The document summarizes changes being made to the AP French Language and Culture course and exam. The course and exam are being revised to better align with modern language teaching practices and national standards. Key changes include a stronger focus on communication over grammatical structures, assessing students based on their ability to interpret, interact, and present information in French, and basing exam content on authentic materials from the French-speaking world. The revised exam will consist of a multiple choice section and free response questions that require extended responses in writing and speaking French.

1. AP®
French Language and Culture
Course and Exam
Presented by Ed Weiss
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2. Introduction
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3. Changes and Improvements
 The AP®
French Language and Culture course
and exam are changing to reflect
contemporary best practices in language
teaching and to more fully align with national
standards.
 You may already use some of these strategies
and approaches.
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4. Basic Timeline
 Course implementation:
2011-12 academic year.
 Revised exam:
Administered for the first time in May 2012.
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5. • AP®
regularly updates courses to
• stay abreast of developments within each academic
discipline; and
• ensure ongoing alignment with parallel college courses.
• AP is aiming to standardize world language courses and
exams.
• AP is encouraging colleges and universities to have a
single credit and placement policy across the board.
Why change?
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6. Course Changes
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7. Revised Course
 The revised AP®
French Language and Culture
Curriculum Framework aims to
• integrate language, content and culture;
• help students “function in the language” rather
than “learn language function”; and
• promote fluency and accuracy in language use,
recognizing the importance of grammar but
placing priority on communication.
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8. Critical Revisions
• Focus on three modes of communication: Interpersonal,
Interpretive and Presentational
• The course has a thematic approach.
• The course includes a focus on culture as described in the
Standards: cultural products, practices, and perspectives.
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9. AP Course
Intermediate Pre-AdvancedNovice
Performance Guidelines
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10. A Thematic Approach
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11. • The course is designed around an overarching premise:
When communicating, AP®
world language students [must]
demonstrate an understanding of the culture(s), incorporate
interdisciplinary topics (Connections), make comparisons
between the native language and the target language and
between cultures (Comparisons), and use the target language
in real-life settings (Communities).
Focus on Communication
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12. Communication Modes
Interpersonal Communication
Active negotiation of meaning among individuals through conversation
(face-to-face or telephonic); however, it can also be realized through
reading and writing (e.g., exchange of personal letters, notes, summaries or
e-mails)
Interpretive Communication
No active negotiation of meaning with another individual, although
there is an active negotiation of meaning construction; includes the cultural
interpretation of text, movies, radio, television and speeches
Presentational Communication
Creation of spoken or written communication prepared for an
audience and rehearsed, revised or edited before presentation; one-way
communication that requires interpretation by others without negotiation
of meaning
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13. Six Primary Learning Objectives
 Spoken Interpersonal Communication
 Written Interpersonal Communication
 Audio, Visual, and Audiovisual Interpretive
Communication
 Written and Print Interpretive Communication
 Spoken Presentational Communication
 Written Presentational Communication
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14. Products, Practices, Perspectives
 Students must be familiar with cultural
“products, practices and perspectives.”
 The exam will not have a separate culture
section. No cultural trivia questions.
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15. AP®
World Language and Culture Courses
Achievement Level Descriptions
•Represent a student’s progression along the second
language learning trajectory
•Provide explicit descriptions of student performance at
5, 4, 3 and 2
•Will allow for more detailed and meaningful reporting of
student performance
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16. AP®
World Language and Culture Courses
Achievement Level Descriptions:
Spoken
Interpersonal
Communication
 Interaction
 Strategies
 Opinions
 Language structures
 Vocabulary
 Register
 Pronunciation
 Cultures,
connections
and comparisons
Written
Presentational
Communication
Discourse and
development
Strategies
Language structures
Writing conventions
Register
Cultures, connections and
comparisons
Audio, Visual
and Audiovisual
Interpretive
Communication
Comprehension of
content
Critical viewing and
listening
Vocabulary
Cultures, connections
and comparisons
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17. Broader Application of Curriculum Framework
• AP®
is generally the capstone course offered in the fourth
or fifth year of an articulated sequence.
• The Curriculum Framework can be used to inform the
entire program of instruction from beginning to AP. At all
levels you can:
o Design thematic instruction
oDevelop proficiencies in each mode of communication
oArticulate expected levels of performance
• It can help unify instruction in classes that have
students with combined levels.
o Activities focus on same theme, mode
o Differentiate instruction, rubric for different learners

18. AP®
Exam
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19. AP®
Exam Format
Section I (Interpretive Communication)
Multiple choice (50% of total score): 65 items in 9 sets
4 reading
2 listening and reading combined
3 listening
Section 2 (Interpersonal and Presentational
Communication)
Free Response (50% of total score): 4 items
Interpersonal Writing
Presentational Writing
Interpersonal Speaking
Presentational Speaking
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20. Students will be provided contexts for doing
exam tasks. They will not be asked questions that
are decontextualized.
 Listening rejoinders, grammar fill-ins and
paragraph completion will be eliminated.
 Tasks and source materials will come with
advance organizers and time for previewing.
