Martin Lépine

Martin Lépine is an Associate Professor of French Didactics at the University of Sherbrooke's Faculty of Education, where he has served in various academic positions since 2010, including as Associate Dean for Training and Culture (2021-2023). His work bridges academic research with practical applications in primary and secondary education settings across Quebec.

Dr. Lépine earned his Ph.D. in Educational Sciences with a specialization in Didactics from the University of Montreal in 2018, following a Master's degree in Linguistics and Language Didactics (2004) and a Graduate Diploma in Psycholinguistics (2007), both from the University of Quebec in Montreal. He completed his undergraduate studies with a Bachelor's degree in Secondary Education from Laval University in 1999.

His research focuses on French language didactics, particularly literary appreciation in primary education, reading-writing-oral articulation, and the cultural dimension of schooling. Lépine has pioneered innovative approaches connecting literature with other disciplines, notably mathematics, through interdisciplinary projects. His work emphasizes culturally responsive teaching, especially in Indigenous educational contexts, and he has developed the influential Passeurs culturels (Cultural Carriers) program that integrates cultural education into teacher training.

Lépine's scholarly contributions reveal a strong emphasis on practical applications of literacy research in classroom settings, with particular attention to teacher practices, assessment methods, and the selection of literary materials. His international comparative studies examine reading comprehension development across educational systems.

• Institutional Prize for Teaching Quality Recognition (2017-2018)
• National Spark Prize for the Action Plan on Reading in School
• Excellence Mention for Doctoral Thesis in Educational Sciences
• RIDEAU Partnership Prize 2019 for Cultural Carriers
• Research and Creation Springboard Prize
• Super Merit 2001 for French Education

As Principal Investigator and Co-researcher, Lépine has secured over $2 million in research funding from organizations including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and the Quebec Research Fund - Society and Culture (FRQSC). His major projects include the LIBER research-action initiative on interactive reading circles, the Cultural Carriers program, and international comparative studies on reading progression across francophone countries. He has supervised numerous graduate students and collaborated extensively with school boards, cultural organizations, and government ministries to implement research findings in educational practice.

Lépine leads the LIBER research project and has established the Interactive Reading Zone (Zone de lecture interactive), creating physical and virtual spaces where text, image, and sound intersect around literature. His work with the Cultural Carriers program has created significant partnerships between the University of Sherbrooke and cultural institutions, transforming how future teachers engage with arts and culture in their professional development.