A Search Engine to Access PubMed Monolingual Subsets: Proof of Concept and Evaluation in French

PubMed Central

Schuers, Matthieu; Soualmia, Lina Fatima; Grosjean, Julien; Kerdelhué, Gaétan; Kergourlay, Ivan; Dahamna, Badisse; Darmoni, Stéfan Jacques

2014-01-01

Background PubMed contains numerous articles in languages other than English. However, existing solutions to access these articles in the language in which they were written remain unconvincing. Objective The aim of this study was to propose a practical search engine, called Multilingual PubMed, which will permit access to a PubMed subset in 1 language and to evaluate the precision and coverage for the French version (Multilingual PubMed-French). Methods To create this tool, translations of MeSH were enriched (eg, adding synonyms and translations in French) and integrated into a terminology portal. PubMed subsets in several European languages were also added to our database using a dedicated parser. The response time for the generic semantic search engine was evaluated for simple queries. BabelMeSH, Multilingual PubMed-French, and 3 different PubMed strategies were compared by searching for literature in French. Precision and coverage were measured for 20 randomly selected queries. The results were evaluated as relevant to title and abstract, the evaluator being blind to search strategy. Results More than 650,000 PubMed citations in French were integrated into the Multilingual PubMed-French information system. The response times were all below the threshold defined for usability (2 seconds). Two search strategies (Multilingual PubMed-French and 1 PubMed strategy) showed high precision (0.93 and 0.97, respectively), but coverage was 4 times higher for Multilingual PubMed-French. Conclusions It is now possible to freely access biomedical literature using a practical search tool in French. This tool will be of particular interest for health professionals and other end users who do not read or query sufficiently in English. The information system is theoretically well suited to expand the approach to other European languages, such as German, Spanish, Norwegian, and Portuguese. PMID:25448528

Curriculum Summary: Grade One, 2003-2004 = Sommaire des Programmes: 1re annee, 2003-2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton.

Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, this summary, in English- and French-language versions, uses an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for Grade 1 in Alberta. In addition to English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, goals cover health and life skills, physical…

Normative Study of the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES) Test in the French-Canadian Population.

PubMed

Marcotte, Karine; McSween, Marie-Pier; Pouliot, Monica; Martineau, Sarah; Pauzé, Anne-Marie; Wiseman-Hakes, Catherine; MacDonald, Sheila

2017-08-16

The Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES; MacDonald, 2005) test was designed for use by speech-language pathologists to assess verbal reasoning, complex comprehension, discourse, and executive skills during performance on a set of challenging and ecologically valid functional tasks. A recent French version of this test was translated from English; however, it had not undergone standardization. The development of normative data that are linguistically and culturally sensitive to the target population is of importance. The present study aimed to establish normative data for the French version of the FAVRES, a commonly used test with native French-speaking patients with traumatic brain injury in Québec, Canada. The normative sample consisted of 181 healthy French-speaking adults from various regions across the province of Québec. Age and years of education were factored into the normative model. Results indicate that age was significantly associated with performance on time, accuracy, reasoning subskills, and rationale criteria, whereas the level of education was significantly associated with accuracy and rationale. Overall, mean scores on each criterion were relatively lower than in the original English version, which reinforces the importance of using the present normative data when interpreting performance of French speakers who have sustained a traumatic brain injury.

Validity and reliability of the French translation of the VISA-A questionnaire for Achilles tendinopathy.

PubMed

Kaux, Jean-François; Delvaux, François; Oppong-Kyei, Julian; Dardenne, Nadia; Beaudart, Charlotte; Buckinx, Fanny; Croisier, Jean-Louis; Forthomme, Bénédicte; Crielaard, Jean-Michel; Bruyère, Oliver

2016-12-01

The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment - Achilles tendinopathy questionnaire (VISA-A) evaluates the clinical severity of Achilles tendinopathy. The aim of this study was to translate the VISA-A into French and to study the reliability and validity of this French version, the VISA-AF. The VISA-A was translated into French to produce the VISA-AF using a validated methodology in six steps. Thereafter, several psychometric properties of this French version such as test-retest reliability, internal consistency, construct validity and floor and ceiling effects were evaluated. Therefore, we recruited 116 subjects, distributed into 3 groups: pathological patients (n = 31), at-risk athletes (n = 63) and healthy people (n = 22). The final version of the VISA-AF was approved by an expert committee. On a scale ranging from 0 to 100, the average scores of the VISA-AF obtained were 59 (± 18) for the pathological group, 99 (± 1) for the healthy group and 94 (± 7) for the at-risk group. The VISA-AF shows excellent reliability, low correlations with the discriminant subscales of the SF-36 and moderate correlations with the convergent subscales of the SF-36. The French version of the VISA-A is equivalent to its original version and is a reliable and valid questionnaire for French-speaking patients with Achilles tendinopathy. Implication for Rehabilitation The VISA-AF questionnaire is a reliable translation of the original VISA-A, from English into French, which is one of the most widespread languages in the world. The VISA-AF questionnaire is now a valid instrument that can be used by clinicians and researchers to assess the severity of pain and disability of French-speaking subjects with Achilles tendinopathy. The VISA-AF is a questionnaire to assess the severity of Achilles tendinopathy symptoms but is not a diagnostic tool.

[Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric tests of a self-efficacy scale and an adherence scale for French adolescents with Type 1 diabetes

PubMed

Colson, Sébastien; Coté, José; Collombier, Madeleine; Debout, Christophe; Bonnel, Galadriel; Reynaud, Rachel; Lagouanelle-Simeoni, Marie-Claude

2016-12-01

Introduction : many structured educational programs, using the concept of self-efficacy, have been studied in English-speaking countries. Background : tools were developed in English to assess this concept along with treatment adherence. However, there seems to be no French version of these tools in scientific literature. Aim : to adapt the tools to the French language and to test the psychometric properties of the Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Self-Management (SEDM) and the Diabetes Self-Management Profile (DSMP). Methods : a cross-cultural adaptation of the SEDM and DSMP in French was performed. The psychometric properties were tested in a pilot study that took place between January 1st and December 31st, 2015. Results : Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of SEDM in French was 0.84, test-retest reliability 0.80 and sensitivity to change was moderate. The Cronbach’s alpha and sensitivity to change of the French DSMP were low, and the test-retest was 0.71. Discussion and conclusions : the first results of the psychometric properties of French SEDM were rather encouraging. The use of the French version of DSMP seems compromised in terms of psychometric properties and the opinion of the participants.

Au pairs are rarely male: norms on the gender perception of role names across English, French, and German.

PubMed

Gabriel, Ute; Gygax, Pascal; Sarrasin, Oriane; Garnham, Alan; Oakhill, Jane

2008-02-01

A list of role names for future use in research on gender stereotyping was created and evaluated. In two studies, 126 role names were rated with reference to their gender stereotypicality by English-, French-, and German-speaking students of universities in Switzerland (French and German) and in the U.K. (English). Role names were either presented in specific feminine and masculine forms (Study 1) or in the masculine form (generic masculine) only (Study 2). The rankings of the stereotypicality ratings were highly reliable across languages and questionnaire versions, but the overall mean of the ratings was less strongly male if participants were also presented with the female versions of the role names and if the latter were presented on the left side of the questionnaires.

[Psychometric properties of the French version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance model].

PubMed

Niedhammer, I; Siegrist, J; Landre, M F; Goldberg, M; Leclerc, A

2000-10-01

Two main models are currently used to evaluate psychosocial factors at work: the Job Strain model developed by Karasek and the Effort-Reward Imbalance model. A French version of the first model has been validated for the dimensions of psychological demands and decision latitude. As regards the second one evaluating three dimensions (extrinsic effort, reward, and intrinsic effort), there are several versions in different languages, but until recently there was no validated French version. The objective of this study was to explore the psychometric properties of the French version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance model in terms of internal consistency, factorial validity, and discriminant validity. The present study was based on the GAZEL cohort and included the 10 174 subjects who were working at the French national electric and gas company (EDF-GDF) and answered the questionnaire in 1998. A French version of Effort-Reward Imbalance was included in this questionnaire. This version was obtained by a standard forward/backward translation procedure. Internal consistency was satisfactory for the three scales of extrinsic effort, reward, and intrinsic effort: Cronbach's Alpha coefficients higher than 0.7 were observed. A one-factor solution was retained for the factor analysis of the scale of extrinsic effort. A three-factor solution was retained for the factor analysis of reward, and these dimensions were interpreted as the factor analysis of intrinsic effort did not support the expected four-dimension structure. The analysis of discriminant validity displayed significant associations between measures of Effort-Reward Imbalance and the variables of sex, age, education level, and occupational grade. This study is the first one supporting satisfactory psychometric properties of the French version of the Effort-Reward Imbalance model. However, the factorial validity of intrinsic effort could be questioned. Furthermore, as most previous studies were based on male samples working in specific occupations, the present one is also one of the first to show strong associations between measures of this model and social class variables in a population of men and women employed in various occupations.

The three official language versions of the Declaration of Helsinki: what's lost in translation?

PubMed

Carlson, Robert V; van Ginneken, Nadja H; Pettigrew, Luisa M; Davies, Alan; Boyd, Kenneth M; Webb, David J

2007-09-01

The Declaration of Helsinki, the World Medical Association's (WMA's) statement of ethical guidelines regarding medical research, is published in the three official languages of the WMA: English, French and Spanish. A detailed comparison of the three official language versions was carried out to determine ways in which they differed and ways in which the wording of the three versions might illuminate the interpretation of the document. There were many minor linguistic differences between the three versions. However, in paragraphs 1, 6, 29, 30 and in the note of clarification to paragraph 29, there were differences that could be considered potentially significant in their ethical relevance. Given the global status of the Declaration of Helsinki and the fact that it is translated from its official versions into many other languages for application to the ethical conduct of research, the differences identified are of concern. It would be best if such differences could be eliminated but, at the very least, a commentary to explain any differences that are unavoidable on the basis of language or culture should accompany the Declaration of Helsinki. This evidence further strengthens the case for international surveillance of medical research ethics as has been proposed by the WMA.

Curriculum Summary: Grade Six, 2003-2004 = Sommaire des Programmes: 6e annee, 2003-2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton.

Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, this summary, in English- and French-language versions, uses an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for Grade 6 in Alberta. In addition to English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, goals cover art, music, health and life skills,…

Curriculum Summary: Grade Four, 2003-2004 = Sommaire des Programmes: 4e annee, 2003-2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton.

Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, this summary, in English- and French-language versions, uses an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for Grade 4 in Alberta. In addition to English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, goals cover art, music, health and life skills,…

Does Praxis Make Perfect? A Personal Journey through the Praxis II: World Language Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moser, Kelly

2012-01-01

For initial certification in French, German, and Spanish, teacher candidates in most states are required to pass one of the Praxis II subject matter tests. As of October 2010, a new test was added to the "Praxis Series." This Praxis II: World Language Test represents a significant change from previous versions and relies heavily upon the…

Curriculum Summary: Grade Three, 2003-2004 = Sommaire des Programmes, 3e annee, 2003-2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton.

Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, this summary, in English- and French-language versions, uses an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for Grade 3 in Alberta. In addition to English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, goals cover art, music, health and life skills,…

Curriculum Summary: Grade Two, 2003-2004 = Sommaire des Programmes: 2e annee, 2003-2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton.

Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, this summary, in English- and French-language versions, uses an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for Grade 2 in Alberta. In addition to English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, goals cover art, music, health and life skills,…

Curriculum Summary: Grade Five, 2003-2004 = Sommaire des Programmes: 5e annee, 2003-2004.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton.

Intended for parents as a companion to the Alberta Curriculum Guides, this summary, in English- and French-language versions, uses an "at a glance" schematic to list the curricular goals for Grade 5 in Alberta. In addition to English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, goals cover art, music, health and life skills, physical…

French translation and validation of the "Anterior Knee Pain Scale" (AKPS).

PubMed

Buckinx, F; Bornheim, S; Remy, G; Van Beveren, J; Reginster, Jy; Bruyère, O; Dardenne, N; Kaux, J F

2017-12-21

To linguistically and cross-culturally translate the Anterior Knee Pain Scale into French and to evaluate the reliability and validity of this translated version of the questionnaire. The translation part was performed in six stages, according to international guidelines: (i) two initial translations from English to French; (ii) synthesis of the two translations; (iii) backward translations into the original language; (iv) expert committee to compare the backward translations with the original questionnaire; (v) pre-final version testing and (VI) expert committee appraisal. To validate the French version of the Anterior Knee Pain Scale, we assessed its validity, reliability and floor/ceiling effects. To do this, volunteer patients from the French part of Belgium and from France, with patellofemoral pain were asked to answer the French version of the Anterior Knee Pain Scale at baseline and after 7 days, as well as the generic SF-36 questionnaire. The Anterior Knee Pain Scale was translated without any major difficulties. A total of 101 subjects aged 34.5 ± 11.4 years (58.4% of women) were included in this study. Results indicated an excellent test-retest reliability (Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.96-0.98), a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87), a consistent construct validity (high correlations with the SF-36 questionnaire were found with domains related to physical function (r = 0.80), physical role (r = 0.70) and pain (r = 0.64)) and low or moderate correlations with domains related to mental health (r = 0.26), vitality (r = 0.32) and social function (r = 0.41). Moreover, no floor/ceiling effects have been found. A valid French version of the Anterior Knee Pain Scale is now available and can be used with confidence to better assess the disease burden associated with patellofemoral pain. It was successfully cross-culturally adapted into French. Implications for rehabilitation The results on psychometric properties of the French Anterior Knee Pain Scale are comparable with six validated versions obtained for the Finnish, the Turkish, the Chinese, the Dutch, the Thai and the Persian populations. The French translated version of the Anterior Knee Pain Scale is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the functional limitations associated with patellofemoral pain. The test-retest reliability of the French Anterior Knee Pain Scale was excellent, the internal consistency was high and the construct validity was consistent. There were no floor/ceiling effects.

Cross-cultural Adaptation and Validation of the Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella Questionnaire for French-Speaking Patients With Patellar Tendinopathy.

PubMed

Kaux, Jean-François; Delvaux, François; Oppong-Kyei, Julian; Beaudart, Charlotte; Buckinx, Fanny; Croisier, Jean-Louis; Forthomme, Bénédicte; Crielaard, Jean-Michel; Bruyère, Olivier

2016-05-01

Study Design Clinical measurement study. Background The Victorian Institute of Sport Assessment-Patella (VISA-P), originally developed in English, assesses the severity of patellar tendinopathy symptoms. To date, no French version of the questionnaire exists. Objectives The aim of our study was to translate the VISA-P into French and verify its psychometric properties. Methods The translation and cultural adaptation were performed according to international recommendations in 6 steps: initial translation, translation merging, back translation to the original language, use of an expert committee to reach a prefinal version, test of the prefinal version, and expert committee appraisal of a final version. Afterward, the psychometric properties of the final French version (VISA-PF) were assessed in 92 subjects, divided into 3 groups: pathological subjects (n = 28), asymptomatic subjects (n = 22), and sports-risk subjects (n = 42). Results All members of the expert committee agreed with the final version. On a scale ranging from 0 to 100, with 100 representing an asymptomatic subject, the average ± SD scores on the VISA-PF were 53 ± 17 for the pathological group, 99 ± 2 for the healthy group, and 86 ± 14 for the sports-risk group. The test-retest reliability of the VISA-PF was excellent, with good internal consistency. Correlations between the VISA-PF and divergent validity of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) were low, and the correlation coefficient values measured between the VISA-PF scores and converged items of the SF-36 were higher. Conclusion The VISA-PF is understandable, valid, and suitable for French-speaking patients with patellar tendinopathy. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(5):384-390. Epub 21 Mar 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016.5937.

Validation of the Brazilian-Portuguese Version of the Gesture Behavior Test for Patients with Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain

PubMed Central

Furtado, Ricardo; Jones, Anamaria; Furtado, Rita NV; Jennings, Fábio; Natour, Jamil

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To develop a Brazilian version of the gesture behavior test (GBT) for patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: Translation of GBT into Portuguese was performed by a rheumatologist fluent in the language of origin (French) and skilled in the validation of questionnaires. This translated version was back-translated into French by a native-speaking teacher of the language. The two translators then created a final consensual version in Portuguese. Cultural adaptation was carried out by two rheumatologists, one educated patient and the native-speaking French teacher. Thirty patients with chronic low back pain and fifteen healthcare professionals involved in the education of patients with low back pain through back schools (gold-standard) were evaluated. Reproducibility was initially tested by two observers (inter-observer); the procedures were also videotaped for later evaluation by one of the observers (intra-observer). For construct validation, we compared patients’ scores against the scores of the healthcare professionals. RESULTS: Modifications were made to the GBT for cultural reasons. The Spearman’s correlation coefficient and the intra-class coefficient, which was employed to measure reproducibility, ranged between 0.87 and 0.99 and 0.94 to 0.99, respectively (p < 0.01). With regard to validation, the Mann-Whitney test revealed a significant difference (p < 0.01) between the averages for healthcare professionals (26.60; SD 2.79) and patients (16.30; SD 6.39). There was a positive correlation between the GBT score and the score on the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (r= 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: The Brazilian version of the GBT proved to be a reproducible and valid instrument. In addition, according to the questionnaire results, more disabled patients exhibited more protective gesture behavior related to low-back. PMID:19219312

Validation of a French adaptation of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire among torture survivors from sub-Saharan African countries

PubMed Central

de Fouchier, Capucine; Blanchet, Alain; Hopkins, William; Bui, Eric; Ait-Aoudia, Malik; Jehel, Louis

2012-01-01

Background To date no validated instrument in the French language exists to screen for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in survivors of torture and organized violence. Objective The aim of this study is to adapt and validate the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ) to this population. Method The adapted version was administered to 52 French-speaking torture survivors, originally from sub-Saharan African countries, receiving psychological treatment in specialized treatment centers. A structured clinical interview for DSM was also conducted in order to assess if they met criteria for PTSD. Results Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the HTQ Part 4 was adequate (0.95). Criterion validity was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis that generated good classification accuracy for PTSD (0.83). At the original cut-off score of 2.5, the HTQ demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity (0.87 and 0.73, respectively). Conclusion Results support the reliability and validity of the French version of the HTQ. PMID:23233870

The three official language versions of the Declaration of Helsinki: what's lost in translation?

PubMed Central

Carlson, Robert V; van Ginneken, Nadja H; Pettigrew, Luisa M; Davies, Alan; Boyd, Kenneth M; Webb, David J

2007-01-01

Background The Declaration of Helsinki, the World Medical Association's (WMA's) statement of ethical guidelines regarding medical research, is published in the three official languages of the WMA: English, French and Spanish. Methods A detailed comparison of the three official language versions was carried out to determine ways in which they differed and ways in which the wording of the three versions might illuminate the interpretation of the document. Results There were many minor linguistic differences between the three versions. However, in paragraphs 1, 6, 29, 30 and in the note of clarification to paragraph 29, there were differences that could be considered potentially significant in their ethical relevance. Interpretation Given the global status of the Declaration of Helsinki and the fact that it is translated from its official versions into many other languages for application to the ethical conduct of research, the differences identified are of concern. It would be best if such differences could be eliminated but, at the very least, a commentary to explain any differences that are unavoidable on the basis of language or culture should accompany the Declaration of Helsinki. This evidence further strengthens the case for international surveillance of medical research ethics as has been proposed by the WMA. PMID:17761826

Epi info - present and future.

PubMed

Su, Y; Yoon, S S

2003-01-01

Epi Info is a suite of public domain computer programs for public health professionals developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Epi Info is used for rapid questionnaire design, data entry and validation, data analysis including mapping and graphing, and creation of reports. Epi Info was originally created in 1985 using Turbo Pascal. In 1998, the last version of Epi Info for DOS, version 6, was released. Epi Info for DOS is currently supported by CDC but is no longer updated. The current version, Epi Info 2002, is Windows-based software developed using Microsoft Visual Basic. Approximately 300,000 downloads of Epi Info software occurred in 2002 from approximately 130 countries. These numbers make Epi Info probably one of the most widely distributed and used public domain programs in the world. The DOS version of Epi Info was translated into 13 languages, and efforts are underway to translate the Windows version into other major languages. Versions already exist for Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic.

Vaccine-criticism on the internet: new insights based on French-speaking websites.

PubMed

Ward, Jeremy K; Peretti-Watel, Patrick; Larson, Heidi J; Raude, Jocelyn; Verger, Pierre

2015-02-18

The internet is playing an increasingly important part in fueling vaccine related controversies and in generating vaccine hesitant behaviors. English language Antivaccination websites have been thoroughly analyzed, however, little is known of the arguments presented in other languages on the internet. This study presents three types of results: (1) Authors apply a time tested content analysis methodology to describe the information diffused by French language vaccine critical websites in comparison with English speaking websites. The contents of French language vaccine critical websites are very similar to those of English language websites except for the relative absence of moral and religious arguments. (2) Authors evaluate the likelihood that internet users will find those websites through vaccine-related queries on a variety of French-language versions of google. Queries on controversial vaccines generated many more vaccine critical websites than queries on vaccination in general. (3) Authors propose a typology of vaccine critical websites. Authors distinguish between (a) websites that criticize all vaccines ("antivaccine" websites) and websites that criticize only some vaccines ("vaccine-selective" websites), and between (b) websites that focus on vaccines ("vaccine-focused" websites) and those for which vaccines were only a secondary topic of interest ("generalist" websites). The differences in stances by groups and websites affect the likelihood that they will be believed and by whom. This study therefore helps understand the different information landscapes that may contribute to the variety of forms of vaccine hesitancy. Public authorities should have better awareness and understanding of these stances to bring appropriate answers to the different controversies about vaccination. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of the 7-item game addiction scale among french and German speaking adults.

