Les études françaises continuent

A couple of weeks ago I sat my French B1 final exams. For those unfamiliar with 'B1', it is a marker of language capability commonly used in Europe (the CEFR or the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) with B1 representing an independent and intermediate user. Overall I found the exams fairly easy and I find my French skills improving rapidly, I say this frequently but it's incredible how after less than one year in France I've gone from my French limit of saying 'bonjour' to using French on a daily basis in shops, banks, restaurants, in social situations, etc.

For me, the most difficult aspect of the exams was the oral comprehension. I've always struggled with listening tests regardless odf the language, partially due to the fact my hearing isn't perfect and I often struggle to hear people talk when they're right in front of me so listening to something with a mixed quality audio is always going to be a challenge. Another issue for me was the writing exam. I love to write and B1 is all about expressing yourself through thoughts and feelings but the word count for the exam is 160 words which is tiny! For part of the exam I had to write and article that expresses my opinion on teaching foreign languages at a distance instead of in a classroom, but to limit my thoughts to 160 words proved impossible as I finished that with 200 words, even that was a huge compromise from my original draft, so I know there'll be some marking down already.

Just on my experience of language learning, I find myself comparing all the time to how language is taught back home in Wales, which broadly represents how languages are taught across the UK. It's poor. Extremely poor. Languages in the UK are not taught to be used, they're taught in a way to make you pass an exam and that is the worst possible way to learn a language. Languages are living things with a beating heart, a working mind and a beautiful soul but you'd never know that from the way we study languages at home, and that includes how we study English! The UK has immense work to do to overcome these difficulties and I can only hope that these issues are recognised as soon as possible.

Last semester I spoke about my class and my professors so I'll take a quick opportunity to do that again here. This semseter I had two different professors, one who focussed on French grammar and on who focussed on the four language skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. I haven't got a bad word to say about either of them, there is so much grammar to learn during B1 but the way that the professor taught it gave me the confidence to feel more sure about how French grammar works, particularly when it comes to conjugation which any French learner will tell you is a nightmare at first! My other professor was very innovative and very encouraging which really reflects the importance of those four major language skills, and she has also been of huge support to me personally so it's sad to have to say goodbye.

My class experience this semester was very different to last semester but for very good reason. Last semester was an intensive course studying two levels of French rather than just one which meant the class studied together for more than 20 hours a week (if I've remembered that correctly) whereas this semester we study together for around just 16 hours a week. This has a major impact in that it takes a lot longer for students to integrate and to really get to know one another well which has ultimately meant I felt less connected to my classmates this semester to those from last semester. That's not to say that I didn't like my classmates, quite the contrary! There are definitely those with whom I will keep in contact but the overall experience felt a lot more detached than before and I think in some ways that hindered the learning experience for all.

A quick note now on what's next for me. I have registered to sit the DELF B2 exam which takes place next week. A DELF (Diplôme d'études en langue française; Diploma in French Language Studies) is a certification of French-language abilities for non-native speakers of French administered by the International Centre for French Studies (Centre international d'études pédagogiques, or CIEP) for France's Ministry of Education. It is essentially the bare minimum language ability for many things in France for foreigners, most for studying at a French university and for becoming a French citizen, both goals of mine. Luckily, the University of Paul Valery's French B1 course is so broad and teaches to such a high standard that there isn't a huge difference between the B1 university and exams and the DELF B2 so I'm quietly confident. Beyond that, I'm looking to start studying French C1 next semester and then I'll return to my early ambition to teach, so fingers crossed for next week's exams!