Assessment of French as a foreign language

Teacher(s)

Bibauw Serge; Rassart Emmanuelle;

Language

French

Prerequisites

The basics of foreign language teaching and “FLE didactics” (LFLE2005 Didactique du français langue étrangère) are assumed to be known or learned simultaneously. 

Main themes

• Concepts and principles of pedagogical and foreign language assessment. 
• Institutional frameworks for assessment and certification in French as a foreign language. 

Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). 

• Formative, summative and diagnostic assessment tools. 
• Scientific, technical and technological perspectives on language assessment. 
• Dealing with oral and written errors in the French as a foreign language classroom.  

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Understand the theoretical and technical foundations of assessment in a pedagogical context, foreign language assessment, language assessment for certification or research purposes, and error management in language didactics.
2	Apply the principles of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and other institutional frameworks for assessment in French as a foreign language.
3	Apply reflectively a variety of formative, summative and diagnostic assessment tools in French as a foreign language.
4	Critically analyse the handling of oral and written errors in the French as a foreign language classroom.

Content

The course covers the concepts, principles and practices of assessment in French as a foreign language (FLE).
The first part presents the principles and theories of educational assessment, particularly in foreign languages, including test theory and the concepts of validity and reliability.
The second part focuses on the formative assessment of written production in FLE, through a conceptual framework, the analysis of assessment practices and the exploration of assessment grids.

Teaching methods

The course includes more theoretical and lecture-based sessions as well as more active sessions aimed at developing reflective knowledge about language learning and putting it into practice through observation and the production of materials. 

Evaluation methods

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

• Active participation and collaborative reading work via the Perusall platform (10%).
• Empirical, analytical and reflective work to construct a rapid diagnostic test, the results of which will be presented orally and whose reliability and validity can be measured (50%).
• Final written examination (40%).

Absence from the final oral presentation and/or failure to submit the final written assignment will result in a final mark of absence for the entire course.
Oral presentations may be carried out in groups if the number of students enrolled so requires.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) must be used responsibly and in accordance with academic and scientific integrity practices. Scientific rigour in both academic assignments requires both the verification of information and citations (consulting source articles, checking citations and cross-referencing the results of several tools to limit bias) and the traceability of results and procedures (clearly indicating which tools were used, at which stages and with what precautions). 

Other information

An introduction to French as a foreign language didactics or notions of second/language teaching methods are essential for this course.

Online resources

Moodle

Bibliography

La liste bibliographique est disponible sur le site Moodle du cours.
A bibliographical list is available on the Moodle website.

Teaching materials

• Les supports de cours se trouvent sur Moodle

Faculty or entity

> ELAL