Possibility, Actuality, Sustainability: Contemplating Cultures of Experimentation in Canadian French as a Second Language (FSL) Teacher Education

This article documents the enactment of a scenarios of possibility (SoP) approach to educational change in two initial teacher education programs in French as a second language in Ontario, Canada. After creating and implementing six contextually relevant change initiatives – referred to as scenarios of possibility – qualitative data was collected from participants ( N = 59) to ascertain their actuality and the impact on interactions and relationship-building in both contexts. Findings revealed how piloting these scenarios produced noteworthy potential for space and time to be dedicated to purposeful actions, reflections, and skill-building deemed to be needed and presently lacking in these programs. Different possibilities and actualities emerged across contexts that (a) reduced isolation in service of relational growth; (b) fostered relationships in service of linguistic and pedagogical skill development; and (c) harnessed institutional involvement. We argue that purposeful innovation and purposeful involvement of individuals and institutions are essential to sustaining specific possibilities and a culture of experimentation in the French as a second language initial teacher education context.