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; Chatton, Anne; Rothen, Stephane; Achab, Sophia; Thorens, Gabriel; Zullino, Daniele; Gmel, Gerhard

2016-05-10

The 7-item Game Addiction Scale (GAS) is a used to screen for addictive game use. Both cross cross-linguistic validation and validation in French and German is needed in adult samples. The objective of the study is to assess the factorial structure of the French and German versions of the GAS among adults. Two samples of men from French (N = 3318) and German (N = 2665) language areas of Switzerland were assessed with the GAS, the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, and the Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ-50-cc). They were also assessed for cannabis and alcohol use. The internal consistency of the scale was satisfactory (Cronbach α = 0.85). A one-factor solution was found in both samples. Small and positive associations were found between GAS scores and the MDI, as well as the Neuroticism-Anxiety and Aggression-Hostility subscales of the ZKPQ-50-cc. A small negative association was found with the ZKPQ-50-cc Sociability subscale. The GAS, in its French and German versions, is appropriate for the assessment of game addiction among adults.

Multi-language translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the OARSI/OMERACT measure of intermittent and constant osteoarthritis pain (ICOAP).

PubMed

Maillefert, J F; Kloppenburg, M; Fernandes, L; Punzi, L; Günther, K-P; Martin Mola, E; Lohmander, L S; Pavelka, K; Lopez-Olivo, M A; Dougados, M; Hawker, G A

2009-10-01

To conduct a multi-language translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Intermittent and Constant OsteoArthritis Pain (ICOAP) questionnaire for hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA). The questionnaires were translated and cross-culturally adapted in parallel, using a common protocol, into the following languages: Czech, Dutch, French (France), German, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish (Castillan), North and Central American Spanish, Swedish. The process was conducted following five steps: (1)--independent translation into the target language by two or three persons; (2)--consensus meeting to obtain a single preliminary translated version; (3)--backward translation by an independent bilingual native English speaker, blinded to the English original version; (4)--final version produced by a multidisciplinary consensus committee; (5)--pre-testing of the final version with 10-20 target-language-native hip and knee OA patients. The process could be followed and completed in all countries. Only slight differences were identified in the structure of the sentences between the original and the translated versions. A large majority of the patients felt that the questionnaire was easy to understand and complete. Only a few minor criticisms were expressed. Moreover, a majority of patients found the concepts of constant pain and pain that comes and goes to be of a great pertinence and were very happy with the distinction. The ICOAP questionnaire is now available for multi-center international studies.

The Book of Dene.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Territories Dept. of Education, Yellowknife.

This book contains the traditional tales and beliefs of the Chippewa, Dogrib, Slavey, and Loucheux peoples. These histories and traditions were spoken to a priest named Emile Petitot (1838-1916) who wrote the words down in the Dene language. This edition was translated from the French and compared with versions in the original tongues by the…

Validation of the French translation-adaptation of the impact of cancer questionnaire version 2 (IOCv2) in a breast cancer survivor population.

PubMed

Blanchin, Myriam; Dauchy, Sarah; Cano, Alejandra; Brédart, Anne; Aaronson, Neil K; Hardouin, Jean-Benoit

2015-07-29

The Impact of Cancer version 2 (IOCv2) was designed to assess the physical and psychosocial health experience of cancer survivors through its positive and negative impacts. Although the IOCv2 is available in English and Dutch, it has not yet been validated for use in French-speaking populations. The current study was undertaken to provide a comprehensive assessment of the reliability and validity of the French language version of the IOCv2 in a sample of breast cancer survivors. An adapted French version of the IOCv2 as well as demographic and medical information were completed by 243 women to validate the factor structure divergent/divergent validities and reliability. Concurrent validity was assessed by correlating the IOCv2 scales with measures from the SF-12, PostTraumatic Growth Inventory and Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory. The French version of the IOCv2 supports the structure of the original version, with four positive impact dimensions and four negative impact dimensions. This result was suggested by the good fit of the confirmatory factor analysis and the adequate reliability revealed by Cronbach's alpha coefficients and other psychometric indices. The concurrent validity analysis revealed patterns of association between IOCv2 scale scores and other measures. Unlike the original version, a structure with a Positive Impact domain consisting in the IOCv2 positive dimensions and a Negative Impact domain consisting in the negative ones has not been clearly evidenced in this study. The limited practical use of the conditional dimensions Employment Concerns and Relationship Concerns, whether the patient is partnered or not, did not make possible to provide evidence of validity and reliability of these dimensions as the subsets of sample to work with were not large enough. The scores of these conditional dimensions have to be used with full knowledge of the facts of this limitation of the study. Integrating IOCv2 into studies will contribute to evaluate the psychosocial health experience of the growing population of cancer survivors, enabling better understanding of the multi-dimensional impact of cancer.

Measurement Properties of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale in Patients With Nonspecific Low Back Pain: Systematic Review.

PubMed

Speksnijder, Caroline M; Koppenaal, Tjarco; Knottnerus, J André; Spigt, Mark; Staal, J Bart; Terwee, Caroline B

2016-11-01

The Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) has been translated into different languages, and several studies on its measurement properties have been done. The purpose of this review was to critically appraise and compare the measurement properties, when possible, of all language versions of the QBPDS by systematically reviewing the methodological quality and results of the available studies. Bibliographic databases (PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched for articles with the key words "Quebec," "back," "pain," and "disability" in combination with a methodological search filter for finding studies on measurement properties concerning the development or evaluation of the measurement properties of the QBPDS in patients with nonspecific low back pain. Assessment of the methodological quality was carried out by the reviewers using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklist for both the original language version of the QBPDS in English and French and all translated versions. The results of the measurement properties were rated based on criteria proposed by Terwee et al. The search strategy resulted in identification of 1,436 publications, and 27 articles were included in the systematic review. There was limited-to-moderate evidence of good reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the QBPDS for the different language versions, but for no language version was evidence available for all measurement properties. For research and clinical practice, caution is advised when using the QBPDS to measure disability in patients with nonspecific low back pain. Strong evidence is lacking on all measurement properties for each language version of the QBPDS. © 2016 American Physical Therapy Association.

Mutual Support: Give and Take in Canada's Aging Society = Donnant-Donnant: Soutien Mutuel Dans Une Societe Canadienne Vieillissante.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theilheimer, Ish, Ed.; Eisner, Kathy, Ed.

1996-01-01

This issue of the Canadian quarterly "Transition", in French and English language versions, examines issues related to the demographic shift Canada will experience as the baby boom generation enters "old age." Major articles in this issue are: (1) "Of Mutual Benefit," which outlines some of the challenges Canada faces…

The Reading the Mind in the Eyes test: validation of a French version and exploration of cultural variations in a multi-ethnic city.

PubMed

Prevost, Marie; Carrier, Marie-Eve; Chowne, Gabrielle; Zelkowitz, Phyllis; Joseph, Lawrence; Gold, Ian

2014-01-01

The first aim of our study was to validate the French version of the Reading the Mind in the Eyes test, a theory of mind test. The second aim was to test whether cultural differences modulate performance on this test. A total of 109 participants completed the original English version and 97 participants completed the French version. Another group of 30 participants completed the French version twice, one week apart. We report a similar overall distribution of scores in both versions and no differences in the mean scores between them. However, 2 items in the French version did not collect a majority of responses, which differed from the results of the English version. Test-retest showed good stability of the French version. As expected, participants who do not speak French or English at home, and those born in Asia, performed worse than North American participants, and those who speak English or French at home. We report a French version with acceptable validity and good stability. The cultural differences observed support the idea that Asian culture does not use theory of mind to explain people's behaviours as much as North American people do.

The French Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children.

PubMed

Putois, Benjamin; Leslie, Wendy; Gustin, Marie Paule; Challamel, Marie-Josèphe; Raoux, Aude; Guignard-Perret, Anne; Weick, Diane; Sauzeau, Jean-Baptiste; Herbillon, Vania; Zourou, Filio; Spruyt, Karen; Franco, Patricia

2017-04-01

The psychometric properties of the Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) have been shown to be accurate, even when translated into several languages. The aim of the present study was to translate, adapt, and validate the SDSC for a French-speaking population. After forward- and back-translation, the tool was further translated and adapted into the French language. It was then pretested in terms of clarity on 33 French-speaking parents. Pretesting demonstrated that the questionnaire was well understood, indicating good clarity. During the validation phase, a total of 447 French-speaking parents of children aged between 4 and 16  years completed the SDSC. Among these, 66 children were diagnosed with sleep disorders by a pediatric specialist after a sleep consultation and polysomnographic recordings. The factor analysis revealed five factors: difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS), sleep breathing disorders (SBD), disorders of excessive somnolence (DOES), parasomnias (PARA) and non-restorative sleep (NRS). This psychometric structure is reliable and logical in comparison with the experts' diagnoses. Convergent validity, divergent and internal reliability are very good. Inter-parental concordance in scoring the child's sleep problem does show differences in the ways in which parents report their children's sleep patterns. Cut-off was calculated for the total score (45). This study validated a 25-item French version of the questionnaire. The French SDSC could therefore be used to aid screening of sleep disorders in the general population. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measures of lexical distance between languages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petroni, Filippo; Serva, Maurizio

2010-06-01

The idea of measuring distance between languages seems to have its roots in the work of the French explorer Dumont D’Urville (1832) [13]. He collected comparative word lists for various languages during his voyages aboard the Astrolabe from 1826 to 1829 and, in his work concerning the geographical division of the Pacific, he proposed a method for measuring the degree of relation among languages. The method used by modern glottochronology, developed by Morris Swadesh in the 1950s, measures distances from the percentage of shared cognates, which are words with a common historical origin. Recently, we proposed a new automated method which uses the normalized Levenshtein distances among words with the same meaning and averages on the words contained in a list. Recently another group of scholars, Bakker et al. (2009) [8] and Holman et al. (2008) [9], proposed a refined version of our definition including a second normalization. In this paper we compare the information content of our definition with the refined version in order to decide which of the two can be applied with greater success to resolve relationships among languages.

Adaptation and validation of the patient assessment of chronic illness care in the French context.

