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Cambridge ESOL supports school teachers in France. 

Cambridge ESOL has staged two more hugely successful conferences in France as part of its ongoing programme of support for English language teachers working in primary and secondary education. The events, which were held in Rennes (10 February) and in Toulouse (10 March), were very well attended with 230 participants in total. The conferences were filmed and can be viewed on the English for Schools video channel. 

Speakers included Professor Annie Hughes from the University of York, UK, who talked about linking teaching with assessment for young learners. The issue is of particular importance to school teachers in the compulsory education sector, as the classroom experience is largely shaped by the nature of the exam or test at the end of the course. Preparing pupils for Cambridge ESOL tests, for example, allows teachers to focus on a communicative, skills-based approach, which is widely accepted as the most effective method of language teaching, particularly for younger learners. This also means that the tests can fit easily into existing school curricula, as they do not require a lot of additional preparation beyond the scope of regular classroom activities. Teachers attending the conferences were given a wide range of practical support covering various aspects of English language teaching for young learners. Publishers and other English language teaching experts ran a number of workshops to provide participants with ideas for communicative activities in the classroom.  

At the event in Toulouse, Dr Neil Jones, Assistant Director of Cambridge ESOL’s Research and Validation department, talked about different assessment models and the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR), which sets out six levels of language ability from A1 (the most basic) to C2 (the most advanced). Cambridge ESOL offers exams which are specifically designed for schools as well as being aligned to different levels of the CEFR. These include KET for Schools (Level A2) and PET for Schools (Level B1). In addition, the Young Learners English Tests (YLE) provide a reliable and consistent measure of school children’s achievement as they progress towards Level A2. 

External assessment plays an import role in schools not just in France but right across Europe and the rest of the world. At the events, speakers from Cambridge ESOL gave summaries of the current state of language learning and teaching around the European continent. 

The next Cambridge ESOL event for schools in France will take place in Amiens in October.  For further details or more information about Cambridge ESOL exams and tests for schools in France, visit http://www.cambridgeesol.fr

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