Didactics of French as a foreign language

Teacher(s)

Bibauw Serge;

Language

French

Main themes

1. Foundations of language didactics and French as a foreign language, including the main historical methods, concepts and essential principles. 
2. Course planning in terms of communicative and linguistic objectives, tasks and genres. 
3. Construction of teaching sequences and communicative and action-based lessons. 
4. Transversal dimensions of the teaching-learning of French as a foreign language, including assessment and plurilingual and intercultural perspectives. 

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Understand the essential principles of foreign language teaching, and in particular the teaching of French as a foreign language.
2	Justify the choice of effective didactic approaches, methods and techniques, in a critical and reflective manner.
3	Design, prepare and apply a coherent communicative or action-based teaching sequence adapted to a given audience.
4	Recognize and adapt to different French as a foreign language teaching contexts and integrate intercultural and plurilingual components.
This teaching unit contributes to the development and mastery of the following skills and knowledge from the School of Languages and Arts syllabus (see ELAL AA table).

Content

• Foundations of language teaching and teaching French as a foreign language:  
  • Historical methods, communicative and action/task-based approaches. 
  • Concepts and principles. 
  • Evidence-based practice. 
• Course planning in terms of communicative and linguistic objectives, tasks and genres. 
• Construction of didactic sequences and communicative and action-based lessons. 
• Transversal dimensions of the teaching and learning of French as a foreign language, including evaluation. 
• Contextual, plurilingual and intercultural perspectives. 

Teaching methods

Interactive lectures, encouraging questions and interventions, and soliciting participation through immediate surveys (e.g., Wooclap). 
Practical work to put into practice the principles and structures studied for the development, adjustment and teaching of lessons and didactic sequences. 
Pre-reading each week to be done online, on Perusall, via Moodle. Active and collaborative reading counts towards the final assessment. 

Evaluation methods

The final grade for the course is based on three components.

1. A final examination (80%) covering both theory (concepts, principles, methodologies, etc.) and teaching practice (lesson and sequence planning, in particular). The examination will be written in January; the format may be adapted for the September session.
2. Completion of preparatory readings, via collaborative annotation on the Perusall platform (10%).
3. Active participation in lectures and practical sessions, through active attendance, participation in group work or submission of interim reports on practical work (10%).

Faculty or entity

> ELAL