The theme of each workshop sets out the central idea around which the content for each week is organized. The andragogical10 worksheet for the parents and the pedagogical worksheet for the children each describe in detail activities to be carried out with each group, as well as strategies and tools to lead the workshop.
Structure of workshops: The first part of each workshop consists of separate activities for the parents and for the children; the parents prepare for the activities that they will be doing with their child in the second part of the workshop. In the second part, they carry out the activity with their child while putting into practice what they have just learned. During the third and final part of the workshop, the parents share and discuss their experience during the workshop.
Reading and writing activities: During the workshops, the parents take turns reading a story. The family kit contains several resources with activities for parents and children that can be done at home, and reading materials related to the themes of the workshop.
Other characteristics: The model is accompanied by a description of the andragogical and pedagogical approach: the themes are presented in the form of questions, quizzes, riddles and discussions. The group is important. The practitioners fill out a weekly evaluation sheet as a kind of formative evaluation so that the program can be adapted week by week. The model integrates the profile developed by the Canadian Teachers' Federation for entry into grade 1 for children living in a Francophone minority setting.11
Comments: The model Des livres dans mon baluchon takes into account the linguistic, cultural and identity issues that families in minority settings are confronted with, as well as the situation of French in the context of the community and contact between the two languages in everyday life.The variety of activities from which the practitioner can choose makes it possible to adapt the workshops to the needs of the participants according to their language and literacy level. For example, the model includes listening to songs in French, which allows individuals who are not at ease with the language to participate and to "train their ear" to the words and the rhythm ofthe language.
Texts in the appendix of the practioner's guide provide additional information.
10 Andragogic refers to the methods or techniques of teaching adults.
11 The CTF has developed a profile for entry into grade 1 that sets out the language and cultural knowledge that the child should possess in French before starting school in French.