AP French Language and Culture Exam Information

1. AP French Language and CultureExam Information Geneviève Delfosse TJHSST

2. What’s new in the new AP Exam? • Students will be provided contexts for doing exam tasks. They will not be asked questions that are de-contextualized. • The listening rejoinders and grammar fill-ins will be eliminated. • Tasks and source materials will come with advance organizers and time for previewing. • Audio sources will be played twice; on average, most audio sources last 1 min. 30 sec. to 2 min. 30 sec. • Cultural knowledge will be assessed throughout the exam, not in a separate “Culture” section. • Students will be expected to demonstrate understanding of cultural information presented in print and audio resources. • Students will not be asked isolated questions about cultural trivia.

3. What’s new in the new 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 and tables, etc. • Scripted dialogues but also radio interviews, podcasts, public service announcements, brief presentations, etc. • Materials will be reasonably chosen, but will also reflect a range of cultural perspectives and linguistic features of the French-speaking world • In spoken and written responses, accuracy of content will be important, as well as linguistic accuracy. • In most of their spoken and written responses, students will be required to demonstrate understanding of some type of input.

4. AP Exam FormatOverall structure of the exam Overall structure of the exam • Section I (Interpretive Communication, 50% of total score) • Multiple-choice: 65 items in 9 sets(4 reading, 2 listening and reading combined, 3 listening) • Section 2 (Interpersonal and Presentational Communication, 50% of total score) • Free Response: 4 items • Interpersonal Writing • Presentational Writing • Interpersonal Speaking • Presentational Speaking

5. AP Exam FormatMultiple-Choice Section (65 items, 9 sets; 50% of total score)

6. Sample Advance Organizer (print source) Introduction  Thème du cours: La famille et la communauté  Dans cette sélection il s’agit d’un conflit entre mère et fille. Le récit original intitulé « Pour empêcher un mariage » a été publié en 1955 au Canada par l’écrivaine canadienne Gabrielle Roy.   Au début du récit, la narratrice et sa mère roulent dans un train vers le Saskatchewan, pour aller empêcher le mariage de sa grande sœur.

7. Multiple Choice Set 1Promotional Material (Interpretive Reading Set) Stimulus: A print advertisement or announcement (authentic source, may be excerpted) Focus of questions (5): • Student identifies the purpose of the promotional material or the point of view or perspective of its author. (1) • Student identifies a distinguishing feature of the promotional material (audience, organization or structure). (1) • Student interprets information in the promotional material that relates to a cultural product, practice or perspective. (2) • Student chooses an appropriate greeting, question to pose, or closing for a hypothetical reply to the promotional material. (1)

8. Multiple Choice Set 2Literary Text (Interpretive Reading Set) Stimulus: An excerpt of a prose literary text (e.g. short story, novel, memoir) (authentic source) Focus of questions (7): • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the excerpt. (1) • Student is asked critical reading questions (e.g. infer an implied meaning, draw a conclusion, identify details that support a main idea, argument or theme). (2) • Student chooses an appropriate summary statement of the events recounted in the text. (1) • Three “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the literary text. (3)

9. Multiple Choice Set 3Article and Chart (Interpretive Reading Combined Set) Stimuli: (1) A print newspaper or magazine article, opinion column, or editorial (authentic source, may be excerpted) and (2) a map with text, a table with data, or a graphic with text on the same topic as the article. Focus of questions (11): • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the article. (1) • Student identifies a distinguishing feature of the article (audience, organization or structure). (1) • Student identifies the point of view or perspective of the author of the article. (1) • Student interprets information in the article that relates to another discipline. (1) • Two to four “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the article. (2-4) • Two to four “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the information in the chart. (2-4) • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation of how the information in the chart relates to the information in the article. (1)

10. Multiple Choice Set 4Letter (Interpretive Reading Set) Stimulus: A formal letter (from a business, organization, university, etc.) created for the exam (not authentic) Focus of questions (7): • Student identifies the purpose of the letter or the point of view or perspective of its author. (1) • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the letter. (1) • Student interprets information in the letter that relates to a cultural product, practice or perspective. (1) • Student chooses an appropriate greeting or partial reply to the letter; orstudent identifies a question from a previous letter that is answered in the stimulus. (1) • Three “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the letter. (3)

11. Multiple Choice Set 5Audio Report and Article (Interpretive Listening and Reading Combined Set) Stimuli: (1) An audio interview, report, commentary, public service announcement (authentic source, may be excerpted) and (2) a print news article, magazine feature, opinion column, editorial (authentic source, may be excerpted). Focus of questions (10): • Student identifies the purpose of the print article or the point of view or perspective of its author. (1) • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the print article. (1) • Student is asked a critical reading question about the print article (infer an implied meaning, draw a conclusion, identify details that support a main idea, argument, or theme). (1) • Student interprets relevant information from another discipline in the print article. (1) • Student is asked a critical listening question about the audio report (infer an implied meaning, draw a conclusion, identify details that support a main idea, argument or theme). (1) • Student interprets relevant information from another discipline in the audio report. (1) • Two “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the audio report. (2) • Student is asked questions that require the use of information in both stimuli. (2)

