National French Exam Skills
Level 01 –Proficiency range: Novice Low
Communication
● Learners understand and follow oral instructions in French related to daily classroom activities and topics such as the daily calendar (day, date, time, and weather).
● Learners identify the topic and some basic facts when they read and/or listen in French to very brief informational and fictional texts/stories on very familiar topics, with some gestures or visual support.
● Learners use keywords to identify the gist of authentic texts, make linguistic comparisons with native language, etc.
● Learners understand statements and questions when they read or hear conversations or discussions in French on very familiar topics.
● Learners understand the content of simple French language realia, such as picture books, menus, posters, or advertisements.
Cultures
● Learners identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults; topics may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various French-speaking regions.
● Learners identify and recognize products and symbols of the francophone world, such as foods, clothing, types of dwellings, modes of transportation, flags, and famous monuments.
Connections
● Learners demonstrate their understanding of basic knowledge of simple math, weather, francophone geography, history, social practices and pop culture.
● Learners expand their knowledge of francophone regions and cultural practices by learning about holidays and names of francophone regions.
Comparisons
● Learners demonstrate an awareness of formal and informal greetings, leave-takings, and expressions of politeness in French (such as Bonjour vs. Salut and s’il vous plaît vs s’il te plaît).
● Learners demonstrate an awareness of the use of tu and vous in conversations [with children vs conversations with adults].
● Learners recognize cognates and idiomatic expressions in French that may or may not have exact English equivalents, such as regarder -> look at, watch, regard.
● Learners recognize the existence of grammatical gender in French, and their spoken and written language reflects that awareness, such as Il est français /Elle est française.
● Learners compare French grammatical structures to those of English, such as la maison de Jean/John’s house.
Level 1 – Proficiency range: Novice mid
Communication
● Learners identify the topic and some basic facts when they read and/or listen in French to very brief informational and fictional texts/stories on very familiar topics, with some gestures or visual support.
● Learners use keywords to identify the gist of authentic texts, make linguistic comparisons with native language, etc.
● Learners understand statements and questions when they read or hear conversations or discussions in French on very familiar topics.
● Learners understand the content of simple French language realia, such as picture books, menus, posters, or advertisements.
● Learners understand spoken and written messages in French on topics of personal interest, such as family life, leisure and school activities, and everyday occurrences.
Cultures
● Learners identify similarities and differences between school life in their own community and in one or several French-speaking regions.
● Learners identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults; topics may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various French-speaking regions.
● Learners identify and recognize products and symbols of the francophone world, such as foods, clothing, types of dwellings, modes of transportation, flags and famous monuments.
Connections
● Learners expand their knowledge of francophone regions and cultural practices by learning about holidays and names of francophone regions.
Comparisons
● Learners recognize cognates and idiomatic expressions in French that may or may not have exact English equivalents, such as regarder -> look at, watch, regard.
● Learners recognize the existence of grammatical gender in French, and their spoken and written language reflects that awareness, such as Il est français / Elle est française.
● Learners recognize and compare nuances of meaning of words and idioms, in French and in English, such as avoir froid, faire froid.
● Learners compare aspects of French and American daily life, such as school schedules, weekend activities, and vacations as a reflection of their understanding of cultural perspectives.
Level 2 – Proficiency range: Novice High
Communication
● Learners understand and identify main ideas and principal characters in brief reading selections and French cultures.
● Learners understand the main ideas and significant details of materials in French that are accessible to teenage readers, such as magazine articles, short stories, poems, and short novels.
● Learners understand information from French online sources on a variety of topics, such as weather, current events, and sports.
Cultures
● Learners identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults; topics may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various French-speaking regions.
● Learners recognize and develop an awareness of the diversity of social customs in the French-speaking world; topics may include family life, folklore, and typical holidays, such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Ramadan.
● Learners identify and learn about products reflecting the lifestyle of people in various francophone communities, such as household items, clothing, and foods.
● Learners learn about and recognize artistic contributions from francophone cultures in areas such as art, music, dance, drama, theater, film, fashion, and cuisine.
Connections
● Learners understand connections between their native culture and the target culture through discussing similarities and differences.
Comparisons
● Learners recognize differences in word order between French and English, for example: une maison rouge/a red house.
● Learners recognize and compare nuances of meaning of words and idioms, in French and in English, such as avoir froid, être froid (objects), faire froid.
● Learners compare aspects of French and American daily life, such as school schedules, weekend activities, and vacations as a reflection of their understanding of cultural perspectives.
● Learners compare and contrast francophone and American cultural practices in areas such as sports (soccer and American football), music (m’balax and pop music) or holidays (le premier mai vs Labor Day).
Level 3 – Proficiency range: Intermediate low
Communication
● Learners understand the main ideas and significant details of materials in French that are accessible to teenage readers, such as magazine articles, short stories, poems, and short novels.
Cultures
● Learners recognize and develop an awareness of the diversity of social customs in the French-speaking world; topics may include family life, folklore, and typical holidays, such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Ramadan.
● Learners recognize and develop an awareness of the diversity of social customs in the French-speaking world; topics may include family life, folklore, and typical holidays, such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Ramadan.
Connections
● Learners understand connections between their native culture and the target culture through discussing similarities and differences.
● Learners expand their knowledge of francophone regions and cultural practices by learning about holidays and names of francophone regions.
Comparisons
● Learners compare aspects of French and American daily life, such as school schedules, weekend activities, and vacations as a reflection of their understanding of cultural perspectives.
● Learners compare and contrast francophone and American cultural practices in areas such as sports (soccer and American football), music (m’balax and pop music) or holidays (le premier mai vs Labor Day).
