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Department
of French
Placement test objectives and principles
Now you are ready to take the French placement test. Before
doing so, please read carefully the following information.
It provides answers to all the questions you may have concerning
the test.
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Should
I take the placement test?
Why is the test so important?
What is the best way to answer questions on
the test?
What will happen with my results?
What does the test actually look like?
How much time do I need to complete the test?
What do I need to complete the test?
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Should I take the placement test?
Yes, if you wish to enroll in an FSL
or FRE course for the first time.
The test is mandatory for all students who have not already taken a French course in the Department of Language Studies. The Department will determine the level of your language-skill according to your results on this test.
Probably,
if you wish to be exempted from FSL courses on the
basis of your linguistic competence. The Department will tell
you if you need to take the test or not when you request your
Waiver of Program Requirement.
No, if you
have already taken an FSL course. In this case, you
may enroll directly in a higher-level FSL course.
Why is the test so important?
Because it is the only way to make sure
that you enroll in the course that suits you best.
The placement test is designed to assess accurately your linguistic
skills and your background in French. It will place you in
an FSL course that maximizes your chances of really improving
your competence in French. This course should be neither too
difficult (you don't want to feel overwhelmed by the
difficulty or overburdened by the workload in the course)
nor too easy for you (you don't want to feel that you
are not learning much and that your are not making any progress).
What is the best way to answer questions on the test?
Honestly. Remember that you will
benefit the most from language instruction if you take a course
corresponding to your proficiency level. It is a violation
of standards of academic conduct for you to misrepresent yourself
on this test by attempting to perform above or below your
actual proficiency.
Thoroughly
and mindfully. You must answer all questions and perform
all tasks asked for in the test. Do not skip any question,
unless you do NOT know the answer. Various parts of the test
offer multichoice answers. Select the one that you know, or
think is right – you don't have to be absolutely
sure. But don't make a wild guess – just skip the
questions for which you don't have an answer. Lucky guesses
would alter your results significantly. Don't be reluctant
to leave questions unanswered even if there are many of them.
The test may be quite difficult for you as it is intended for
students at all levels of proficiency.
On your
own. You shouldn't use any help of any kind to
complete the test. No dictionary, no grammar, no textbook,
no friend, no family, no spellchecker, no Internet. Any kind
of help would alter your results significantly.
What will happen with my results?
You will receive shortly an e-mail giving
you the following information: your final score, your score
on the various parts, and the Department's recommendation
as to the course in which you should enroll.
You must present a copy of the
e-mail to your course instructor during the
first week of class. This will help your instructor know
you better and provide you with the most appropriate help
for improving particular skills.
What does the test actually look like?
The test consists of seven main parts
that assess your proficiency in three of the four linguistic skills:
reading, writing and listening. They are the following:
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A. Grammar: multichoice
questions (parts A1 and A2)
B. Oral discrimination: multichoice questions
C. Reading comprehension: multichoice questions
D. Writing: 150 word essay
E. Oral comprehension: multichoice questions and ‘dictée'
(parts E1, E2 and E3)
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Depending
on your actual level of proficiency, you may not have to go
through the whole test. The program will ask you to
submit your answers at specific points. It will then compute
your results and lead you accordingly to the next step –
either the next part or the end of the test.
How much time do I need to complete the test?
It depends. It can take as little
as 10 minutes (part A1 only) and as much as an hour and a
half (the whole test).
Make sure that you have enough time before you
start the test: 45-60 minutes (parts A through
D) and 30-45 minutes (parts E through G).
What do I need to complete the test?
Scrap paper and pencil. You may
want to take notes when listening to a text or to write a
first draft of your essay. Remember: no dictionary, no grammar,
no spellchecker, no text.
Specific
computer programs. They are needed for the test to
work properly. Make sure that your computer has all the required
programs, as specified in the technical instructions (? button).
If you have not read the instructions yet, click on the (?)
button now.
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