PubMed

Krucien, Nicolas; Le Vaillant, Marc; Pelletier-Fleury, Nathalie

2014-06-19

Chronic diseases are major causes of disability worldwide with rising prevalence. Most patients suffering from chronic conditions do not always receive optimal care. The Chronic Care Model (CCM) has been developed to help general practitioners making quality improvements. The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) questionnaire was increasingly used in several countries to appraise the implementation of the CCM from the patients' perspective. The objective of this study was to adapt the PACIC questionnaire in the French context and to test the validity of this adaptation in a sample of patients with multiple chronic conditions. The PACIC was translated into French language using a forward/backward procedure. The French version was validated using a sample of 150 patients treated for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and having multiple chronic co-morbidities. Several forms of validity were analysed: content; face; construct; and internal consistency. The construct validity was investigated with an exploratory factorial analysis. The French-version of the PACIC consisted in 18 items, after merging two pairs of items due to redundancy. The high number of items exhibiting floor/ceiling effects and the non-normality of the ratings suggested that a 5-points rating scale was somewhat inappropriate to assess the patients' experience of care. The construct validity of the French-PACIC was verified and resulted in a bi-dimensional structure. Overall this structure showed a high level of internal consistency. The PACIC score appeared to be significantly related to the age and self-reported health of the patients. A French-version of the PACIC questionnaire is now available to evaluate the patients' experience of care and to monitor the quality improvements realised by the medical structures. This study also pointed out some methodological issues about the PACIC questionnaire, related to the format of the rating scale and to the structure of the questionnaire.

[The Confusion Assessment Method: Transcultural adaptation of a French version].

PubMed

Antoine, V; Belmin, J; Blain, H; Bonin-Guillaume, S; Goldsmith, L; Guerin, O; Kergoat, M-J; Landais, P; Mahmoudi, R; Morais, J A; Rataboul, P; Saber, A; Sirvain, S; Wolfklein, G; de Wazieres, B

2018-05-01

The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) is a validated key tool in clinical practice and research programs to diagnose delirium and assess its severity. There is no validated French version of the CAM training manual and coding guide (Inouye SK). The aim of this study was to establish a consensual French version of the CAM and its manual. Cross-cultural adaptation to achieve equivalence between the original version and a French adapted version of the CAM manual. A rigorous process was conducted including control of cultural adequacy of the tool's components, double forward and back translations, reconciliation, expert committee review (including bilingual translators with different nationalities, a linguist, highly qualified clinicians, methodologists) and pretesting. A consensual French version of the CAM was achieved. Implementation of the CAM French version in daily clinical practice will enable optimal diagnosis of delirium diagnosis and enhance communication between health professionals in French speaking countries. Validity and psychometric properties are being tested in a French multicenter cohort, opening up new perspectives for improved quality of care and research programs in French speaking countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Validation of French and German versions of a Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire among young Swiss males, and its relationship with substance use.

PubMed

Dupuis, Marc; Studer, Joseph; Henchoz, Yves; Deline, Stéphane; Baggio, Stéphanie; N'Goran, Alexandra; Mohler-Kuo, Meichun; Gmel, Gerhard

2016-02-01

This study main purpose was the validation of both French and German versions of a Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire. The sample group comprised 5065 Swiss men from the "Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors." Multigroup Confirmatory factor analysis showed that a three-factor model fits the data well, which substantiates the generalizability of Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire factor structure, regardless of the language. The Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire demonstrated excellent homogeneity (α = 95) and split-half reliability (r = .96). The Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire was sensitive to community size and participants' financial situation, confirming that it also measures real social conditions. Finally, weak but frequent correlations between Perceived Neighborhood Social Cohesion Questionnaire and alcohol, cigarette, and cannabis dependence were measured. © The Author(s) 2014.

[French scale validation of the Infant Behavior Questionnaire three months after birth].

PubMed

Lacombe, Marie; Delmas, Philippe; Carrier, Nathalie; Rabillon, Florence; Couture, Marie-Estelle

2015-06-01

Breastfeeding is recognize to be the perfect food of mother and child's health. The child's temperament is one of the factors that may explain pursuing the breastfeeding. Few instruments are available in French to measure this factor. The objective of the study is to present and validate the French translation of the scale "Infant Behavior Questionnaire" (IBQ). The sample consists of 193 primaparous or multiparous women who gave birth in a maternity in Paris. The child's temperament questionnaire was sent by mail three months after the birth. The same questionnaire was sent to a sub-sample of 30 women 15 days later. Analyses were conducted to assess the temporal stability, internal consistency, construct validity and predictive. The different results tend to show a compliant validity to the french scale version. This first IBQ French-language validation is worth pursuing in order to confirm the scale factor structure and participate to studies supporting mothers in their breastfeeding project.

Research Note: Equivalence of French and English Language Versions of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) among Caregivers of Persons with Dementia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Rourke, Norm

2003-01-01

The Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) is among the most widely used depression screening measures. Existing research suggests a higher-order factor structure of responses among older adults (factors labelled "depressive affect," "absence of well-being," "somatic symptoms," and "interpersonal affect," each loading upon a…

Le Nouveau Manuel de Formation sur l'Elaboration et la Gestion des Projets. (The New Project Design and Management Workshop Training Manual).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peace Corps, Washington, DC. Information Collection and Exchange Div.

A french language version of a training manual that presents guidelines for planning and conducting a project design and management (PDM) workshop to teach Peace Corps volunteers to involve local community members in the process of using participatory analysis tools and planning and implementing projects meeting local desires and needs. The first…

Chine: Les Chances du Francais (The Fortunes of the French Language in China).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shuning, Zhang

1996-01-01

Examines the current situation in China surrounding the teaching of French as a Foreign Language. After the decline of French teaching subsequent to the Cultural Revolution, the language returned to favor around 1970. Chinese students are infatuated with French; many study it as a first or second foreign language. Additionally, French literature…

French translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire and the Brief Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire.

PubMed

Efanov, J I; Shine, J J; Darwich, R; Besner Morin, C; Arsenault, J; Harris, P G; Danino, A M; Izadpanah, A

2018-04-01

Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) are important clinical devices for evaluating injuries and surgeries of the hand. However, some of the most widely used questionnaires, such as the MHQ and bMHQ, are currently unavailable in French, which prevents them from being used in the French Canadian province of Quebec as well as in other French-speaking nations. We therefore intend to develop valid and culturally adapted French translations of the afore-mentioned questionnaires. Two independent bilingual translators converted all English questionnaires to French. Two distinct translators then translated the French versions back to English in reverse-blinded fashion. Discrepancies between the original and second English versions were examined by a committee of four bilingual healthcare professionals before final French translations of all documents were produced. Thirty patients bilingual in French and English were then asked to complete the original and French versions of the MHQ and bMHQ. Their answers were compared in order to assess the accuracy of our translation. In light of these findings, revised French versions were produced. French versions of the MHQ and bMHQ questionnaires produced metrological qualities of validity and fidelity with an inter-class correlation superior to 0.90 and a kappa coefficient of 0.81 to 1. Clinical applicability revealed the distribution of scores according to disease process was reproducible between the English and French versions. PROM translation requires a rigorous process in order to achieve strong metrological qualities in both the original and translated versions. We produced French translations of the MHQ and bMHQ by abiding to the Beaton method of cross-cultural adaptation of self-reported measures. Copyright © 2017 SFCM. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The comparability of English, French and Dutch scores on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F): an assessment of differential item functioning in patients with systemic sclerosis.

PubMed

Kwakkenbos, Linda; Willems, Linda M; Baron, Murray; Hudson, Marie; Cella, David; van den Ende, Cornelia H M; Thombs, Brett D

2014-01-01

The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) is commonly used to assess fatigue in rheumatic diseases, and has shown to discriminate better across levels of the fatigue spectrum than other commonly used measures. The aim of this study was to assess the cross-language measurement equivalence of the English, French, and Dutch versions of the FACIT-F in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The FACIT-F was completed by 871 English-speaking Canadian, 238 French-speaking Canadian and 230 Dutch SSc patients. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure in the three samples. The Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause (MIMIC) model was utilized to assess differential item functioning (DIF), comparing English versus French and versus Dutch patient responses separately. A unidimensional factor model showed good fit in all samples. Comparing French versus English patients, statistically significant, but small-magnitude DIF was found for 3 of 13 items. French patients had 0.04 of a standard deviation (SD) lower latent fatigue scores than English patients and there was an increase of only 0.03 SD after accounting for DIF. For the Dutch versus English comparison, 4 items showed small, but statistically significant, DIF. Dutch patients had 0.20 SD lower latent fatigue scores than English patients. After correcting for DIF, there was a reduction of 0.16 SD in this difference. There was statistically significant DIF in several items, but the overall effect on fatigue scores was minimal. English, French and Dutch versions of the FACIT-F can be reasonably treated as having equivalent scoring metrics.

The Comparability of English, French and Dutch Scores on the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F): An Assessment of Differential Item Functioning in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Kwakkenbos, Linda; Willems, Linda M.; Baron, Murray; Hudson, Marie; Cella, David; van den Ende, Cornelia H. M.; Thombs, Brett D.

2014-01-01

Objective The Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy- Fatigue (FACIT-F) is commonly used to assess fatigue in rheumatic diseases, and has shown to discriminate better across levels of the fatigue spectrum than other commonly used measures. The aim of this study was to assess the cross-language measurement equivalence of the English, French, and Dutch versions of the FACIT-F in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. Methods The FACIT-F was completed by 871 English-speaking Canadian, 238 French-speaking Canadian and 230 Dutch SSc patients. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the factor structure in the three samples. The Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Cause (MIMIC) model was utilized to assess differential item functioning (DIF), comparing English versus French and versus Dutch patient responses separately. Results A unidimensional factor model showed good fit in all samples. Comparing French versus English patients, statistically significant, but small-magnitude DIF was found for 3 of 13 items. French patients had 0.04 of a standard deviation (SD) lower latent fatigue scores than English patients and there was an increase of only 0.03 SD after accounting for DIF. For the Dutch versus English comparison, 4 items showed small, but statistically significant, DIF. Dutch patients had 0.20 SD lower latent fatigue scores than English patients. After correcting for DIF, there was a reduction of 0.16 SD in this difference. Conclusions There was statistically significant DIF in several items, but the overall effect on fatigue scores was minimal. English, French and Dutch versions of the FACIT-F can be reasonably treated as having equivalent scoring metrics. PMID:24638101

How much do family physicians involve pregnant women in decisions about prenatal screening for Down syndrome?