Communication
● Learners understand and follow oral instructions in French related to daily classroom activities and topics such as the daily calendar (day, date, time, and weather).
● Learners identify the topic and some basic facts when they read and/or listen in French to very brief informational and fictional texts/stories on very familiar topics, with some gestures or visual support.
● Learners use keywords to identify the gist of authentic texts, make linguistic comparisons with native language, etc.
● Learners understand statements and questions when they read or hear conversations or discussions in French on very familiar topics.
● Learners understand the content of simple French language realia, such as picture books, menus, posters, or advertisements.
Cultures
● Learners identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults; topics may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various French-speaking regions.
● Learners identify and recognize products and symbols of the francophone world, such as foods, clothing, types of dwellings, modes of transportation, flags, and famous monuments.
Connections
● Learners demonstrate their understanding of basic knowledge of simple math, weather, francophone geography, history, social practices and pop culture.
● Learners expand their knowledge of francophone regions and cultural practices by learning about holidays and names of francophone regions.
Comparisons
● Learners demonstrate an awareness of formal and informal greetings, leave-takings, and expressions of politeness in French (such as Bonjour vs. Salut and s’il vous plaît vs s’il te plaît).
● Learners demonstrate an awareness of the use of tu and vous in conversations [with children vs conversations with adults].
● Learners recognize cognates and idiomatic expressions in French that may or may not have exact English equivalents, such as regarder -> look at, watch, regard.
● Learners recognize the existence of grammatical gender in French, and their spoken and written language reflects that awareness, such as Il est français /Elle est française.
● Learners compare French grammatical structures to those of English, such as la maison de Jean/John’s house.
Level 1 – Proficiency range: Novice mid
Communication
● Learners identify the topic and some basic facts when they read and/or listen in French to very brief informational and fictional texts/stories on very familiar topics, with some gestures or visual support.
● Learners use keywords to identify the gist of authentic texts, make linguistic comparisons with native language, etc.
● Learners understand statements and questions when they read or hear conversations or discussions in French on very familiar topics.
● Learners understand the content of simple French language realia, such as picture books, menus, posters, or advertisements.
● Learners understand spoken and written messages in French on topics of personal interest, such as family life, leisure and school activities, and everyday occurrences.
Cultures
● Learners identify similarities and differences between school life in their own community and in one or several French-speaking regions.
● Learners identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults; topics may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various French-speaking regions.
● Learners identify and recognize products and symbols of the francophone world, such as foods, clothing, types of dwellings, modes of transportation, flags and famous monuments.
Connections
● Learners expand their knowledge of francophone regions and cultural practices by learning about holidays and names of francophone regions.
Comparisons
● Learners recognize cognates and idiomatic expressions in French that may or may not have exact English equivalents, such as regarder -> look at, watch, regard.
● Learners recognize the existence of grammatical gender in French, and their spoken and written language reflects that awareness, such as Il est français / Elle est française.
● Learners recognize and compare nuances of meaning of words and idioms, in French and in English, such as avoir froid, faire froid.
● Learners compare aspects of French and American daily life, such as school schedules, weekend activities, and vacations as a reflection of their understanding of cultural perspectives.
Level 2 – Proficiency range: Novice High
Communication
● Learners understand and identify main ideas and principal characters in brief reading selections and French cultures.
● Learners understand the main ideas and significant details of materials in French that are accessible to teenage readers, such as magazine articles, short stories, poems, and short novels.
● Learners understand information from French online sources on a variety of topics, such as weather, current events, and sports.
Cultures
● Learners identify social customs that are of interest to either children or adults; topics may include traditional foods, aspects of family life, and typical holidays in various French-speaking regions.
● Learners recognize and develop an awareness of the diversity of social customs in the French-speaking world; topics may include family life, folklore, and typical holidays, such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Ramadan.
● Learners identify and learn about products reflecting the lifestyle of people in various francophone communities, such as household items, clothing, and foods.
● Learners learn about and recognize artistic contributions from francophone cultures in areas such as art, music, dance, drama, theater, film, fashion, and cuisine.
Connections
● Learners understand connections between their native culture and the target culture through discussing similarities and differences.
Comparisons
● Learners recognize differences in word order between French and English, for example: une maison rouge/a red house.
● Learners recognize and compare nuances of meaning of words and idioms, in French and in English, such as avoir froid, être froid (objects), faire froid.
● Learners compare aspects of French and American daily life, such as school schedules, weekend activities, and vacations as a reflection of their understanding of cultural perspectives.
● Learners compare and contrast francophone and American cultural practices in areas such as sports (soccer and American football), music (m’balax and pop music) or holidays (le premier mai vs Labor Day).
Level 3 – Proficiency range: Intermediate low
Communication
● Learners understand the main ideas and significant details of materials in French that are accessible to teenage readers, such as magazine articles, short stories, poems, and short novels.
Cultures
● Learners recognize and develop an awareness of the diversity of social customs in the French-speaking world; topics may include family life, folklore, and typical holidays, such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Ramadan.
● Learners recognize and develop an awareness of the diversity of social customs in the French-speaking world; topics may include family life, folklore, and typical holidays, such as Christmas, New Year’s, or Ramadan.
Connections
● Learners understand connections between their native culture and the target culture through discussing similarities and differences.
● Learners expand their knowledge of francophone regions and cultural practices by learning about holidays and names of francophone regions.
Comparisons
● Learners compare aspects of French and American daily life, such as school schedules, weekend activities, and vacations as a reflection of their understanding of cultural perspectives.
● Learners compare and contrast francophone and American cultural practices in areas such as sports (soccer and American football), music (m’balax and pop music) or holidays (le premier mai vs Labor Day).