FSL Student Proficiency and Confidence Dr. Katherine Rehner, University of Toronto Mississauga katherine.rehner@utoronto.ca

 Dr. Ken Shore: confidence is “one of the building blocks of school success; it provides a firm foundation for learning” Starting Premise *all hand-drawn images are copyright material from the video produced by Curriculum Services Canada (http://www.curriculum.org/fsl)

Background Common European Framework of Reference Funded by Government of Ontario Government of Canada—Department of Canadian Heritage Directed by Curriculum Services Canada Background

CEFR & DELF familiar expressions, basic phrases routine tasks, exchange of information simple connected text, familiar topics native speakers: fluency & spontaneity CEFR & DELF

14 Ontario Boards 84 students 207 students 143 students Student Sample

from Boards, but not their teachers Self-selected DELF level Certified examiners from Boards, but not their teachers Data Collection—DELF

Data Collection—Survey Student survey: Background info what languages which FSL programs extra-curricular exposure use of French media Confidence conversing, listening, writing, reading range of situations and speakers Self-rated exam performance Data Collection—Survey

Core Extended Immersion   B2 A2 A2 B2 B1 A2 B1 B2 B1 Sample by Program

1. How did the students perform on the DELF overall and by skill area? = overall average of 70% = 79% = 72% = 62% 1. How did the students perform on the DELF overall and by skill area?

1. DELF performance (continued)  Oral & written production Oral comprehension +    Written Comprehension Written Comprehension Written & Oral Production Oral Comprehension Written Comprehension & Oral Production Oral Comprehension & Written Production 1. DELF performance (continued)

Strengths Improvement Presenting information Following instructions Contextualized use of grammar Contextualized use of vocab (B1, B2) 2. Which sub-skills were strongest and which offered most room for improvement?

Proficiency-Related Conclusions Elizabeth Hoerath Transforming FSL website Curriculum Services Canada http://www.curriculum.org/fsl Proficiency-Related Conclusions

Proficiency-Related Conclusions © Elizabeth Hoerath and Curriculum Services Canada (http://www.curriculum.org/fsl)

Proficiency-Related Conclusions Using grammar and vocabulary in context spontaneous unrehearsed subtleties of use facilitate communication action-oriented inductive Proficiency-Related Conclusions

1. How confident are the students in each skill area? Overall  Reading Listening Writing Conversing = lowest confidence in productive skills = lower confidence in oral skills than for B2 = higher conversing confidence than other levels 1. How confident are the students in each skill area?

Non-Francophones & classmates Conversing Teachers, classmates, friends Francophones Listening 2. In which situations do the students feel most and least confident in each skill area?

2. Situations (continued) Non-Francophones Francophones Writing Teachers & classmates Non-Francophones Francophones Reading 2. Situations (continued)

2. Situations (continued) Socio-situational factors impact confidence more than does underlying skill-confidence 2. Situations (continued)

Interactive exposure leads to greater conversing confidence.  Interactive exposure leads to greater conversing confidence. 3. How do interactive and receptive exposure connect to student confidence in each DELF level by skill area?

3. Interactive and receptive exposure (continued) Receptive exposure leads to greater writing and reading confidence (A2) and greater conversing and writing confidence (B1). 3. Interactive and receptive exposure (continued)

3. Interactive and receptive exposure (continued) interactive = oral skill confidence receptive = written skills confidence impact on confidence across skills limited impact on confidence 3. Interactive and receptive exposure (continued)

Confidence-Related Conclusions = greatest confidence Interactive exposure can help boost conversing confidence. Confidence-Related Conclusions

Confidence-Related Conclusions (continued) We need to work explicitly on confidence. Confidence-Related Conclusions (continued)

greater confidence greater confidence Higher score for all skills (except written production) Higher scores for written comprehension & production Higher oral production scores 1. How is confidence in each skill area related to DELF scores for the same skill?

= No connections (except receptive exposure  oral comprehension) Receptive exposure leads to higher oral & written production scores. Interactive exposure  higher oral scores. Receptive exposure  higher written scores. 2. How do interactive and receptive exposure connect to students’ performance on DELF components?

= Greater writing confidence leads to higher written production scores. Greater confidence leads to higher scores for ALL SKILLS (except for written production). No such connections. 3. How is situational confidence in each skill area related to DELF scores for same skill?

YES! Except for oral production for level A2. 4. Does self-assessed performance on each DELF component connect to students’ scores for that component?

Conclusions: Connecting Confidence and Proficiency

Conclusions: Proficiency Strengths Opportunities for improvement * Written Comprehension * Oral Production (B2) * Presenting information * Following instructions * Oral Comprehension * Written Production * Use of grammar and vocabulary in context

Conclusions: Confidence Strengths Opportunities for improvement * Reading confidence * Non-Francophones * Individual settings * Friends * Conversing confidence * Francophones * Large groups * Unknown speakers

Conclusions: Proficiency & Confidence Greater confidence is leading to higher DELF scores… Opportunities to strengthen link between proficiency & confidence… * A2 = reading & writing * B1 = conversing & listening * B2 = reading & listening * A2 = oral skills * B1 = written production

Invitation to Consider… How do these research-based findings compare with what you know to be true from your own experience? Proficiency Strengths: reading, conversing (B2), presenting information, following instructions Improvements: listening, writing, using grammar and vocab in context Confidence Strengths: reading, non-Francophones, individual setting, friends Improvements: conversing, Francophones, groups, strangers Proficiency & Confidence Strengths: A2=reading, writing; B1=conversing, listening; B2=reading, listening Improvements: A2=orals skills; B1=written production