Abstract

Second language teachers are typically not aware of the syllabus their first language counterpart is following. Reasons for this include lack of meta-linguistic knowledge, negative attitudes towards the notion of cross-linguistic comparisons, resistance to change, lack of planning time, and scheduling issues. Students are caught in the middle and may not recognize cross-curricular similarities, even when such similarities exist. The present study looks at a ten-month collaborative study involving two language teachers in a Quebec secondary school. One taught an enriched English as a second language (EESL) course, and the other taught a French mother tongue (FMT) language arts course to some of the same students. The teachers met every week to identify the areas of similarity between their two language programs that could inform their teaching, with particular attention paid to the development of the students’ ability to write in their first and second languages. Students completed weekly questionnaires with journal prompts in which they were asked to note any similarities and differences between the grammar and writing conventions that their teachers highlighted in class. Samples of their writing, in English and French, were collected at the beginning and end of the year. Analysis of the meeting notes and journals showed the development of cross-curricular awareness by the teachers and cross-linguistic awareness by their students. The findings from this research have implications for language teachers and language teacher pedagogy in Quebec.