Shades of identity : exploring cultural identity construction of allophones and francophones in French-medium schools post Bill 101

When Bill 101 was implemented, the issues relating to language retention and acquisition became paramount in defining culture identity in Quebec. In education, Francophones and Allophones, now sharing French-medium schools, created a hub for inevitable cultural and linguistic interactions. This study explored the impact of these educational changes on the cultural identity construction and language acquisition of four Allophone and four Francophone young adults. This research was inspired by a need to explore my own cultural identity and its relation to Quebec. Eight participants discussed various issues relating to language, culture, identity, education and politics. According to this study, whether Allophones identified with Francophones depended on their social interaction in schools and on their socio-cultural background. There were three main findings in this study. The first was that all the participants' cultural identity was, in fact, influenced by their schooling experience. Second, the schooling experience for Allophones and Francophones was somewhat similar. Third, most participants agreed with the goals of the current Refor