Developing an Anti-Biased, Anti-Racist Stance in Second Language Teacher Education Programs

Addressing race/racism and colonialism in French as a second language (FSL) education is essential to preparing culturally responsive teachers and meeting the Ministry mandate to teach students equitably and with respect. This article describes whether, and if so, how, candidates are being prepared to disrupt colonial ideologies and practices with data from a three-year project on FSL teacher preparation in two Ontario faculties of education. Interviews were conducted with professors and teacher candidates. Using a critical qualitative approach to identify emerging themes, the study applied an anti-biased, anti-racist (ABAR) lens to identify racialized power inequities that can form across French languages, cultures, and marginalized groups, oppressive common-sense principles, and systemic influences around three main themes: teaching culture and promoting intercultural competence; addressing equity, inclusion, and racism explicitly; and Whiteness, Eurocentrism, and representation in FSL. Findings indicate that while programs have begun to integrate equity, inclusion, interculturality, and the representation of the global francophonie, there is a pressing need for more preparation and training for professors and teacher candidates to develop critical equity skills that lead to their becoming culturally responsive teachers. Practical strategies and theory building through collaborative research are needed to support educators in taking up an ABAR stance in FSL teacher education programs.