12. Multiple Choice Set 6Conversation and Chart (Interpretive Listening and Reading Combined Set) Stimuli:(1) A conversation created for the exam (not authentic, source has one male and one female voice) and(2) a map with text, a table with data, or a graphic with text (authentic source) on the same topic as the conversation. Focus of questions (7): • Student demonstrates understanding of the interpersonal nature of the conversation (e.g. Which statement by the woman is an example of her contradicting the man’s opinion on the topic?) (1) • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the conversation. (1) • Student interprets information in the conversation that describes a cultural product or practice, or that conveys a cultural perspective. (1) • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the chart. (1) • Student interprets information in the chart that describes a cultural product or practice, or that conveys a cultural perspective. (1) • Student is asked an interpretive question about the chart (e.g. identify a way in which the chart conveys meaning; infer an implied meaning or draw a conclusion based on the chart). (1) • One “open” item can be a factual or interpretive question about either the conversation or the chart (1).

13. Multiple Choice Set 7Interview (Interpretive Listening Set) Stimulus: An audio interview from a radio program or podcast (authentic source, may be excerpted). Focus of questions (5): • Student identifies an appropriate question for the interviewer to ask; or student identifies a quote from the interviewee that supports his or her main argument or opinion in the interview. (1) • Student identifies the point of view of either the interviewer or the interviewee. (1) • Student is asked a critical listening question about the interview (infer an implied meaning, draw a conclusion, identify details that support a main argument or theme.) (1) • Two “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the content of the interview. (2)

14. Multiple Choice Set 8Instructions (Interpretive Listening Set) Stimulus: An audio commentary (explanation of how to perform a task, description of how to use a product, advice on how to accomplish a goal) from a radio program or podcast. (authentic source, may be excerpted) Focus of questions (5): • Student identifies the purpose of the selection or point of view of the speaker(s). (1) • Student is asked to identify distinguishing features of the selection (audience, source or format). (2) • Two “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the selection. (2)

15. Multiple Choice Set 9Presentation (Interpretive Listening Set) Stimulus: A brief lecture by a professor, a presentation by a museum docent, a talk given by a tour guide (may be authentic audio or an authentic print text that is recorded). Focus of questions (8): • Student identifies an outline that summarizes the presentation’s main points. (1) • Student relates an example cited in the presentation to a main idea, argument, or theme of the presenter (e.g. The presentation includes a citation of another source in relation to which of the following points?). (1) • Student identifies the point of view of the presenter. (1) • Student chooses an appropriate interpretation in context of a vocabulary item or idiomatic expression used in the presentation. (1) • Student interprets information in the presentation that relates to a cultural product, practice or perspective. (1) • Student interprets information in the presentation that relates to another discipline. (1) • Two “open” items can be factual or interpretive questions about the presentation. (2)

16. AP Exam FormatFree Response Section (4 items, 50% of total score)

17. Free Response Item 1E-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.

18. Free Response Item 2Persuasive 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 material. First, you will have 7 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.

19. Free Response Item 2 (cont.)Persuasive Essay (Presentational Writing) (cont.) 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 the topic that is different from the opinion in the print source (authentic source, may be excerpted).

20. Free Response Item 3Conversation (Interpersonal Speaking) Directions (in English and French, spoken consecutively): 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. Afterward, 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)

21. Free Response Item 4 Cultural Comparison (Presentational Speaking) Directions (in English and French, spoken consecutively): You will make an oral presentation to your class on a specific topic. You will have 3 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. (See samples on next slide.)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.

22. Free Response Item 4 (cont.) Cultural Comparison (Presentational Speaking) • (La science et la technologie) Comment est-ce que les progrès dans le domaine de la technologie ont touché la vie des gens de votre communauté ? Comparez vos observations des communautés où vous avez vécu avec vos observations d’une région d’un monde francophone que vous connaissez. Dans votre exposé, vous pouvez faire référence à ce que vous avez étudié, vécu, observé, etc. • (La famille et la communauté) Quel est le rôle de la diversité culturelle dans votre communauté ? Comparez vos observations des communautés où vous avez vécu avec vos observations d’une région d’un monde francophone que vous connaissez. Dans votre exposé, vous pouvez faire référence à ce que vous avez étudié, vécu, observé, etc. • (La vie contemporaine) Quelle est l’attitude des gens de votre communauté en ce qui concerne l’importance des études supérieures ? Comparez vos observations des communautés où vous avez vécu avec vos observations d’une région d’un monde francophone que vous connaissez. Dans votre exposé, vous pouvez faire référence à ce que vous avez étudié, vécu, observé, etc.