Retention of New Teachers in Minority French and French Immersion Programs in Manitoba (Essay‪)‬

There is a shortage of teachers in Canada qualified to teach in French; some researchers have suggested that this shortage is due to attrition. This study examined the retention in Manitoba of new teachers qualified to teach in French. Participants were 130 graduates from the only French teacher education program in the province. Attrition was minimal for these graduates. Through questionnaires and a small set of interviews, participants indicated that support from their colleagues and their experience-based pre-service training program facilitated their integration into the profession. They recommended mentorship programs and more attentive administrators to further enhance integration. Key words: beginning teachers, teacher retention, pre-service training, mentorship, French Education