The Test de Francais Langue Etrangere et Seconde is a French proficiency test produced by the Centre national d'enseignement ?distance for non-native speakers of French. About forty-five minutes from start to finish, the test determines whether the test taker is at a beginning, intermediate, or advanced proficiency level and offers suggestions for the student to take his French language skills to a higher level. Appropriate courses are subsequently suggested. The test provides both scoring and feedback.
Type of Material:
Test
Recommended Uses:
Practice, placement, self-assessment, test taking practice
Identify Major Learning Goals:
The user will learn his or her proficiency level in French.
Target Student Population:
Students who have completed at least one year of French or who have spent time in a French-speaking environment.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Beginning French proficiency at a minimum.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The test contains fourteen different modules that primarily evaluate listening and reading skills. Grammar and vocabulary are also examined in contextualized exercises. The variety of exercise formats (cloze, multiple choice, sequencing, and labeling) make the test-taking efficient and the pace smooth. There is a help page in French, English and Spanish that is a good place for test takers to start in order to make best use of all features. For example, users who go straight to the test without reading the help page may not be aware that it is possible to get a partial evaluation without completing every exercise.Learners get a more holistic evaluation by advancing from section to section in a single session. In addition to the total score, individual scores on both the written and listening items are provided. The user can revisit incorrect items with accompanying feedback. After the evaluation, French courses are suggested to bridge gaps in proficiency.
The test items are varied and well-designed to test different skills at once. The exercises focusing on reading postcards, newspapers and their headlines and the construction of the identification card test authentic French. It is not possible to go directly to the answers without first working on the individual modules.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Many language departments do not have the funds to administer expensive placelement tests and this test could help in the orientation and placement of students. Independent learners coming back to French after a hiatus can use the test to gauge strengths and weaknesses before resuming formal study. Students preparing for a formal exam can use the test for test-taking preparation.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The test is attractively designed and easy to use. The graphics are of high-quality, the sound is clear and loads quickly. The feature that allows the test taker to verify the answers in a separate box is helpful for checking. The corrected test comes out clearly-marked and is easy to read.
Concerns:
Fiche 11, second exercise could benefit from clearer instructions.
Creative Commons:
Search by ISBN?
It looks like you have entered an ISBN number. Would you like to search using what you have
entered as an ISBN number?
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
Searching for Members?
You entered an email address. Would you like to search for members? Click Yes to continue. If no, materials will be displayed first. You can refine your search with the options on the left of the results page.
