Future teachers in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation have poor command of the French language

2023-12-06 13:12:01

Update

December 06, 2023
14:12

Only 21% of students from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation who intend to become teachers have passed the optional test of in-depth mastery of the French language.

On October 17, 3,102 young people intending to study as a teacher or regent (1st level of secondary school) took a in-depth mastery of the French language test. The Academy of Research and Higher Education (Ares) of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation will publish the results this Wednesday. They indicate that 21% of young people who took the test passedand will therefore be exempt from the French language mastery course which is on the program for the first year of the course.

This test, organized for the first time, is part of the reform of initial teacher training. It was the subject of fierce debates and long negotiations between supporters of a compulsory or even selective test, and those who felt that it risked discourage young people from engaging in studies who are already struggling to attract vocations.

A project with lowered ambitions

In 2018, while the text of the decree on initial training was being drafted in the office of the Minister of Higher Education at the time, Jean-Claude Marcourt, a analysis had been carried out by the Education and Training Council. This revealed an inadequacy in the basic skills of future teachers, particularly in mastery of the French language (50% of failures in the first year concern mastery of the language). See arrive in the educational categories of students insufficiently equipped to become teachersand risking themselves passing on their shortcomings, was not acceptable.

21

%

The success rate of future teachers in the French proficiency test was 21%.

The decree, at its origin, therefore required future teachers to take and pass a French proficiency test at the very beginning of their course.. In the event of failure, their course program had to be increased by five additional credits aimed at making up for their delay, while carrying over five other credits to following years. This device was subsequently modified to arrive at the current version.. An optional test, which allows the student who passes it to benefit from an exemption.

A high participation rate

The participation rate for this optional test was 90%. The questionnaire was divided into two parts. On the one hand, a MCQ, on the other an argumentative written production.

For the MCQ, a rate of 60% correct answers was required. 63% of candidates succeeded. For written production, the threshold for success was set at 50%, with 97% of correct forms used. On this aspect, 47% of students met the threshold for correct forms usedand 34% succeeded in written production (without taking into account correct forms).

In 2025, the test will be made compulsory for future teachers of sections 4 and 5 (the levels of the new course of initial teacher training which correspond to future secondary 4th, 5th and 6th teachers).

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