Recipient Bios (wz00784)

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Year: 2001 – Province: Newfoundland and Labrador

Certificate of Achievement Recipients

Michelle Stead

School: Topsail Elementary School
PO Box 292
Topsail, Newfoundland and Labrador  A0A 3Y0

Principal: Robert Maxwell
School Telephone: 709-834-2968
School Fax: 709-834-6429
School website: www.topsail.k12.nf.ca
Grades/Subjects Taught: Grade 6, all subjects, intensive French

Teaching approach:

  • Create a learning environment that is both stimulating and supportive of students.
  • Work to support the entire community of educational stakeholders: students, parents, fellow teachers, education officials and others.

Outstanding achievements:

Pioneered new Grade 6 intensive French program at the school. Each year's first term features

80 percent French-language instruction, while the second term is compacted core curriculum. The program enables students to acquire second-language proficiency while meeting grade-level curriculum outcome goals by the end of the school year:

  • developed curriculum for this new program integrating most Grade 6 subjects with French-language learning; created sequenced learning activities, which introduce then reinforce new information
  • accessed resources and employed a wide variety of media to facilitate learning
  • included pair and group problem-solving work for many activities to increase interest.

Students developed second-language skills equivalent to those of senior high school students, and most continued French immersion in later grades. Entire community developed a better understanding of the Francophone world and its role in Canadian heritage.

Mrs. Stead welcomes fellow and student teachers, provincial, federal and international officials, representatives from Canadian Heritage and Canadian Parents for French, and language instruction researchers to observe her classroom and willingly shares her experience.

Implemented in the province by a national research team from the Université du Québec à Montréal and Newfoundland and Labrador's Memorial University, the intensive French program was inspired by and modelled on the intensive English program in Quebec.

Rave reviews:

She is able to encourage and to give correction at the same time, a skill which is extremely difficult to develop. Colleague

Given her commitment and leadership in any aspect of second language teaching, the entire system is richer. Colleague.

Nova Scotia: Certificate of Achievement Recipient