France

Language/Reading Curriculum in the Fourth Grade

France has a national curriculum that covers language and reading instruction at the fourth grade; it has been renewed 11 times over a century.^a The curriculum is national and compulsory for all teachers and students, and it governs teacher practice. Teachers are responsible for building a coherent progression through the curriculum, adapting the pace of the curriculum to suit their students’ abilities and needs, defining instructional strategies, and evaluating students.

In November 2015, a new curriculum was presented and published in the Bulletin Officiel (official bulletin), a new reference text that applies to learning in primary and lower secondary schools, and was implemented at the beginning of the 2016−2017 school year. Students assessed in PIRLS 2016 were not affected by this new curriculum. The following sections describe the 2008 primary school curriculum, which was officially implemented at the beginning of the 2008–2009 school year and was in effect throughout the education of students assessed in PIRLS 2016.¹²

Reading Policy

To facilitate learning to read in the primary grades, oral language must be developed in preprimary school. In France, knowing how to read and enjoying reading are the major objectives of the first years of elementary school.

From ages 6 to 7 (Cycle 2, Grades 1 to 2), children become acquainted with the functioning of written language. This includes connecting sounds with letters, understanding the structure of sentences in simple texts, and understanding the differences between written and spoken language.

From ages 8 to 10 (Cycle 3, Grades 3 to 5), students begin reading to learn. They begin encountering long, increasingly complex texts across all disciplines. These rich texts motivate students to think, be moved, enjoy themselves, and learn. In literature, the goal of the curriculum of Cycle 3 is to expose every student to a set of texts suited to his or her age and preferences of youth literature. Reflection on the French language leads students to examine written materials, describe them, and define their characteristics. Students compare linguistic elements (e.g., texts, sentences, words, sounds, and written forms) to describe similarities and differences between texts.

Summary of National Curriculum

Since 2008, mastery of the French language and the main elements of mathematics have been the priority objectives for Grades 3 to 5 (Cycle 3).¹³ The 2008 curriculum defines knowledge and skills for development throughout the cycle.

The first three points of emphasis in the French language curriculum concern oral language; reading (with elements of literature) and writing texts; and the study of vocabulary, grammar, and spelling. Regarding the second point of emphasis, reading and writing are systematically connected throughout the cycle and are practiced daily in all subjects, not just in French. The study of texts—particularly literary texts—aims to develop understanding and supports the learning of autonomous writing.

Throughout this cycle, reading continues to be learned systematically and includes the following goals:

• Recognizing words automatically, easy reading of irregular and rare words, increased speed and efficiency in silent reading
• Understanding sentences
• Understanding school texts (e.g., problem statements, instructions, lessons, exercises in textbooks)
• Understanding informative and informational texts
• Understanding literary texts (e.g., narratives, descriptions, dialogues, and poems)

Students learn to understand the meaning of texts by rephrasing essential sections and answering questions about them. They report on their reading, express their reactions or points of view, and discuss these subjects. When interpreting a text, students must examine it for evidence to support or disprove interpretations. This level of understanding requires the ability to locate the text’s main elements (e.g., the subject of an informational text, the characters, and events of a narrative) and precise analysis. This analysis is determined mainly by observation of the distinctive features giving coherence to the text (i.e., title, sentence, and paragraph organization; role of punctuation and connecting words; and use of pronouns, verb tenses, and lexical fields).

The literature syllabus aims to give every student a set of age appropriate texts drawn from French heritage and from contemporary and classic youth literature. It also encourages the development of a common literary culture and reading for pleasure.

Progression of Teaching

French language and mathematics syllabi are planned by grade and published jointly with the curriculum. These provide teaching staff with directions for organizing the progression of student learning. The new knowledge and skills goals for Grade 4 in reading include:

• Reading school work instructions and problem statements without assistance
• Preparing and reading a 10 line text aloud with fluidity and in a meaningful way
• Reading a literary or informational text silently and understanding it (i.e., being able to rephrase and summarize it and answer questions)
• Locating explicit information in a text and deducing new implicit information
• Understanding the configuration of a scene or a place described in a narrative by using connecting words marking spatial relations
• Understanding the use of the imperfect tense, the simple past in narrative texts, and the use of present in scientific or informational texts
• Capturing the atmosphere or the tone of a descriptive, narrative, or poetic text by using its vocabulary
• Participating in a debate on a text by presenting and supporting one’s own interpretation to other students or teachers
• Using classroom tools (e.g., textbooks, displays) to search for information and overcome reading difficulties
• Conducting research and, with the help of an adult, using reference sources or multimedia products

The new knowledge and skills goals for Grade 4 in literature include:

• Reading at least one book every two to three months and reporting on it
• Adapting one’s reading behavior to overcome difficulties (e.g., using notes to help one memorize and engaging in second reading, asking for help)
• Remembering the title and author of texts read
• Participating in a debate on a text by presenting and supporting one’s own interpretation to others

Common Base of Knowledge and Skills

The Common Base of Knowledge and Skills is a third reference text used, along with the curriculum and syllabi, for planning at each cycle and grade.¹⁴ Article 9 in the Law and Policy Agenda for the Future of the School describes the principle of a “common base of knowledge and skills,” specifying that “Compulsory education must guarantee to every student the means for the acquisition of a common base of knowledge and skills which is indispensable to achieve a successful schooling, to pursue training, to build a personal and professional future, and to make life in society a success.”¹⁵

This common base is organized according to seven skills. Five of these are part of the current teaching curriculum: French language ability; practice of a living foreign language; basic skills in mathematics and in scientific and technological culture; mastery of common techniques for information and communication; and humanist culture. The remaining two domains are social and civic skills and autonomy and initiative, although these have not received sufficient attention within schools. All seven skills are designed as combinations of fundamental knowledge for times we live in, abilities to implement this knowledge in various situations, and vital attitudes throughout life. The latter include openness to others, interest in seeking the truth, respect for self and others, and curiosity and creativity.

The Common Base of Knowledge and Skills states that at the end of compulsory education, students should be able to:

• Read a prose or poetic text aloud and expressively
• Analyze the grammatical elements of a sentence to clarify its meaning
• Understand the essential idea of a text (written or oral)
• Show understanding of various text types (e.g., informational or literary)
• Understand a statement or an instruction
• Read complete literary works (particularly classics) and write book reports