 Audio sources will be played twice. Most audio
sources last from 1 min. 30 sec.—2 min. 30 sec,
no longer than 3 minutes.
Key Revisions to the AP®
Exam
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21. Introduction
Thème du cours: Les défis mondiaux
Dans cette sélection il s’agit d’un match de hockey. La
publicité originale a été publiée le 16 février 2010 au Canada
par Jour de la Terre Québec, situé à Montréal. Cet organisme
réalise des activités éducatives et culturelles pour la
protection de l’environnement.
Sample Advance Organizer
Print Source
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22. Introduction
Thème du cours : La quête de soi
Vous aurez d’abord 1 minute pour lire l’introduction et parcourir
les questions. Dans cette sélection il s’ agit des commentaires sur
la politique libanaise faits par l’ écrivain de renom Jean-Marie
Gustave Le Clézio. L’interview originale intitulée Le salon livre
francophone de Beyrouth a été publiée le 1 novembre 2009 en
France par Diane Galliot, journaliste pour Radio France
Internationale. Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio a gagné le prix
Nobel de littérature en 2008. La sélection dure à peu près deux
minutes et demie.
Sample Advance Organizer
Audio Source
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23. Key Revisions to the AP®
Exam
Students will work with a greater variety of authentic materials,
both print and audio, reflecting the linguistic and cultural
diversity of the French-speaking world.
 Literary and journalistic texts but also announcements,
advertisements, letters, maps, tables, etc.
 Scripted dialogues but also radio interviews, podcasts, public
service announcements, brief presentations, etc.
 Criteria for selection are comprehensibility (accent, pace,
minimal background noise/overlap) and relevance to a course
theme and to a topic that could interest students.
 Materials will be reasonably chosen, but will also reflect a range
of cultural perspectives and linguistic features.
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24. Multiple-Choice Items
 Mix of factual and interpretive questions
 Vocabulary in context
 Purpose of the text, point of view of speaker/writer
 Audience of the text
 Inferences and conclusions
 Questions of “cultural” or “interdisciplinary” nature that
ask students to show understanding of information
contained in the text
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25. New Types of Multiple-Choice Items
 For texts that are interpersonal in nature (letters,
interviews, promotional pieces): What would an
appropriate reply to X be? How does what X says/writes
relate to what Y has said/written? (agreement,
contradiction, support, elaboration)
 For texts that are presentational in nature (brief
lectures/presentations, print narratives): How does the
speaker/author organize the text? What would be an
appropriate summary statement of the text?
 For combined sets: How does information in the print text
relate to information in the audio text? (general/specific,
point/counterpoint)
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26. Aligning Assessment to Curriculum
Key Revisions to the AP®
Exam
In spoken and written responses, accuracy of content, as
well as linguistic accuracy, will be important.
 In most of the spoken and written responses, students
will be required to demonstrate understanding of some
type of input.
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27. Free-Response Item 1
E-mail Reply (Interpersonal Writing)
Directions (in English and French, printed side-by-side):
You will write a reply to an e-mail message. You have 15 minutes to read
the message and write your reply.
Your reply should include a greeting and a closing, as well as respond to
all the questions and requests in the message. In your reply, you should
also ask for more details about something mentioned in the message.
Stimulus:
A formal e-mail message (i.e., from a business, organization, university)
presented as an e-mail message window; contains a greeting and a
closing; contains a request for clarification, elaboration or explanation by
the student; contains two questions that cannot be answered yes/no.
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28. Free-Response Item 2
Persuasive Essay (Presentational Writing)
Directions (in English and French, printed side-by-side):
You will write a persuasive essay to submit to a French-language writing
contest. The essay topic is based on three accompanying sources, which
present different viewpoints on the topic and include both print and audio
materials. First, you will have 6 minutes to read the essay topic and the
printed material. Afterward, you will hear the audio material twice; you
should take notes while you listen. Then you will have 40 minutes to
prepare and write your essay.
In your persuasive essay, present the sources’ different viewpoints on the
topic and also clearly indicate your own viewpoint and thoroughly defend
it. Use information from all of the sources to support your essay. As you
refer to the sources, identify them appropriately. Also, organize your essay
into clear paragraphs.
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29. Free-Response Item 2 (cont’d)
Persuasive Essay (Presentational Writing)
Stimuli:
(1) A print source (journalistic article or literary text) that presents a clear
opinion on the topic; opinion is different from that of the audio source
(authentic source, may be excerpted)
(2) A map with text, a chart or a table that presents information on the
topic—this source doesn’t have to present an opinion (authentic
source)
(3) An audio source (interview, report, or announcement) that presents a
clear opinion on the topic which is different from the opinion in the
print source (authentic source, may be excerpted)
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30. Free-Response Item 3
Conversation (Interpersonal Speaking)
Directions (in English followed by French):
You will participate in a conversation. First, you will have 1 minute to read
a preview of the conversation, including an outline of each turn in the
conversation. Then, the conversation will begin, following the outline. Each
time it is your turn to speak, you will have 20 seconds to record your
response.
You should participate in the conversation as fully and appropriately as
possible.
