a first: it was the first time we were offering these new courses, and the first time a cohort from Vanier passed the Épreuve uniforme de français," said Julie Gagné, teacher and curriculum coordinator in the French department, last February.
A few months later, with a mix of relief but mostly pride, the department learned of the results: 83.4% of the first cohort passed the Épreuve uniforme de français (EUF)—a success rate that compares favourably with the francophone sector's national average.
Since the adoption of Law 14, students without a certificate of eligibility for instruction in English must pass the EUF to graduate from Vanier. This standardized exam consists of writing a critical essay to assess the student's reading and writing skills. Before the legislative change, the entire student population at Vanier took a similar exam, but in English (the English Exit Exam). Now, the exam students must take (French or English) depends on whether or not they hold a certificate of eligibility.
"We had to design the courses for this first cohort as we taught them for the first time," explains Philippe Gagné, Coordinator of the French department. The deadlines were tight and the stakes were high. "Our department really gave it their all! The energy and resources mobilized in the implementation of Law 14 are a testament to the commitment, dedication, creativity and resilience of all members of the French department."
As part of the EUF requirements, three new courses were created and added to course lists:
- Œuvres narratives et écriture
- Poésie, théâtre et écriture
- Comparaison d’œuvres littéraires
At the same time, French as a second language courses are still being taught to students with a certificate of eligibility.
Kelly Purdy, Dean of the Faculty of General and Specialized Education, said she was delighted with the result: "The students certainly have something to be proud of. They are now continuing their journey with an excellent command of both official languages. The tremendous work of the French department and the administrative staff must also be highlighted."
To support French language instruction in the classroom, the Cégep opened a new Centre d'aide en français (CAF) in the fall of 2023. The CAF offers three types of services: regular tutoring, drop-in tutoring and French workshops during universal break.
"Regular tutoring is the most popular service at the CAF. Each student is paired with a tutor whom they meet for one hour per week throughout the semester. To date, there have been 226 requests for regular tutoring at the CAF this semester. The CAF has been able to meet all of these requests," explains Georgiana Guica, Pedagogical Counsellor at the CAF.
As for the EUF itself, Guica explains it was mainly errors that concerned students: "Students must not make more than 30 mistakes in a 900-word text. This ratio includes all categories such as punctuation, spelling, grammar and syntax. Most of the time, students do well in terms of text comprehension and structure. If they have difficulties, it is usually related to the quality of the language."
Leylah Sylvain, a student in the Honours Social Science program, felt confident thanks to the preparation she received throughout her studies. "It went well for me and I passed. What really helped me was the preparation I had since the beginning of my studies. Since my French teachers gave many practice assignments in class and many grammar lessons, I felt well equipped and knew exactly what to expect on the day of the exam."
Looking ahead, Julie Gagné emphasized that the department's mission goes beyond exam preparation. "We intend to continue thinking about the best strategies for promoting French and cultivating openness, creativity, responsibility and critical thinking, values that are central to the deeply humanistic general education provided by our courses. Beyond the EUF, we are committed to educating critical readers, empathetic human beings who are sensitive to diversity, and citizens who are able to participate fully in Quebec life in French," she said.
