basic information
THE INITIATIVE PROMOTER’S PERSPECTIVE
The information for the Case Study was collected during an interview with Evelyne Paquier, on behalf of “TV5MONDE”, the project promoter of the “7 jours sur la planète” project.
The background of the “7 jours sur la planète” project is represented by a 2005 French survey, focusing at analysing the resources used in teaching foreign languages. In parallel, the French Foreign Ministry decided to ask for the support of different experts in order to create a device using modern mass media in the teaching process. TV5MONDE answered this call for proposals with the “7 jours sur la planète” project.
The project target group is composed by French language teachers and learners who can use “7 jours sur la planète” as an additional teaching tool. In addition, language teachers can use the project to approach innovative methods of teaching.
The project target language is French.
The “7 jours sur la planète” project aims at developing an innovative approach within the teaching process. This innovation is guaranteed by the use of news and by a major openness on the real world because "7 jours sur la planète" is a 26 minute weekly French speaking program broadcasted every Saturday on TV5MONDE signals worldwide. It deals with the major international events, news and features. The program also has French subtitles so it could be understood by a wider audience The program is part of TV5MONDE work in promoting French thanks to the digital resources it provides to support the French teaching and learning needs of students and adults (video, online activities, and content to download).
The “7 jours sur la planéte” project comes from a close cooperation between the Foreign Ministry the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and different experts in the field of education and new technology. In particular, TV5MONDE developed an important collaboration with several language schools with a specific distribution of reciprocal competences. TV5MONDE realised the technical support for the learning documents edited by the language schools and validated the learning objects.
The TV program and the web site represent the main results of the “7 jours sur la planète” project. In particular, the site collects more than 1 million and 400 thousands of visits for the last year 2011. More than 600 thousands teaching files and 2 million exercises were realised and downloaded in 2011.
TV5MONDE, the “7 jours sur la planète” project promoter, decided to submit the application for the European Language Label in order to obtain an official recognition of the activities carried out.
Though it is not part of its common activities, the contribution of TV5MONDE in the field of education was officially recognised by a qualitative institution and through the awarding of an official prize.
The European Language Label logo was put on the TV5MONDE website and on the homepage of the “7 jours sur la planète” project. Then, TV5MONDE used its own TV channels to promote the award and produced an official press release. The Label logo was also put on all the leaflets presenting the project.
According to Evelyne Paquier, TV5 MONDE responsible of French teaching, it is quite difficult to measure the quantitative effects of the Label in terms of visits to the site. On the contrary, the qualitative benefits may be measured in terms of recognition and visibility, which are the best elements to be used in order to look for new transnational partnerships.
In order to develop a quality project in the field of Language learning, Evelyne Paquier advices to focus on every single detail of the project.
THE NELLIP NETWORK’S PERSPECTIVE
The NELLIP Network selected the “7 jours sur la planète” project for its consistency with the political priorities of the European Commission in the field of language learning. In particular, the “7 jours sur la planète” project promotes new approaches to language teaching and learning through the use of new media. In addition, the project supports the recognition and validation of language skills acquired through non formal and informal tools like the TV broadcast.
THE NATIONAL AGENCY’S PERSPECTIVE
The project was selected as case study and best practice by the French National Agency “Europe-Education-Formation”.
According to the French evaluator, as stated in the “Label des Labels – 10 ans de projets” publication, this project had an important disseminative impact, thanks to the national and international media coverage offered by TV5. The project offers an interesting approach to the oral dimension of the French language through the analysis of the international news.
Comments on this Case Studies
Date: 2014.05.21
Posted by simona ionel (romania)
Message: Hello, I am Simona and I teach English and French to students and adult learners. Relevant, up-to-date materials are a valuable resource for making classes livelier, more meaningful. The programme 7 jours sur la planete has proven an excellent resource that my students really liked.
Date: 2014.02.21
Posted by Agnès Guillou (France)
Message: I am a French teacher as well and I also used 7 jours sur la planète as a Language teaching source. It is a very interesting solution for encouraging discussion.
Date: 2014.01.08
Posted by Laura Conti (Italy)
Message: Hello. I am Laura and I teach French to adult learners. I know the programme 7 jours sur la planète and I think it is very useful for French Teachers. I often use the half an hour transmission with my adult students. It is relevant because I allow me to use the weekly news that offer topics for discussions in French. Also, it is good because the language used is very clear and understandable, unlikely for example in French films that are difficult to understand for my students, and there are the subtitles that also help to understand. I use the news presented as starting point for a discussion in French about what is going on in the world. Before we discuss the news presented in the transmission I underline all the new and difficult words that are used and then the discussion starts. Finally there are some extra sources provided for French Teachers that are for example online activities and other contents that can be downloaded.