Stimulus:
Outline of a conversation in French that contains a description of each of
five utterances from the interlocutor (the recording) and each of five
utterances from the student; descriptions in the outline focus on
communicative functions (e.g., tell your friend what happened, make a
suggestion, offer a solution, excuse yourself and say goodbye).
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31. Free-Response Item 4
Cultural Comparison (Presentational Speaking)
Directions (in English followed by French):
You will make an oral presentation to your class on a specific topic. You will
have 4 minutes to read the topic and prepare your presentation. Then you will
have 2 minutes to record your presentation.
In your presentation, compare your own community to an area of the French-
speaking world with which you are familiar. You should demonstrate your
understanding of cultural features of the French-speaking world. You should
also organize your presentation clearly.
Stimulus:
There is no stimulus, only a prompt. The goals of this task are for the students
to speak first about themselves and their communities (using description or
explanation) and then speak of an area of the French-speaking world about
which they’ve learned something or have some personal experience (using
comparison). Students are encouraged to cite examples from materials they’ve
read, viewed and listened to; personal experiences; and observations.
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32. AP®
Course Audit for 2011-12
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33. Basic Audit Information
• All AP®
French teachers will need to do a new
Course Audit for the 2011-12 academic year.
• Teachers must submit a syllabus aligned with the
new Curriculum Framework for audit between
March 2011 and Jan 2012.
• Preferred date for submission: June 1, 2011
• Final date for submission: Jan. 31, 2012
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34. Audit Resources
• Available online
• AP®
French Language and Culture Course and Exam
Description
• Syllabus Development Guide
• Sample Syllabi (4)
www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaudit/index.html
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35. What should a syllabus look like?
• Syllabus must demonstrate use of a diverse
range of authentic materials:
• Audio and video, including but not limited to:
podcasts, music, film, television
• Print, including but not limited to: literature,
newspapers, magazines, maps/charts, tables, websites
• Activities must target each of the three modes:
• Interpersonal
• Interpretive
• Presentational
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36. What should a syllabus look like?
• Lessons must include the six themes.
• Instruction must address the six themes. You must
demonstrate how resources and activities are connected to
the themes.
• Themes may be addressed separately or in combination.
• Activities must encourage students to explore
cultural products, practices and perspectives.
• Students must have opportunities to understand cultural
and linguistic differences in the French-speaking world.
• Students must have opportunities to compare what they
learn about the target culture(s) with their own culture.
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37. Resources
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38. http://advancesinap.collegeboard.org
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39. AP Vertical Teams®
Guide and Workshop
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40. Pre-AP®
World Languages and Cultures workshops:
• Interpersonal Communication
• Interpretive Communication
• Presentational Communication
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41. Online Resources
 http://advancesinap.collegeboard.org/
 http://collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaudit/index.html
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42. Thank You
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43. Handbook Activities: Audio and Video LINKS
Model: Choosing Authentic Materials to Support Thematic Instruction
• Vidéo : ACTUALITÉS : Expliquez-nous: la burqa:
http://www.elle.fr/Societe/Videos-Societe/Actu/VIDEO-La-burqa-en-France-paroles-de-musulmans
Evaluation: L’homme et l’Environnement
• Part 3: RTL Podcast:
http://www.rtl.fr/actualites/vie-pratique/article/mediterranee-alerte-au-plastique-7646788772
Evaluation: Les Ressources naturelles
• Part 2: Podcast: Vu de l’esprit: http://www.rfi.fr/lffr/articles/074/article_571.asp?pc=1
• Part 3: Video by Yannick Noah, “Aux Arbres Citoyens”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=8XrCNPei3Bg
Assessment: The Environment in Song
• Part 3: Video for “Respire” by Mickey 3D.
http://www.videosurf.com/video/mickey-3-d-n-respire-123864254
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44. Practice Exam: Multiple-Choice Audio
• Interpretive Communication, Print and Audio combined, Sélection numéro 1, Questions 31-40, Source
numéro 2
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_1_part_B_Sel_1_temp.mp3
• Interpretive Communication, Print and Audio combined, Sélection numéro 2, Questions 41-47, Source
numéro 2
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_1_Part_B_Sel_2_temp.mp3
• Interpretive Communication, Audio Texts, Sélection numéro 3, Questions 48-52
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_1_Part_B_Sel_3_temp.mp3
• Interpretive Communication, Audio Texts, Sélection numéro 4, Questions 53-57
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_1_Part_B_Sel_4_temp.mp3
• Interpretive Communication, Audio Texts, Sélection numéro 5, Questions 58-65
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_1_Part_B_Sel_5_temp.mp3
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45. Practice Exam: Free-Response Audio
• Presentational Writing Persuasive Essay, Source numéro 3
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_2_Part_A_Persu
Essay_temp.mp3
• Interpersonal Speaking, Conversation
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_2_Part_B_Conv_
temp.mp3
• Presentational Speaking,Cultural Comparison
http://media.collegeboard.com/digitalServices/video_audio/ap/AP_French_Sect_2_Part_B_CultC
omp_temp.mp3
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