Marie-Catherine Barry
The LESLLA Community in Quebec City: Initiatives for Settlement, Education, and Civic Participation
June 5, 2025 | On-site | French (Simultaneous English translation available)
Keynote abstract
Marie Catherine Barry
Quebec City has only recently become a significant immigration hub, with this trend emerging over the past fifteen years (Statistics Canada, 2022). Since 2010, not only has the number of newcomers settling in the city increased, but there has also been a notable rise in LESLLA learners among them.
This presentation will begin with a brief overview of the arrival of LESLLA learners in Quebec City and the development of the services available to them. We will then take a closer look at the situation in our training center, exploring the origins of LESLLA learners across different migration waves, the growing number of LESLLA learners, and the programs offered to them. Then, we will highlight various collaborative initiatives established between our center, the university community, and cultural and community organizations (e.g., museums, multi-ethnic centers) to support the socio-professional integration of LESLLA learners. We will conclude by discussing recent government decisions regarding French as a second language instruction and their implications for LESLLA learners.
Bio
Centre Louis-Jolliet
Marie Catherine Barry has worked with LESSLA learners at the Louis-Jolliet Centre in Quebec City since 2011. As a teacher, she developed a local program based on the special needs of LESLLA learners. Since 2020, she has been a pedagogical advisor and she is now dedicated to fostering connections between the education centre and the community through collaborations with cultural and community-based organizations. Furthermore, she has been involved in several research projects with universities and now shares her enthusiasm and expertise by providing training to teachers across the province of Quebec.
