Carrefour francophone professional development day on April 25, 2025

On April 25, 2025, at Collège Boréal, Carrefour francophone educators enjoyed a day of learning and sharing!

It was an opportunity to get together, collaborate and learn new strategies.

The day began with a word from Stéphane Gauthier, General and Cultural Director of the Carrefour francophone, who touched us with a series of anecdotes about toddlers.

We continued with a presentation by Sylvie Courchesne (SAE), designed to make us all aware of the procedures to follow when child protection is required.

The day ended with three dynamic and captivating workshops:

Chantal Mayer-Crittenden, from Laurentian University, presented strategies surrounding exposure to the French language.

Antoine Côté-Legault, our bookseller-in-residence, passionately revitalized the art of reading.

Speech therapist Natasha Gauthier highlighted the power of words and non-verbal communication.

Here are all the details – let’s go!

A warm welcome

The importance of heart in profession

The day began on a warm and inspiring note with a welcome from Stéphane Gauthier, Executive and Cultural Director of the Carrefour francophone. Right from the start, he captivated the audience by sharing a deeply touching anecdote: that of a young child who, with an open heart, confided to his educator, after not having seen her for several days: “I miss you”. This simple, heartfelt sentence illustrates the strength of the bonds forged in early childhood centres.

Through this moving account, Stéphane emphasized that the profession of early childhood educator is undoubtedly “the most important”. The work goes far beyond imparting knowledge or looking after children. It is about building strong, stable attachments that are not just desirable, but essential to children’s development.

Stéphane Gauthier welcomes us with a fine speech.

The Role of the Children's Aid Society

Raising awareness of child protection

The morning continued with an enriching presentation by Sylvie Courchesne, team leader at the Children’s Aid Society (CAS). With clarity and commitment, Ms. Courchesne reiterated the crucial importance of protecting children and young people, stressing that this is a responsibility shared by the entire community.

She began by explaining the legal obligation, imposed by the Child, Youth and Family Services Act (CYFS), to report any situation of suspected abuse or neglect, the investigation process undertaken by the CAS and the policy regarding the disclosure of the identity of reporters.

This presentation was rich in strategies and advice designed to make each and every one of us aware of the steps to take when child protection is required.

Sylvie Courchesne presenting the role of the Société d’Aide à l’Enfance (SAE)

Exposure to the French language

French in everyday activities

The morning was enriched by a dynamic workshop led by Chantal Mayer-Crittenden, Speech-Language Pathologist and Professor in the Speech-Language Pathology Program at Laurentian University. Drawing on her expertise, she passionately addressed learning French, focusing on practical approaches adapted to their daily reality.

Through a series of interactive role-plays and concrete examples, she demonstrated the importance of integrating adults into children’s play to maximize opportunities for exposure to and use of French. Rather than imposing formal learning, she suggested naturally immersing children in the language by offering them rich, fun and engaging contexts.

She reminded us that fun and interaction are essential drivers of language acquisition. The more children associate French with positive, playful experiences, the more they will develop confidence and motivation to express themselves in the language. The enthusiasm and emotional availability of adults play a fundamental role here.

Chantal Mayer-Crittenden, in her workshop: “Exposure to the French language”.

She also provided practical advice on choosing words to introduce into everyday activities. Rather than overloading the child with new vocabulary, she encourages prioritizing certain categories of words.
This targeted approach supports a natural progression of language, while making interactions more meaningful and accessible for children.

Finally, Chantal Mayer-Crittenden stressed the importance of valuing all children’s linguistic attempts, even imperfect ones, and positively reinforcing their efforts, thus creating a secure climate conducive to linguistic experimentation.

Her workshop offered participants many tools and a new perspective on the key role they can play in nurturing a love of French among young people.

Bringing books to life

Reading with passion

In this dynamic workshop, Antoine Côté-Legault offered participants a true immersion in the art of facilitating reading with young children. His aim: to equip educators with a variety of tips and techniques to help them not only increase their fluency, but also discover and cultivate their own style and personality as readers.

Reading aloud was not to be seen solely as a formal or rigid activity, but as a lively, interactive moment at the heart of learning and enjoyment.

Through his approach, he demonstrated how reading can become a powerful pedagogical tool, supporting language development, emotional understanding and listening skills. Using reading to introduce new words, explore concepts or spark discussion. It is an accessible and natural way to stimulate all-round development.

Antoine Côté-Legault, in his workshop: "Bringing books to life".

For Antoine, reading should above all be fun. He invited the teaching staff to free themselves from the need to “do it right”, and to focus instead on play and spontaneity. This playful approach generates enthusiasm and engagement in children, making books lively and memorable.

The workshop highlighted the importance of each staff member finding his or her own reading style. Whether you’re naturally theatrical, calm, energetic or warm, the key is to embrace that authenticity to make a real connection with children.

Word games

The importance of words

Speech therapist Natasha Gauthier led a captivating workshop on the importance of words and non-verbal communication in early language learning.

She highlighted the fact that language development is not just about the quantity of words used, but above all about the quality of interactions and the richness of communication.

Through concrete examples and role-playing, she demonstrated how interaction and shared attention create ideal contexts to support language acquisition. Rather than bombarding the child with vocabulary, she recommends using carefully chosen words linked to meaningful experiences with the child. This judicious choice gives words greater weight, making them easier to understand and remember.

Natasha Gauthier, in her “Jeux de mots” workshop.

She explained how to get the child’s attention, confidence or openness by entering their world and getting down to their level.

She insisted on the fact that young people learn French through natural repetition, contextualization of words and, above all, by establishing a positive emotional bond with the language.

By being attentive, expressive and engaging, they become powerful linguistic role models for the children.

A day rich in learning, marked by the sharing of knowledge, passion and practical tools. Carrefour francophone continues to support its educational teams in providing a caring, stimulating and enriching environment for today’s children, tomorrow’s builders.