Author: EngagED Learning

Linguistic insecurity silences capable students, but confidence grows when effort matters more than perfection. Nicole Arsenault of EngagED Learning, Julie Beyea of Tantramar Regional High School, and Paulette Diotte of Bernice MacNaughton High School show that through DéfiLangue and digital reflection tools, students reclaim their voice by daring to use French beyond the classroom.

Learning thrives when rights, not rigid content, anchor daily practice. By shifting attention to belief, identity, purpose, resilience, and meaningful challenge, this framework reminds educators that when we protect the conditions that nurture confidence and agency, students do more than absorb lessons, they begin to see themselves as capable learners.

Podcasting transforms students from consumers of media into creators with something real to say. Caroline Buteau, with LEARN-RÉCIT Provincial Service for the Anglophone Community, argues that projects like BaladoWeb turn research, revision, and collaboration into public voice, giving students pride, purpose, and an authentic audience beyond the classroom walls.

Learning to build an opinion is how students learn to build their voice. Audrey Groleau, Professor at Université Laval, Isabelle Arseneau, Professor at Université du Québec à Rimouski, and Chantal Pouliot, Professor at Université Laval, argue that structured dialogue, critical comparison, and creative expression empower young people to form reasoned positions and act with confidence on issues that matter.

Student voice falters not from lack of goodwill, but from unexamined assumptions about youth competence. Sandrine Gagné-Trudel, Postdoctoral Researcher at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, argues that confronting adultcentrism and cultivating reflexivity can close the gap between intention and action, recognizing young people as capable participants in decisions that shape their lives.

Listening to children is not simply good practice; it is a fundamental right. Caroline Schindler, Consultant in Children’s Public Participation, examines how consulting children can strengthen educational environments and honour their right to participate. Through concrete examples and practical ideas, she shows how inviting young learners into conversations about decisions that affect them can foster engagement, confidence, and meaningful participation.

Socio-ecological crises demand that young people’s perspectives be taken seriously. Émilie Morin, Professor of Educational Psychology (Preschool and Primary Education), Université du Québec à Rimouski, and Isabelle Arseneau, Professor of Education and Chair in Transformative Education for Climate Engagement, Université du Québec à Rimouski, examine how recognizing youth voices strengthens their sense of empowerment and their capacity to participate in climate-related discussions and collective action.

What happens when students are no longer just participants, but true partners in research? In this article by Biondy Capitaine (Université de Montréal), Emma Cognet (Student Commission of Canada), Youth Advisory Committee members at École secondaire Mont-Royal, and Diana Miconi (Université de Montréal), a unique collaboration begins to challenge traditional power dynamics—revealing how trust, dialogue, and shared decision-making can reshape the way youth voices are heard.