PubMed

Gagnon, Susie; Labrecque, Michel; Njoya, Merlin; Rousseau, François; St-Jacques, Sylvie; Légaré, France

2010-02-01

To assess the extent to which family physicians (FPs) involve women in decisions about prenatal screening for Down syndrome. Based on transcripts of consultations between 41 FPs and 128 women, two raters independently assessed clinician's efforts to involve women in decisions about prenatal screening for Down syndrome using the French-language version of OPTION. Descriptive statistics of OPTION scores were calculated. Construct validity was assessed by performing a principal factor analysis and by measuring association with consultation duration and FPs sociodemograhics. Internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's alpha and inter-rater reliability with the intraclass correlation coefficient. The overall mean OPTION score was low: 19 +/- 7 (range = 0 [no involvement] to 100 [high involvement]). One factor accounted for 80% of the variance. Both internal consistency and inter-rater reliability were very good (Cronbach's alpha = 0.73; ICC = 0.76). OPTION scores were lower for residents than for licensed FPs (17 +/- 5 vs 21 +/- 4; p = 0.02) and were positively associated with duration of consultation (r = 0.56; p < 0.001). Based on the French-language version of OPTION, which showed satisfactory psychometric properties, FPs studied put minimal efforts to involve women in decisions about prenatal screening for Down syndrome. (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

French-Algonquian Interaction in Canada: A Michif Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosen, Nicole

2008-01-01

This paper discusses the language contact situation between Algonquian languages and French in Canada. Michif, a French-Plains Cree mixed language, is used as a case study for linguistic results of language contact. The paper describes the phonological, morphological, and syntactic conflict sites between the grammars of Plains Cree and French, as…

The Effect of Sociolinguistic Factors and English Language Proficiency on the Development of French as a Third Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bérubé, Daniel; Marinova-Todd, Stefka H.

2014-01-01

The classroom demographics in French immersion (FI) programs across Canada are changing: There are a growing number of multilingual students who are learning English as a second language (L2) and French as a third language (L3). However, little is known about the development of French language proficiency and reading skills of multilingual…

Differential Item Functioning in Primary Healthcare Evaluation Instruments by French/English Version, Educational Level and Urban/Rural Location

PubMed Central

Haggerty, Jeannie L.; Bouharaoui, Fatima; Santor, Darcy A.

2011-01-01

Evaluating the extent to which groups or subgroups of individuals differ with respect to primary healthcare experience depends on first ruling out the possibility of bias. Objective: To determine whether item or subscale performance differs systematically between French/English, high/low education subgroups and urban/rural residency. Method: A sample of 645 adult users balanced by French/English language (in Quebec and Nova Scotia, respectively), high/low education and urban/rural residency responded to six validated instruments: the Primary Care Assessment Survey (PCAS); the Primary Care Assessment Tool – Short Form (PCAT-S); the Components of Primary Care Index (CPCI); the first version of the EUROPEP (EUROPEP-I); the Interpersonal Processes of Care Survey, version II (IPC-II); and part of the Veterans Affairs National Outpatient Customer Satisfaction Survey (VANOCSS). We normalized subscale scores to a 0-to-10 scale and tested for between-group differences using ANOVA tests. We used a parametric item response model to test for differences between subgroups in item discriminability and item difficulty. We re-examined group differences after removing items with differential item functioning. Results: Experience of care was assessed more positively in the English-speaking (Nova Scotia) than in the French-speaking (Quebec) respondents. We found differential English/French item functioning in 48% of the 153 items: discriminability in 20% and differential difficulty in 28%. English items were more discriminating generally than the French. Removing problematic items did not change the differences in French/English assessments. Differential item functioning by high/low education status affected 27% of items, with items being generally more discriminating in high-education groups. Between-group comparisons were unchanged. In contrast, only 9% of items showed differential item functioning by geography, affecting principally the accessibility attribute. Removing problematic items reversed a previously non-significant finding, revealing poorer first-contact access in rural than in urban areas. Conclusion: Differential item functioning does not bias or invalidate French/English comparisons on subscales, but additional development is required to make French and English items equivalent. These instruments are relatively robust by educational status and geography, but results suggest potential differences in the underlying construct in low-education and rural respondents. PMID:23205035

The French Revolution and the French Language: A Paradox?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Djite, Paulin

1992-01-01

Explores the relationship between revolutionary ideals and the subsequent expansion and promotion of the French language. It is shown, through a linguistic and sociopolitical history of the French Revolution and the French language, that there is no incompatibility between the two and that the movement of Francophonie is a continuation of France's…

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the French version of the Expanded Prostate cancer Index Composite questionnaire for health-related quality of life in prostate cancer patients.

PubMed

Anota, Amélie; Mariet, Anne-Sophie; Maingon, Philippe; Joly, Florence; Bosset, Jean-François; Guizard, Anne-Valérie; Bittard, Hugues; Velten, Michel; Mercier, Mariette

2016-12-06

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been positioned as one of the major endpoints in oncology. Thus, there is a need to validate cancer-site specific survey instruments. This study aimed to perform a transcultural adaptation of the 50-item Expanded Prostate cancer Index Composite (EPIC) questionnaire for HRQoL in prostate cancer patients and to validate the psychometric properties of the French-language version. The EPIC questionnaire measures urinary, bowel, sexual and hormonal domains. The first step, corresponding to transcultural adaptation of the original English version of the EPIC was performed according to the back translation technique. The second step, comprising the validation of the psychometric properties of the EPIC questionnaire, was performed in patients under treatment for localized prostate cancer (treatment group) and in patients cured of prostate cancer (cured group). The EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-PR25 prostate cancer module were also completed by patients to assess criterion validity. Two assessments were performed, i.e., before and at the end of treatment for the Treatment group, to assess sensitivity to change; and at 2 weeks' interval in the Cured group to assess test-retest reliability. Psychometric properties were explored according to classical test theory. The first step showed overall good acceptability and understanding of the questionnaire. In the second step, 215 patients were included from January 2012 to June 2014: 125 in the Treatment group, and 90 in the Cured group. All domains exhibited good internal consistency, except the bowel domain (Cronbach's α = 0.61). No floor effect was observed. Test-retest reliability assessed in the cured group was acceptable, expect for bowel function (intraclass coefficient = 0.68). Criterion validity was good for each domain and subscale. Construct validity was not demonstrated for the hormonal and bowel domains. Sensitivity to change was exhibited for 5/8 subscales and 2/4 summary scores for patients who experienced toxicities during treatment. The French EPIC questionnaire seems to have adequate psychometric properties, comparable to those exhibited by the original English-language version, except for the construct validity, which was not available in original version.

European-French Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire and Pretest in French-Speaking Switzerland.

PubMed

Ray-Kaeser, Sylvie; Satink, Ton; Andresen, Mette; Martini, Rose; Thommen, Evelyne; Bertrand, Anne Martine

2015-05-01

The Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire (DCDQ'07) is a Canadian-English instrument recommended for screening children aged 5 to 15 years who are at risk for developmental coordination disorder. While a Canadian-French version of the DCDQ'07 presently exists, a European-French version does not. To produce a cross-cultural adaptation of the DCDQ'07 for use in areas of Europe where French is spoken and to test its cultural relevance in French-speaking Switzerland. Cross-cultural adaptation was done using established guidelines. Cultural relevance was analyzed with cognitive interviews of thirteen parents of children aged 5.0 to 14.6 years (mean age: 8.5 years, SD = 3.4), using think-aloud and probing techniques. Cultural and linguistic differences were noted between the European-French, the Canadian-French, and the original versions of the DCDQ'07. Despite correct translation and expert committee review, cognitive interviews revealed that certain items of the European-French version were unclear or misinterpreted and further modifications were needed. After rewording items as a result of the outcomes of the cognitive interview, the European-French version of the DCDQ'07 is culturally appropriate for use in French-speaking Switzerland. Further studies are necessary to determine its psychometric properties.

A Snowball's Chance? Communities and Families Working To Prevent Youth Crime = Effet de boule de neige? Les communautes et les familles collaborent a la prevention de la criminalite chez les jeunes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Theilheimer, Ish, Ed.; Eisner, Kathy, Ed.

1996-01-01

This issue of the Canadian quarterly "Transitions," in French and English language versions, examines the prevention of youth crime, with a specific focus on activities, trends, and research dealing with Canadian families. Major articles in this issue are: (1) "A Snowball's Chance? Communities and Families Working to Prevent Youth…

Psychometric Validation of the English and French Versions of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5).

PubMed

Ashbaugh, Andrea R; Houle-Johnson, Stephanie; Herbert, Christophe; El-Hage, Wissam; Brunet, Alain

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the psychometric properties of a French version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and to further validate the existing English version of the measure. Undergraduate students (n = 838 English, n = 262 French) completed the PCL-5 as well as other self-report symptom measures of PTSD and depression online. Both the English and French versions PCL-5 total scores demonstrated excellent internal consistency (English: α = .95; French: α = .94), and strong convergent and divergent validity. Strong internal consistency was also observed for each of the four subscales for each version (α's > .79). Test-retest reliability for the French version of the measure was also very good (r = .89). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the four-factor DSM-5 model was not a good fit of the data. The seven-factor hybrid model best fit the data in each sample, but was only marginally superior to the six-factor anhedonia model. The French version of the PCL-5 demonstrated the same psychometric qualities as both the English version of the same measure and previous versions of the PCL. Thus clinicians serving French-speaking clients now have access to this highly used screening instrument. With regards to the structural validity of the PCL-5 and of the new PTSD diagnostic structure of the DSM-5, additional research is warranted. Replication of our results in clinical samples is much needed.

Psychometric Validation of the English and French Versions of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

PubMed Central

Ashbaugh, Andrea R.; Houle-Johnson, Stephanie; Herbert, Christophe; El-Hage, Wissam; Brunet, Alain

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to assess the psychometric properties of a French version of the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and to further validate the existing English version of the measure. Undergraduate students (n = 838 English, n = 262 French) completed the PCL-5 as well as other self-report symptom measures of PTSD and depression online. Both the English and French versions PCL-5 total scores demonstrated excellent internal consistency (English: α = .95; French: α = .94), and strong convergent and divergent validity. Strong internal consistency was also observed for each of the four subscales for each version (α’s > .79). Test-retest reliability for the French version of the measure was also very good (r = .89). Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the four-factor DSM-5 model was not a good fit of the data. The seven-factor hybrid model best fit the data in each sample, but was only marginally superior to the six-factor anhedonia model. The French version of the PCL-5 demonstrated the same psychometric qualities as both the English version of the same measure and previous versions of the PCL. Thus clinicians serving French-speaking clients now have access to this highly used screening instrument. With regards to the structural validity of the PCL-5 and of the new PTSD diagnostic structure of the DSM-5, additional research is warranted. Replication of our results in clinical samples is much needed. PMID:27723815

Evaluation of Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Measurement Properties of STarT Back Screening Tool: A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Al Zoubi, Fadi M; Eilayyan, Owis; Mayo, Nancy E; Bussières, André E

2017-10-01

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the extent to which the STarT Back Screening Tool (SBST) has been evaluated for (1) the quality of translation of evidence for cross-cultural adaptation and (2) the measurement properties in languages other than English. A systematic search of 8 databases, including Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, AMED, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science, was performed. Electronic databases were searched for the period between 2008 and December 27, 2016. We included studies related to cross-cultural adaptation, including translation and assessment of the measurement properties of SBST. Study selection, translation, methodologic and quality assessments, and data extraction were performed independently by 2 reviewers. Of the 1566 citations retrieved, 17 studies were admissible, representing 11 different SBST versions in 10 languages. The quadratic weighted κ statistics of the 2 reviewers, for the translation, methodologic assessment, and quality assessment were 0.85, 0.76, and 0.83, respectively. For translation, only 2 versions (Belgian-French and Mandarin) fulfilled all requirements. None of the versions had tested all the measurement properties, and when performed, these were found to have been conducted inadequately. With regard to quality assessment, overall, the included versions had a "Poor" total summary score except 2 (Persian and Swiss-German), which were rated as "Fair." Few versions fully met the standard criteria for valid translation, and none of the versions tested all the measurement properties. There is a clear need for more accurate cross-cultural adaptation of SBST and greater attention to the quality of psychometric evaluation of the adapted versions of SBST. At this time, caution is recommended when using SBST in languages other than English. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

[Ageism: adaptation of the Fraboni of Ageism Scale-Revised to the French language and testing the effects of empathy, social dominance orientation and dogmatism on ageism].

