French is now the school subject that gives young people in Quebec the most trouble, overtaking intimidating math, according to a survey shared with The Canadian Press on the eve of Hooked on School Days.
The Léger poll was conducted online at the end of January among 1,005 Quebecers on behalf of the organization Alloprof. Of these, 197 were parents of children attending primary or secondary school.
Forty per cent of these parents identified French as the subject that causes the most difficulty for their child, compared to only 18 per cent for math. History came third, with 10 per cent of the votes.
English nine, science seven, and contemporary world three per cent rounded out the top three.
"For us, it's quite a surprise because we are used to mathematics coming first in terms of stakes," said Annie Harvey, who is Philanthropy and External Relations Advisor at Alloprof. "And then they were dethroned by French."
Three-quarters of the 200 parents identified French as their mother tongue.
This increase in French language difficulties is reflected in the use of Alloprof services and resources. The organization reported by email that 4,000 questions about French were asked in its "Zone d'entraide" between September and January. This represents 19 per cent of all questions asked, compared to 15 per cent for math.
In addition, seven of the 10 most consulted sheets on the organization's website deal with French concepts. Figures of speech, relationship markers and the past participle with the auxiliary avoir are among the most popular.
Alloprof said that "it is really difficult (...) to make precise hypotheses" to explain the surge in French difficulty but is pleased to note that "students do not hesitate to ask for help in relation to their difficulties in French and that they will look for additional tools to succeed or to improve."
Another survey conducted for Alloprof revealed that motivation and school perseverance are a major concern for 36 per cent of parents surveyed, compared to 25 per cent who mention stress and performance anxiety.
"We have more and more parents who consult our files and articles, but also who call to get advice from our remedial teachers or our education professionals on how to better support their children," said Harvey.
Parents also have to deal with the new reality of a severely understaffed labour market that is hiring younger and younger children to work.
"It can become more difficult for a young person to stay motivated to go to school if he or she also has a small job that provides income," said Harvey. "We need to talk to our young people about the future. We have to remain open and avoid being judgmental. We can be offended as parents, but we must try to be benevolent."
Hooked on School Days events will be held from February 13 to 17.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 11, 2023.
