RASCALS' Roundtable

Looking Back, Moving Forward: Three Legends, One Last Lesson

In this season‑finale episode of RASCALS’ Roundtable, Brett Fischer and Danielle Viens sit down with three influential voices in Québec’s ESL community to reflect on what makes a teaching career sustainable and meaningful. Christine Baida, President of SPEAQ, looks back on the challenging early years of teaching and reminds us that grit grows through support and community. Recently retired CEGEP teacher David Coward reflects on the students, colleagues, and creative projects that gave his career purpose. Finally, DanBoulerice brings it home by reminding us that ESL isn’t just about language—it’s about citizenship, culture, and helping students become better humans. This episode is a love letter to collaboration, mentorship, and finding your people in education.

B2 or Not B2? That Is the (CEFR) Question

In this episode of RASCALS’ Roundtable, Brett and Danielle speak with Christophe Chénier, professor of language assessment at the Université de Montréal, about Quebec’s decision to align the new ESL and FSL devis with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). We explore what CEFR actually is, how teachers can use descriptors meaningfully, the difference between subjectivity and “whimsical individuality” in judgment, and why fairness must consider context—from Montreal to Lac-Saint-Jean. Christophe also explains why aligning placement testing with CEFR will be essential for successful implementation. 🔗 Christophe’s bio and publications [https://fse.umontreal.ca/faculte/corps-professoral/fiche/in/in30235/sg/Christophe%20Ch%C3%A9nier/]

Together for Success: The Tool That Launched a Thousand Plans Cadres

In this episode, Brett and Danielle speak with Laurent Duval about Together for Success, an online resource designed to help teachers implement the new devis. Laurent explains the Understand, Apply, and Adapt sections and how teachers can use them. Listeners also learn about upcoming pilot testing and a Devis Q&A webinar. To sign up for the Devis Q&A Webinar: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/10974d14-4769-4f8b-96fd-8160dd1c6f4e@c0eecc4d-675b-4b90-81a0-a5cd46c51b04 [https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/10974d14-4769-4f8b-96fd-8160dd1c6f4e@c0eecc4d-675b-4b90-81a0-a5cd46c51b04]

SPEAQing of Inspiration: Highlights from the Conference

In this episode, Brett and Danielle bring you highlights from SPEAQ, Québec’s largest ESL conference. Dr. John Spencer explores the power of voice, choice, and student empowerment in the classroom. Dr. Philippa Parks reflects on teacher resilience and shares practical strategies for supporting early-career educators. Finally, Dr. Tanja Vaillancourt introduces SPEAQ Magazine, a vibrant hub for ideas, creativity, and community in the ESL world.For a deeper dive: John Spencer’s YouTube channelwith his presentation on Voice and Choice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7S9kyk-odA&list=PLzDOGMsmDvetuGqZoFtyEv9s1_6WxMda9&t=67s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7S9kyk-odA&list=PLzDOGMsmDvetuGqZoFtyEv9s1_6WxMda9&t=67s]For a free issue of SPEAQ: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cY6oXUE7yfg-l9wGm8Iv01JOvIAaimN_/view [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cY6oXUE7yfg-l9wGm8Iv01JOvIAaimN_/view]

Open-Source 100: Choice, Voice, and No Textbook Invoice

In this episode of RASCALS’ Roundtable, Brett and Danielle talk with Marie Martineau, Christi Milsom, and Sarah Adair about the province’s first open-source English 100course - built by teachers for teachers. From bridging the gap between high school and CEGEP to making reinvestment activities fun, the team shows how collaboration and digital literacy can transform the classroom. With free, ready-to-use materials, adaptableactivities, and evaluation grids aligned with the new devis, this project offers a sneak peek at what English 100 could look like in 2027. 🎓 Teachers can join the Winter 2026 pilot or follow project updates by contacting mj.martineau@cegepmontpetit.ca [mj.martineau@cegepmontpetit.ca]