PubMed

Boudjemad, Valérian; Gana, Kamel

2009-12-01

ABSTRACTThis article presents two studies dealing with ageism. The objective of the first study was to adapt to French language and validate the Fraboni of Ageism Scale-Revised (FSA-R) which contains 23 items, while the objective of the second study was to test a structural model containing ageism as measured by the FSA-R and the "Big Three": empathy, social dominance orientation, and dogmatism, controlled for by sex and age. The results of the first study (n = 323) generated a version of the FSA-R comprising 14 items, of which the psychometric properties were very satisfactory. Using structural equation modelling and bootstrap procedure, the results of the second study (n = 284) showed a direct negative and significant effect of empathy on agism. They also showed that this negative effect was mediated by dogmatism and social dominance orientation, which both exerted a positive effect on ageism.

Development and validation of the Cancer Exercise Stereotypes Scale.

PubMed

Falzon, Charlène; Sabiston, Catherine; Bergamaschi, Alessandro; Corrion, Karine; Chalabaev, Aïna; D'Arripe-Longueville, Fabienne

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a French-language questionnaire measuring stereotypes related to exercise in cancer patients: The Cancer Exercise Stereotypes Scale (CESS). Four successive steps were carried out with 806 participants. First, a preliminary version was developed on the basis of the relevant literature and qualitative interviews. A test of clarity then led to the reformulation of six of the 30 items. Second, based on the modification indices of the first confirmatory factorial analysis, 11 of the 30 initial items were deleted. A new factorial structure analysis showed a good fit and validated a 19-item instrument with five subscales. Third, the stability of the instrument was tested over time. Last, tests of construct validity were conducted to examine convergent validity and discriminant validity. The French-language CESS appears to have good psychometric qualities and can be used to test theoretical tenets and inform intervention strategies on ways to foster exercise in cancer patients.

Listeners feel the beat: entrainment to English and French speech rhythms.

PubMed

Lidji, Pascale; Palmer, Caroline; Peretz, Isabelle; Morningstar, Michele

2011-12-01

Can listeners entrain to speech rhythms? Monolingual speakers of English and French and balanced English-French bilinguals tapped along with the beat they perceived in sentences spoken in a stress-timed language, English, and a syllable-timed language, French. All groups of participants tapped more regularly to English than to French utterances. Tapping performance was also influenced by the participants' native language: English-speaking participants and bilinguals tapped more regularly and at higher metrical levels than did French-speaking participants, suggesting that long-term linguistic experience with a stress-timed language can differentiate speakers' entrainment to speech rhythm.

A Longitudinal Study of the Use of the First Language (L1) in French Foreign Language (FL) Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Erin; Storch, Neomy

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated teachers' use of the first language (L1) in two French foreign language (FL) intermediate level classes at two Australian universities. A native French-speaking teacher (NS) and a non-native French-speaking teacher (NNS) were observed and audio-recorded approximately every two weeks over a 12- week semester.…

Katimavik Participant's Manual, Book IV, Second Language Learning = Katimavik manuel du participant, cahier IV, l'apprentissage de la langue seconde. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crelinsten, Michael, Ed.

The second language (French or English) learning activity portion of Katimavik, a nine-month volunteer community service and experiential learning program for 17 to 21-year-old Canadians, provides an opportunity for living in a French language environment with other people who speak French, or, for participants whose native language is French, to…

The French version of the Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR).

PubMed

Quartier, Pierre; Hofer, Michael; Wouters, Carine; Truong, Thi Thanh Thao; Duong, Ngoc-Phoi; Agbo-Kpati, Kokou-Placide; Uettwiller, Florence; Melki, Isabelle; Mouy, Richard; Bader-Meunier, Brigitte; Consolaro, Alessandro; Bovis, Francesca; Ruperto, Nicolino

2018-04-01

The Juvenile Arthritis Multidimensional Assessment Report (JAMAR) is a new parent/patient reported outcome measure that enables a thorough assessment of the disease status in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We report the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the parent and patient versions of the JAMAR in the French language. The reading comprehension of the questionnaire was tested in 10 JIA parents and patients. Each participating centre was asked to collect demographic, clinical data and the JAMAR in 100 consecutive JIA patients or all consecutive patients seen in a 6-month period and to administer the JAMAR to 100 healthy children and their parents. The statistical validation phase explored descriptive statistics and the psychometric issues of the JAMAR: the three Likert assumptions, floor/ceiling effects, internal consistency, Cronbach's alpha, interscale correlations and construct validity (convergent and discriminant validity). A total of 100 JIA patients (23% systemic, 45% oligoarticular, 20% RF negative polyarthritis, 12% other categories) and 122 healthy children, were enrolled at the paediatric rheumatology centre of the Necker Children's Hospital in Paris. Notably, none of the enrolled JIA patients is affected with psoriatic arthritis. The JAMAR components discriminated well healthy subjects from JIA patients. All JAMAR components revealed good psychometric performances. In conclusion, the French version of the JAMAR is a valid tool for the assessment of children with JIA and is suitable for use both in routine clinical practice and clinical research.

Measurement of parent satisfaction in the paediatric intensive care unit - Translation, cultural adaptation and psychometric equivalence for the French-speaking version of the EMPATHIC-65 questionnaire.

PubMed

Grandjean, Chantal; Latour, Jos M; Cotting, Jacques; Fazan, Marie-Christine; Leteurtre, Stéphane; Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie

2017-02-01

Within paediatric intensive care units (PICUs), only a few parent satisfaction instruments are validated and none are available for French-speaking parents. The aims of the study were to translate and culturally adapt the Dutch EMPATHIC-65 questionnaire into a French version and to test its psychometric equivalence. Two French-speaking PICUs in Switzerland and France participated. The questionnaire was translated using a standardised method and parents with PICU experience were interviewed to assess clarity of the translated version. Secondly, parents of children hospitalised for at least 24 hours and who were fluent in French, were invited to complete the French translated version of the EMPATHIC-65 questionnaire. Reliability and validity measures were used to examine its psychometric equivalence. The overall mean clarity agreement reached 90.2% by 17 French-speaking parents. Eight unclear items have subsequently been reworded. One hundred seventy-two parents completed the French version questionnaire. Reliability and convergent validity have been confirmed by an adequate internal consistency (0.59-0.89) and convergent validity (r s 0.25-0.63, p<0.01). Psychometric equivalence of the French EMPATHIC-65 questionnaire highlights the appropriateness of relying on available valid instrument to expand the availability of health instrument measure in French. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Collaborative Models in Second Life on French Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsiao, Indy Y. T.; Yang, Stephen J. H.; Chia-Jui, Chu

2015-01-01

French is the ninth most widely used language globally, but French-learning environments in Taiwan have been insufficient. Language acquisition is easier in a natural setting, and so such a setting should be available to language learners wherever possible. This study aimed to (1) create an authentic environment for learning French in Second Life…

Appropriating Written French: Literacy Practices in a Parisian Elementary Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rockwell, Elsie

2012-01-01

In this article, I examine French language instruction in an elementary classroom serving primarily children of Afro-French immigrants in Paris. I show that a prevalent French language ideology privileges written over oral expression and associates full mastery of written French with rational thought and full inclusion in the French polity. This…

Reliability, factor analysis and internal consistency calculation of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in French and in English among Lebanese adolescents.

PubMed

Chahoud, M; Chahine, R; Salameh, P; Sauleau, E A

2017-06-01

Our goal is to validate and to verify the reliability of the French and English versions of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in Lebanese adolescents. A cross-sectional study was implemented. 104 Lebanese students aged between 14 and 19 years participated in the study. The English version of the questionnaire was distributed to English-speaking students and the French version was administered to French-speaking students. A scale (1 to 7 with 1 = very well understood and 7 = not at all) was used to identify the level of the students' understanding of each instruction, question and answer of the ISI. The scale's structural validity was assessed. The factor structure of ISI was evaluated by principal component analysis. The internal consistency of this scale was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha. To assess test-retest reliability the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used. The principal component analysis confirmed the presence of a two-component factor structure in the English version and a three-component factor structure in the French version with eigenvalues > 1. The English version of the ISI had an excellent internal consistency (α = 0.90), while the French version had a good internal consistency (α = 0.70). The ICC presented an excellent agreement in the French version (ICC = 0.914, CI = 0.856-0.949) and a good agreement in the English one (ICC = 0.762, CI = 0.481-890). The Bland-Altman plots of the two versions of the ISI showed that the responses over two weeks' were comparable and very few outliers were detected. The results of our analyses reveal that both English and French versions of the ISI scale have good internal consistency and are reproducible and reliable. Therefore, it can be used to assess the prevalence of insomnia in Lebanese adolescents.

