[Francisation des adultes] Learn to read while learning French

This text is part of the special book Francization

Before starting francization courses just before the pandemic, Nassiba Elkhalfaoui had never set foot in school. Today, the Moroccan-born won the I persevere scholarship from the Autonomous Federation of Education (FAE) for her sustained efforts.

“In my country, I never studied [l’arabe]. I don’t know how my language is written. But now I know a bit how to write in French,” says the mother of two who arrived in Canada in 2015 after getting married.

It was only five years after immigrating to Quebec that she was finally able to begin French lessons. “Before, my daughter was sick. I stayed at home,” she recalls.

His first steps at school were not easy. “About a week after classes started, Nassiba was in tears. She said to me “sir, I don’t know how to read or write”. She had three challenges. She had to learn to communicate in French as well as to read and write,” recalls Gabriel Aidée, who taught her French at the Île-Perrot Adult Education Center.

To help him master the basics of the language, Mr. Aideed gave him private lessons during the holiday break, three days a week. “I started working with her on fine motor skills, knowing how to hold a pencil, writing the alphabet, and then we continued with the letters, the sounds”, he lists.

A new independence

Nassiba’s efforts finally paid off. For the past few weeks, she has been working in the kitchen of a restaurant. “At my work, people speak French and English. I don’t know a lot of words, but I’m practicing my French,” she says.

His greatest pride? Being able to attend a medical appointment without the help of your spouse. “Before, it was my husband who translated. But he didn’t translate everything! she remembers laughing. But I want to understand everything! »

A pride shared by his teacher. “She came to see me to say ‘sir, today I went to see the doctor. Me. All alone. I talked with him. Me. All alone. Not my husband. Me !” he says. This is also where Nassiba filled out a form for the first time. “Already, that, for me, is a trophy. What a beautiful socio-professional integration! It’s really a great success, a great victory,” underlines Mr. Aidée.

If Nassiba has started French lessons every Monday, she now plans to join the literacy class, intended for students who can read and write.

A journey full of pitfalls

As her husband also works, and she has not yet obtained her driver’s license, Nassiba has to go to school on her own. Her husband takes her when he can, but she also has to use the taxi service at certain times. “Sometimes she had to walk for a long time to go to a friend who was accompanying her. Its not always easy. But she is still looking for a way to come to class. It’s touching,” observes his teacher.

The pandemic was also an obstacle for the mother, who was not familiar with computers when the lessons were given remotely. “Nassiba always said, ‘Gabriel, me, computers, technology, no!’ “recalls his teacher. And yet, the young woman was able to get a device at home and attend virtual classes. “It wasn’t even logging in that was the biggest challenge. It was every time she opened the microphone, with the children! he says, bursting out laughing.

And even if it is not always easy for Nassiba Elkhalfaoui to combine her work, her family life and her French lessons, she believes that it is “good like that. I don’t like to sleep, I like to move! »

A fitting price

According to Mr. Aidée, the Je persévère scholarships are a good way to support students. “There are those people we ignore. And the FAE has been able to put the spotlight on them. It will encourage us more. Not only Nassiba, but me too, in my work. It is an inestimable prize,” he believes.

The teacher now cites the mother as an example to the other students in class. “She becomes the symbol of school perseverance for these students. And today, everyone is talking about it,” he says.

Nassiba Elkhalfaoui was also considering giving up her lessons before receiving this distinction. “I told Nassiba, ‘I don’t know what you are praying for, but keep going!’ Because it happened just when she needed it,” says her teacher.

With the $750 scholarship she obtained, the mother of the family wishes to spoil her two children. She also wants to come back to literacy class. “But it will be a new Nassiba. A Nassiba who reads and writes,” she confides.

To see in video

–