ERIC Number: ED225397
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1980
Pages: 13
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
L'enseignement du francais par ordinateur: Les programmes conversationnels au Cafe (Cours autodidactique de francais ecrit) [Teaching French by Computer: Conversational Programs in "Cafe" (Self-instructional Course in Written French)].
Landriault, Bernard; Connolly, Guy
SPEAQ Journal, v4 n3-4 p97-108 1980
Computer technology has been used to develop "Cafe," a self-instructional course in written French communication, which is offered to the general public by the University of Montreal. The course consists of three workbooks containing 1200 items dealing with vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, agreements, morphology, syntax, and fine points of style. While the items are of the multiple choice variety, the "correct" answer is considered to be relative to the context. It is always accompanied by an explanation and by illustrations of the way the other options would be used. Anglicisms are discussed as well as the difference between French and English usage. Computers are used to grade pretests, diagnostic tests, and posttests; to correlate the difficulty level of test items with student needs and competence; to calculate norms; and to choose the actual items that appear in the materials. The test items and their contexts were chosen, with the help of computers, from a variety of sources in an attempt to present the French language as it is used in a variety of contexts. After experimentation via computer, the items were divided into tracks according to difficulty, and the three workbooks were assembled. It has been shown that the course responds to student needs, gives students an active role, and maximizes their opportunity to learn. (AMH)
Descriptors: Autoinstructional Aids, Computer Managed Instruction, French, Independent Study, Instructional Materials, Language Usage, Postsecondary Education, Second Language Instruction, Writing Instruction
Concordia Colloquium on Language Labs, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Montreal, Quebec H3G-1M8, Canada ($15.00 for entire journal).
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: French
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at the Concordia Colloquium on Language Laboratories (Montreal, Quebec, July 6-8, 1981).