Enseignement de la langue francaise au Maroc et dialogue des cultures (Teaching of the French Language in Morocco and Dialogue of Cultures).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lahjomri, Abdeljalil

1984-01-01

In the process of Arabization of Morocco, it is necessary to maintain French language instruciton, but as a necessary foreign language and not as a primary language. French remains an important part of Morocco's diverse cultural identity. (MSE)

Knowing One's Community through Language Rights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiasson, Maurice

2016-01-01

French-language schools in minority settings are set apart from other schools by their twofold mission: the educational success of students and the building of their Francophone identity. As a result, there are few French-language school boards or schools that do not underline the importance of the French-language culture in their mission. The…

Multinational development of a questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction with anticoagulant treatment: the 'Perception of Anticoagulant Treatment Questionnaire' (PACT-Q©)

PubMed Central

Prins, Martin H; Marrel, Alexia; Carita, Paulo; Anderson, David; Bousser, Marie-Germaine; Crijns, Harry; Consoli, Silla; Arnould, Benoit

2009-01-01

Background The side effects and burden of anticoagulant treatments may contribute to poor compliance and consequently to treatment failure. A specific questionnaire is necessary to assess patients' needs and their perceptions of anticoagulant treatment. Methods A conceptual model of expectation and satisfaction with anticoagulant treatment was designed by an advisory board and used to guide patient (n = 31) and clinician (n = 17) interviews in French, US English and Dutch. Patients had either atrial fibrillation (AF), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), or pulmonary embolism (PE). Following interviews, three PACT-Q language versions were developed simultaneously and further pilot-tested by 19 patients. Linguistic validations were performed for additional language versions. Results Initial concepts were developed to cover three areas of interest: 'Treatment', 'Disease and Complications' and 'Information about disease and anticoagulant treatment'. After clinician and patient interviews, concepts were further refined into four domains and 17 concepts; test versions of the PACT-Q were then created simultaneously in three languages, each containing 27 items grouped into four domains: "Treatment Expectations" (7 items), "Convenience" (11 items), "Burden of Disease and Treatment" (2 items) and "Anticoagulant Treatment Satisfaction" (7 items). No item was deleted or added after pilot testing as patients found the PACT-Q easy to understand and appropriate in length in all languages. The PACT-Q was divided into two parts: the first part to measure the expectations and the second to measure the convenience, burden and treatment satisfaction, for evaluation prior to and after anticoagulant treatment, respectively. Eleven additional language versions were linguistically validated. Conclusion The PACT-Q has been rigorously developed and linguistically validated. It is available in 14 languages for use with thromboembolic patients, including AF, PE and DVT patients. Its validation and psychometric properties have been tested and are presented in a separate manuscript. PMID:19196486

Assessing public speaking fear with the short form of the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker scale: confirmatory factor analyses among a French-speaking community sample.

PubMed

Heeren, Alexandre; Ceschi, Grazia; Valentiner, David P; Dethier, Vincent; Philippot, Pierre

2013-01-01

The main aim of this study was to assess the reliability and structural validity of the French version of the 12-item version of the Personal Report of Confidence as Speaker (PRCS), one of the most promising measurements of public speaking fear. A total of 611 French-speaking volunteers were administered the French versions of the short PRCS, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale, as well as the Trait version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory-II, which assess the level of anxious and depressive symptoms, respectively. Regarding its structural validity, confirmatory factor analyses indicated a single-factor solution, as implied by the original version. Good scale reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.86) was observed. The item discrimination analysis suggested that all the items contribute to the overall scale score reliability. The French version of the short PRCS showed significant correlations with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (r = 0.522), the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale (r = 0.414), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = 0.516), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (r = 0.361). The French version of the short PRCS is a reliable and valid measure for the evaluation of the fear of public speaking among a French-speaking sample. These findings have critical consequences for the measurement of psychological and pharmacological treatment effectiveness in public speaking fear among a French-speaking sample.

Assessing public speaking fear with the short form of the Personal Report of Confidence as a Speaker scale: confirmatory factor analyses among a French-speaking community sample

PubMed Central

Heeren, Alexandre; Ceschi, Grazia; Valentiner, David P; Dethier, Vincent; Philippot, Pierre

2013-01-01

Background: The main aim of this study was to assess the reliability and structural validity of the French version of the 12-item version of the Personal Report of Confidence as Speaker (PRCS), one of the most promising measurements of public speaking fear. Methods: A total of 611 French-speaking volunteers were administered the French versions of the short PRCS, the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale, as well as the Trait version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory-II, which assess the level of anxious and depressive symptoms, respectively. Results: Regarding its structural validity, confirmatory factor analyses indicated a single-factor solution, as implied by the original version. Good scale reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.86) was observed. The item discrimination analysis suggested that all the items contribute to the overall scale score reliability. The French version of the short PRCS showed significant correlations with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (r = 0.522), the Fear of Negative Evaluation scale (r = 0.414), the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = 0.516), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (r = 0.361). Conclusion: The French version of the short PRCS is a reliable and valid measure for the evaluation of the fear of public speaking among a French-speaking sample. These findings have critical consequences for the measurement of psychological and pharmacological treatment effectiveness in public speaking fear among a French-speaking sample. PMID:23662060

RELIEF: Revue de linguistique et d'enseignement du francais (Review of Linguistics and French Language Instruction), 1994.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahler, M., Ed.; Haillet, P., Ed.

1994-01-01

Contains five articles, all in French, reporting research on French second language instruction. "Francophonie et francais langue seconde a l'oral: quel(s) culture(s), quelles methodes?" (Francophony and Spoken French as a Second Language: What Cultures(s), What Method(s) (D. Issa-Sayegh) discusses the content and structure of a…

Validation of the French version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for posttraumatic stress disorder

PubMed Central

Ait-Aoudia, Malik; Levy, Pierre P.; Bui, Eric; Insana, Salvatore; de Fouchier, Capucine; Germain, Anne; Jehel, Louis

2013-01-01

Background Sleep disturbances are one of the main complaints of patients with trauma-related disorders. The original Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Addendum for PTSD (PSQI-A) is self-report instrument developed to evaluate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-specific sleep disturbances in trauma-exposed individuals. However, to date, the PSQI-A has not yet been translated nor validated in French. Objective The present study aims to: a) translate the PSQI-A into French, and b) examine its psychometric properties. Method Seventy-three adult patients (mean age=40.3 [SD=15.0], 75% females) evaluated in a specialized psychotraumatology unit completed the French versions of the PSQI-A, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Impact Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Results The French version of the PSQI-A showed satisfactory internal consistency, inter-item correlations, item correlations with the total score, convergent validity with PTSD and anxiety measures, and divergent validity with a depression measure. Conclusion Our findings support the use of the French version of the PSQI-A for both clinical care and research. The French version of the PSQI-A is an important addition to the currently available instruments that can be used to examine trauma-related sleep disturbances among French-speaking individuals. PMID:24044071

[Translation and cultural adaptation of a french version of the psychosocial impact of dental aesthetics questionnaire: PIDAQ].

PubMed

Ngom, Papa Ibrahima; Attebi, Pascaline; Diouf, Joseph Samba; Diop Ba, Khady; Badiane, Alpha; Diagne, Falou

2013-12-01

The Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) is a tool developed and validated to specifically assess subject's quality of life related to orthodontic anomalies. The aims of the present study were to translate and culturally adapt the PIDAQ's native English version into French, and to test the psychometric characteristics of the version thereby obtained. Toward these ends, the PIDAQ's original English version was translated into French and back-translated into English following the prescribed guidelines. Each of the versions obtained from the translation process was further subjected to a committee review. The final French version which is named QIPEO underwent an analysis of psychometric properties on a sample of 42 subjects (33 females and 9 males, aged 24.60 ± 8.66 years). Internal consistency was good with Cronbach ff coefficients ranging from 0.67 for "aesthetic concerns" to 0.87 for "social impact". The reproducibility of the responses given by 14 subjects after 15 days interval was correct with intraclass coefficients ranging from 0.72 for "social impact" to 0.90 for "aesthetic concerns". Furthermore, the different subscales of the French version of the PIDAQ showed excellent correlation with the perception of aesthetics and fairly good correlation with self-perception of orthodontic treatment need. Definite need for orthodontic treatment, as assessed normatively by the IOTN, was significantly associated with lower scores of "self-confidence" and higher scores of "social impact", "psychological impact" and "aesthetic concerns". Overall, the French version of the PIDAQ was shown to be reliable and has some validity for use in this population. Further studies including a larger sample size is recommended to reassess the validation and the responsiveness of this French version. © EDP Sciences, SFODF, 2013.

Japon: Le francais en sursis? (Japan: French in Stay of Execution?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pecheur, Jacques

1991-01-01

In Japan, second-language instruction and specifically French instruction are at a crossroads. Despite appearances of normalcy, survival of university-level French instruction is threatened by greater current interest in Asian languages. In response, the French Embassy and Japanese Association of French Professors have established a policy to…

Health-related quality of life in children with dysphonia and validation of the French Pediatric Voice Handicap Index.

PubMed

Oddon, P A; Boucekine, M; Boyer, L; Triglia, J M; Nicollas, R

2018-01-01

voice disorders are common in the pediatric population and can negatively affect children's quality of life. The pediatric voice handicap Index (pVHI) is a valid instrument to assess parental perception of their children voice but it is not translated into French language. The aim of the present study was to adapt a French version of the pVHI and to evaluate its psychometric properties including construct validity, reliability, and some aspects of external validity. we performed a cross sectional study including 32 dysphonic children and 60 children with no history of voice problems between 3 and 12 years of age. The original pVHI was translated into French language according to forward-backward rules and then administered to parents or caregivers. Construct validity and internal consistency were explored using confirmatory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha. The questionnaire was filled twice to assess test-retest reliability using the intra-class correlation coefficient. The external validity was explored by comparing the French pVHI total and subscales scores between dysphonic and asymptomatic children. Correlations between the French pVHI and both the perceptual GRBAS scale and the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) survey "Vécu et Santé Perçu de l'Adolescent et de l'Enfant" (VSP-Ap) were also performed. the structure of the French pVHI showed a good fit with excellent reliability (α = 0.929) and high test-retest reliability. Significant differences were found between the group of dysphonic children and the control group (p < 0.001). The French pVHI scores were positively correlated to all parameters of the GRBAS scale (p < 0.05). Significant negative correlations were found between the Functional domain of the pVHI and various domains of the VSP-Ap as Leisure Activities, Schooling and Sentimental Relationship (p < 0.05). the French pVHI is considered to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess voice-related quality of life in children with voice disorder. We recommend its use in the multidimensional protocols for assessing voice disorder in the pediatric population. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Pourquoi le francais et quel francais au Maroc? (Why French and Which French in Morocco?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akouaou, Ahmed

1984-01-01

The status of French in Morocco is ambiguous: it is neither an official language nor a foreign language, and it would benefit greatly from an official definition that would allow a variety of language conflicts to be resolved. (MSE)

Navigating Native-Speaker Ideologies as FSL Teacher

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wernicke, Meike

2017-01-01

Although a well-established domain of research in English language teaching, native-speaker ideologies have received little attention in French language education. This article reports on a study that examined the salience of "authentic French" in the identity construction of French as a second language (FSL) teachers in English-speaking…

Quality of life tools in head and neck oncology.

