This article examines student attitudes towards and perceptions of technological activities in the language classroom. Data collected from students (n ¼ 71) in the French language departments of five Canadian universities were used to examine which technological activities students preferred, whether and to what degree different activities were judged useful, and how frequently students perceived that they were doing these activities. Four trends emerged. First, students find computer-assisted activities useful. Second, students prefer activities that are less mediated, more based on authentic materials and more like activities they do in everyday life, to didactic activities. Third, students tend to prefer and judge more useful the computerassisted activities done individually rather than collaborative activities. Finally, it seems that traditional types of computer-assisted activities such as listening, grammar, and vocabulary exercises are more appreciated and judged more useful than are newer types of activities such as blogs and WebQuests. Concluding remarks offer pedagogical suggestions based on these findings.

Phonetics, intonation, and pronunciation are integral parts of language learning. However, they are not often an actual part of the content of language classes. One reason may be that teachers are not necessarily trained in phonetics and therefore are reluctant to make this component a part of their teaching. Another reason may be that the proper tools are not being used or that the proper tools are not being used appropriately in order to assist teachers and students in integrating phonetics into the curriculum. This article describes a two phase experiment that was conducted at the University of Ottawa using audiocassettes and multimedia while teaching French, specifically French phonetics, intonation, and pronunciation, to a group of low-intermediate level language students. The present study addresses three questions: (a) Are the receptive and productive skills of intermediate-level learners of French as a second language influenced by the explicit teaching of phonetic and prosodic elements? (b) if so, which delivery mode is the most effective to teach these elements: audio cassettes or multimedia? and (c) what are the students' preferences with regards to these two delivery modes?

This article traces the history of content-based language teaching at the University of Ottawa from its early roots in sheltered and then adjunct courses in ESL and FLS to the current large-scale French Immersion Studies (FIS). It places content-based language learning at the University in the context of somewhat similar initiatives in the Canadian school situation and in some U.S. universities. The writers show how insights gained from the earlier sheltered and adjunct experiences led to development of the pedagogy and administrative support of the FIS. Issues discussed include the training and orientation of language instructors, criteria for selecting discipline professors, challenges students face and institutional support for students. They also address continuing weaknesses of the program.

This paper reports on the piloting of podcasts created to support Anglophone French Immersion (FI) students in academic listening. The authors developed a series of seven English language podcasts grounded in metacognitive and L2 listening theory to provide FI students with strategies to enhance L2 listening ability and note-taking skills for academic lectures in French. Student feedback was solicited through weekly questionnaires and a focus group discussion. Weekly questionnaires showed that most of the students enjoyed the podcasts and found them moderately useful, although some contradictions emerged. The focus group discussion showed a somewhat higher degree of satisfaction both in terms of enjoyment and usefulness. Suggestions for improving the podcasts are proposed.

Postsecondary immersion programs reflect a growing demand for educational programs designed to allow learners to develop advanced levels of literacy in a second language through content and discipline-based language interactions. Little is known about the impact of these programs on students. Drawing on data collected through individual interviews and focus group interactions, this paper focuses on the insights and personal reflections of students at the University of Ottawa, site of the largest tertiary French immersion option in Canada. The data gives voice to firsthand accounts of what it means to study in these programs and offers avaluable glimpse at the challenges, risks and distinctive incentives associated with the completion of one’s undergraduate education through the medium of a second language. Implications focus on recommendations for the design of successful university immersion programs.