Implementation of the CEFR in HE: a crosscultural challenge' Reflections from the French perspective

1
Implementation of the CEFR in HE a
cross-cultural challenge. Reflections from
theFrench perspectiveBerlin, 9-10 December
2005
2
Towards innovationand improvement...

• 1. The French context paradoxical
• 2. In practice a dual picture
• 3. Moving forward?

3
1. The French context

• If societal culture is a " collective programming
  of the mind " (Hofstede, 1990),
• "shared values that shape how people interpret
  experience and take action" (Hickson Pugh,
  1995),
• "the characteristic way in which a group of
  people solves problems and reconciles dilemmas"
  (Trompenaars Hampden-Turner, 1997),
• educational culture may be seen as a
  sub-context.

4

The French context paradox

• Hierarchy with strong individualism (Hofstede,
  1990 D'Iribarne, 1989)
• Historical centralism, "gigantisme" (the
  "mammoth" of éducation nationale), "textual
  harassment" (Le Monde 16/11/04)
• Top-down power based on control, not on
  confidence notions of evaluation and of
  accountability are problematic (Peretti, 2004
  Belloc, 2003), SAES
• Certitude, pride, fear, denial (Belloc,
  27/09/04 Kelly et al., 2004)
• ?????

5

The French context paradox (2)

• Money a Latin taboo?
• Competition, outcomes, quality assurance, "Lisbon
  strategy", 2000 (Peretti, 2004 La lettre de
  l'étudiant, 2004)
• Time
• a "slower" clock (Hall, 1969 Hickson Pugh,
  1995)
• the difficulty of change continuous assessment
  on the Baccalauréat (Le Monde
  19/11/04)

6

The French educational context

• Institutional model "l'exception française"
• 2-speed system
• universites / grandes écoles breakdown of the
  "social elevator" (Le Monde 19/11/04)
• formation initiale / continue ? lifelong learning
• teaching / research in crisis (Le Monde 11/05/05)
• Limited investment, no entry selection France /
  OCDE (Le Monde 15/09/04, 30/07/05, 2-3/10/05)
• -11 average OECD
• low entry rate 37/51
• low graduate rate 25/ 32
• preference for selective non-U programs (Le
  Monde 19/06/04) ?????

7

The French educational context (2)

• Approach to teaching/learning
• reproductive/comprehension (Richardson, 1995
  Taillefer, 2005)
• abstract, theoretical, perfection/"utilitarian"
  (commercial)
• vertical ? transferable skills
• Language learning
• teacher centred ? learner autonomy (Kohonen,
  2003 Morrow, 2004 Richardson, 1995)
• knowledge ? pedagogy
• teacher training for HE rare
• Low status of LANSAD

8

2. In practice a dual picture

• Sorbonne Declaration 1998 LMD (2002) vague
• Licence   Après évaluation du niveau de
  létudiant, la formation propose, de manière
  adaptée, un enseignement de langues vivantes
  étrangères... 
• Master  Le diplôme ... ne peut être délivré
  quaprès validation de laptitude à maîtriser au
  moins une langue vivante étrangère. Les parcours
  types de formation comprennent des enseignements
  permettant aux étudiants dacquérir cette
  aptitude. 
• Curriculum development and innovation
• Diplômes nationaux guidelines, but individual
  freedom with little accountability, little
  coherence
• Post 1968 Langues étrangères appliquées, DEA,
  DESS, but little evolution today, rare
  institutional language policies and coherent
  support, a piecemeal offer
• ?????

9

In practice a dual picture (2)

• Semi-autonomous learning, teaching methods
• Professional bodies (Ranacles, CercleS, GERAS,
  APLIUT, UPLESS), but with minority status
• teacher training voluntary (certitudes, fear,
  lack of research)
• Linguistic content for courses and modules
• CLIL ? 300 courses in English (Taillefer, 2004)
• FLE difficult recognition, limited professional
  status
• Testing and assessment CLES (2000, B1, B2, C1)
  lt 2,000 in 5 years vs. piecemeal efforts
• Implementation of the ELP CercleS 2002,
  professional meetings, GERAS (ESP), e-ELP
• "A Protestant ethic in a country of Catholic
  tradition."

10

In practice a dual picture (3)

• From secondary education to HE
• The Assessment of pupils' skills (15-16-year
  olds) in English in eight European countries
  (Bonnet, 2004)
• France (n ?1,500) lt 7 others (including Spain)
• 2002 lt 1996 (reading, listening, writing)
• Why?
• Non-communicative (grammatical perfection),
  overambitious programmes, excessive use of L1,
  limited contact outside class, student passivity,
  late start in school, too few hours, too many
  pupils
• University entrance levels theoretically B1
• Evaluation 1st year students (Toulouse I)
  n1266
• 60 A2, 26 B1 (reading, vocabulary, grammar)
• 16 A1, 48 A2, 23 B1 (listening comprehension)

11

3. Moving forward ?

• Towards consciousness raising within France
• Political level Direction de l'évaluation et le
  la prospective, Conference of University
  Presidents
• Examples of good practice in professional
  meetings, journals
• Growth of language resource centres
• Needs analysis (Taillefer, 2004) both within
  institutions and in the professional world
• CLIL, FLE (CIEP), and cross-language meetings
• Provisions for professional development in HE
• Contact with secondary/primary sector, including
  teacher training new secondary measures (8/05)
• Validation des acquis (lifelong learning) ELP
  ???

12

3. Moving forward ?

• Towards consciousness raising within Europe
• ECL/ELC TNP, ENLU
• Increased advocacy
• European Indicator of Language Competence?
• Inventory on Language Certification Systems in
  Europe?
• Publications
• Kelly, M., Grenfell, M. et al. (2004). European
  Profile for Language Teacher Education A Frame
  of Reference. UK Southampton University.
• North, B. et al. (2003). Manual for relating
  language examinations to the CEF, Strasbourg
  Council of Europe.
• Morrow, K (Ed.). (2004). Insights from the Common
  European Framework. Oxford Oxford University
  Press to translate into French!
• European Indicator of Language Competence?
• Inventory on Language Certification Systems in
  Europe?