Launch of national cultural activities handbook

OTTAWA , Oct. 23 /CNW Telbec/ - Building on the success of the first edition with all teachers who work in French in Canada , the Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) is proud to launch today the second edition of Debout! (translation: Be proud, stand tall), a national cultural activities handbook which celebrates the Francophone culture in minority settings. The launch will be held during the Oct. 23-24 national convention of the Canadian Association of Immersion Teachers (CAIT) at the Congress Centre in Winnipeg . The convention is hosted this year by the Éducatrices et éducateurs francophones du Manitoba.

"With its revised content, user-friendly format and specific Internet links, Debout! 2e édition will prove to be an invaluable tool for teachers to enhance students' appreciation of the Francophone culture," says CTF President Mary-Lou Donnelly.

"DEBOUT! 2e édition sparks ideas, provides a wealth of resources in support of proposed activities and features a calendar of events that take place in French. This resource is intended for educators in French-language schools as well as teachers of French as a second language who wish to instil cultural values in their students.

"The second edition is complemented by a Web site which, on the one hand, provides access to the entire content of Debout! and, on the other, will facilitate the continuous updating of proposed activities and resources," adds Mary-Lou Donnelly.

Thanks to a Canadian Heritage grant, CTF was able to thoroughly revise this practical tool which is very popular with all teachers who work in French in Canada .

CTF speaks for nearly 200,000 teachers in Canada as their national voice on education and related social issues. CTF membership includes teacher organizations across Canada . CTF (http://www.ctf-fce.ca) is also a member of the international body of teachers, Education International (http://www.ei-ie.org).

For further information: Comments: CTF President Mary-Lou Donnelly, Information: Ronald Boudreau, CTF Director of Services to Francophones, [phone]; Contact: Francine Filion, CTF Director of Communications, [phone]