Launch of new resource to help parents of children aged 6-12 who live in
Francophone minority settings

OTTAWA , Sept. 30 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) and two national partners, the Commission nationale des parents francophones and the Association canadienne d'éducation de langue française, are pleased to launch Dream Big, It's Elementary! at the ACELF annual meeting in Vancouver , B.C. on Oct. 1, 2009 .

"The new CTF bilingual resource aims to provide exogamous families of children aged 6 to 12 with support in order to develop, nurture and improve their children's French language skills and build their children's identity," explains CTF President Mary-Lou Donnelly.

"Among the million Francophone Canadians living in provinces or territories where French is a minority language, more and more are forming couples and starting families with non-Francophone partners. These exogamous families are now part of the Canadian Francophonie," she explains.

"This is why we have created an English section of this bilingual booklet specifically geared for the Anglophone parent who might have been raised in an Anglophone unilingual environment or exposed to the French language all her or his life. In addition, this section might be helpful for people of French descent who are no longer able to speak the language as well as for parents who are learning and maintaining their French language skills.

"We are extremely grateful to the people who helped us in the planning and production of this resource by sharing their experiences. These people reflect the diverse linguistic and cultural profiles of today's Francophone families: Francophone, bilingual, multicultural and immigrant.

"We've had an enormous success with the release of Dream big, little by little in 2007 which targeted parents of preschoolers. We hope Dream Big, It's Elementary! will also help parents who have children in elementary school with its practical tools to give French an important place in their home and support the means by which their child can build a French identity: it's elementary!," concludes the President.

    
    Here are the details of the launch:

    Where:   Hotel Sheraton Vancouver Airport

    When:    6:30 p.m.

    Who:     Mary-Lou Donnelly, CTF President
             Yves St-Maurice, ACELF President
             Ghislaine Pilon, CNPF President
    

CTF speaks for nearly 200,000 teachers in Canada as their national voice on education and related social issues. CTF membership includes Member organizations in every province and territory in Canada as well as an Affiliate Member in Ontario. 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: Mary-Lou Donnelly, CTF President, [phone] (cell); Information: Ronald Boudreau, Co-director, CTF Research and Information and Director of CTF Services to Francophones, [phone] (cell) or [phone]; Media Contact: Francine Filion, Director of Communications, [phone] or [phone] (cell)