PubMed

Heutte, N; Plisson, L; Lange, M; Prevost, V; Babin, E

2014-02-01

Quality of life (QoL) is now as much an assessment criterion in clinical trials in head and neck oncology as are survival and response rate. It is therefore important to be able to choose an adapted tool from the wide range of QoL instruments available. The present study presents an inventory of QoL scales validated in their French-language version, to facilitate the selection of appropriate tools showing good psychometric properties. QoL scales cited in all 492 French and English language articles published between March 1st, 2006 and April 3rd, 2012, referenced on Medline and retrieved using the keywords "quality of life" AND "head and neck" AND "cancer", were inventoried and classified thematically in a search of the literature. Ninety QoL scales are presented by theme (ORL oncology, voice, swallowing and mastication, mucosities and xerostomia, etc.), specifying psychometric quality and citation level. The present report constitutes a guide to selecting QoL tools adapted to head and neck oncology studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Les competences langagieres des etudiants-maitres en francais langue seconde au Canada (Linguistic Competence of Student Teachers of French as a Second Language in Canada).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boutin, France; Chinien, Christian; Boutin, Jean-Luc

A survey of 23 Canadian schools of education investigated the French language competence of student enrolled in core and immersion French language teacher programs. The questionnaire developed for the study inquired about the native language of the students, methods used to sensitize non-francophone students to francophone culture, and strategies…

Multiple Minorities or Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Plurilingual Learners? Re-Envisioning Allophone Immigrant Children and Their Inclusion in French-Language Schools in Ontario

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prasad, Gail

2012-01-01

Four out of five immigrants to Canada speak a language other than English or French as a first language. Immigration is increasingly transforming francophone minority communities. Allophone children acquire minority status on multiple levels within French-language schools, where they can become both a linguistic minority and a cultural minority…

Call Me "Madame": Re-Presenting Culture in the French Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siskin, H. Jay

2007-01-01

This study examines autobiographies of American teachers of French in order to make explicit their beliefs regarding French language and culture. The themes of class and power are prominent in these teachers' belief systems, as is the desire for self-transformation through mastery of French and miming a subset of French behaviors. These notions…

Banque de strategies d'ecriture pour un enseignement explicite de la 1re a la 7e annee. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion de 1998 (Writing Strategies for the Specific Instruction in Grades 1 through 7. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Direction de l'education francaise.

This teacher's guide, written in French, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language (immersion), provides a host of strategies for teaching writing skills in the classroom (grades 1 through 7). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure, discussing the…

Examination of the validity and reliability of the French version of the Brief Self-Control Scale

PubMed Central

Brevers, Damien; Foucart, Jennifer; Verbanck, Paul; Turel, Ofir

2017-01-01

This study aims to develop and to validate a French version of the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS; Tangney et al., 2004). This instrument is usually applied as a unidimensional self-report measure for assessing trait self-control, which captures one’s dispositional ability to resist short-term temptation in order to reach more valuable long-term goals. Data were collected from two independent samples of French-speaking individuals (n1 = 287; n2 = 160). Results indicated that the French version of the BSCS can be treated as unidimensional, like the original questionnaire. Data also showed consistent acceptable reliability and reasonable test-retest stability. Acceptable external validity of constructs was supported by relationships with self-reported measures of impulsivity (UPPS), including urgency, lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance. Overall, the findings suggest that the average score of the French version of the BSCS is a viable option for assessing trait self-control in French speaking populations. PMID:29200467

Examination of the validity and reliability of the French version of the Brief Self-Control Scale.

PubMed

Brevers, Damien; Foucart, Jennifer; Verbanck, Paul; Turel, Ofir

2017-10-01

This study aims to develop and to validate a French version of the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS; Tangney et al., 2004). This instrument is usually applied as a unidimensional self-report measure for assessing trait self-control, which captures one's dispositional ability to resist short-term temptation in order to reach more valuable long-term goals. Data were collected from two independent samples of French-speaking individuals ( n 1 = 287; n 2 = 160). Results indicated that the French version of the BSCS can be treated as unidimensional, like the original questionnaire. Data also showed consistent acceptable reliability and reasonable test-retest stability. Acceptable external validity of constructs was supported by relationships with self-reported measures of impulsivity (UPPS), including urgency, lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance. Overall, the findings suggest that the average score of the French version of the BSCS is a viable option for assessing trait self-control in French speaking populations.

French translation and validation of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) in a Canadian undergraduate healthcare student context.

PubMed

Cloutier, Jacinthe; Lafrance, Josée; Michallet, Bernard; Marcoux, Lyson; Cloutier, France

2015-03-01

The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative recommends that future professionals be prepared for collaborative practice. To do so, it is necessary for them to learn about the principles of interprofessional collaboration. Therefore, to ascertain if students are predisposed, their attitude toward interprofessional learning must be assessed. In the French Canadian context such a measuring tool has not been published yet. The purpose of this study is to translate in French an adapted version of the RIPLS questionnaire and to validate it for use with undergraduate students from seven various health and social care programmes in a Canadian university. According to Vallerand's methodology, a method for translating measuring instruments: (i) the forward-backward translation indicated that six items of the experimental French version of the RIPLS needed to be more specific; (ii) the experimental French version of the RIPLS seemed clear according to the pre-test assessing items clarity; (iii) evaluation of the content validity indicated that the experimental French version of the RIPLS presents good content validity and (iv) a very good internal consistency was obtained (α = 0.90; n = 141). Results indicate that the psychometric properties of the RIPLS in French are comparable to the English version, although a different factorial structure was found. The relevance of three of the 19 items on the RIPLS scale is questionable, resulting in a revised 16-item scale. Future research aimed at validating the translated French version of the RIPLS could also be conducted in another francophone cultural context.

A Sociolinguistic Comparison between Quebec's Charter of the French Language and the 1989 Language Laws of Five Soviet Republics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maurais, Jacques

1991-01-01

Compares the language laws of five Soviet Republics (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldavia, and Kazakhstan) with Quebec's Charter of the French Language along the following lines: proclamation of an official language; the common language in question; language of communication with customers and citizens; language of education; and linguistic…

Student and Teacher Perceptions of First Language Use in Secondary French Immersion Mathematics Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culligan, Karla

2015-01-01

This phenomenological study (Creswell, 2003, 2007; van Manen, 1997) explores student and teacher perceptions of first language use in French immersion mathematics classrooms at a large, urban high school in Canada. During individual interviews, participants discussed their perceptions and experiences of French immersion mathematics, language use,…

Cognitive screening in Parkinson's disease: Comparison of the Parkinson Neuropsychometric Dementia Assessment (PANDA) with 3 other short scales.

PubMed

Gasser, A-I; Calabrese, P; Kalbe, E; Kessler, J; Rossier, P

2016-02-01

Cognitive screening is crucial in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, there is still a lack of short tools in French. In this study, we aimed to compare the Parkinson Neuropsychometric Dementia Assessment (PANDA) with the Mini Mental Parkinson (MMP), the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Clock Test in French-speaking patients. We also aimed to propose cut-off scores for cognitive impairment and dementia for the French language version of the PANDA. Fifty-one patients with PD took the PANDA, the MMSE, the MMP, and the Clock Test. They also underwent extensive neuropsychological testing by a neuropsychologist who was blinded to the above-mentioned screening test results. Patients were classified as either having normal cognition (n=15), mild cognitive impairment (n=20) or dementia (n=16). When compared with the three other screening tools, the PANDA exhibited the highest area under the curve (AUC) for both cognitive disorders and dementia. Using the cut-off scores proposed for the German version, the PANDA had 94% specificity and 100% sensitivity for dementia and 100% and 72%, respectively for cognitive disorders. In our study, the PANDA exhibited a higher discriminative power than the three other tests in detecting cognitive disorders and dementia. In PD patients, the PANDA should thus be considered for the detection of cognitive impairment in routine clinical practice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cultural adaptation: translatability assessment and linguistic validation of the patient-reported outcome instrument for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.

PubMed

Delgado-Herrera, Leticia; Lasch, Kathryn; Popielnicki, Ana; Nishida, Akito; Arbuckle, Rob; Banderas, Benjamin; Zentner, Susan; Gagainis, Ingrid; Zeiher, Bernhardt

2016-01-01

Following a 2009 US Food and Drug Administration guidance, a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument was developed to support end points in multinational clinical trials assessing irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) symptom severity. Our objective was to assess the translatability of the IBS-D PRO instrument into ten languages, and subsequently perform a cultural adaptation/linguistic validation of the questionnaire into Japanese and US Spanish. Translatability assessments of the US English version of the IBS-D PRO were performed by experienced PRO translators who were native speakers of each target language and currently residing in target-language countries. Languages were Chinese (People's Republic of China), Dutch (the Netherlands), French (Belgium), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Polish (Poland), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian (Russia), Spanish (Mexico), and Spanish (US). The project team assessed the instrument to identify potential linguistic and/or cultural adaptation issues. After the issues identified were resolved, the instrument was translated into Spanish (US) and Japanese through a process of two forward translations, one reconciled translation, and one backward translation. The project team reviewed the translated versions before the instruments were evaluated by cognitive debriefing interviews with samples of five Spanish (US) and five Japanese IBS-D patients. Linguistic and cultural adaptation concerns identified during the translatability assessment required minor revisions, mainly the presentation of dates/times and word structure. During the cognitive debriefing interviews, two of five Spanish respondents misunderstood the term "bowel movement" to mean only diarrhea in the Spanish version. Consequently, the term was changed from "movimiento intestinal" to "evacuaciones". None of the Japanese respondents identified issues with the Japanese version. The translatability of the IBS-D PRO instrument into ten target languages was confirmed, with only minor changes made to the translations of the instrument. The translation and linguistic validation into Spanish (US) and Japanese provide evidence that this instrument can be used in multinational trials and clinical settings.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Spinal Function Sort (SFS) for French- and German-speaking patients with back complaints.

PubMed

Borloz, S; Trippolini, M A; Ballabeni, P; Luthi, F; Deriaz, O

2012-09-01

Functional subjective evaluation through questionnaire is fundamental, but not often realized in patients with back complaints, lacking validated tools. The Spinal Function Sort (SFS) was only validated in English. We aimed to translate, adapt and validate the French (SFS-F) and German (SFS-G) versions of the SFS. Three hundred and forty-four patients, experiencing various back complaints, were recruited in a French (n = 87) and a German-speaking (n = 257) center. Construct validity was estimated via correlations with SF-36 physical and mental scales, pain intensity and hospital anxiety and depression scales (HADS). Scale homogeneities were assessed by Cronbach's α. Test-retest reliability was assessed on 65 additional patients using intraclass correlation (IC). For the French and German translations, respectively, α were 0.98 and 0.98; IC 0.98 (95% CI: [0.97; 1.00]) and 0.94 (0.90; 0.98). Correlations with physical functioning were 0.63 (0.48; 0.74) and 0.67 (0.59; 0.73); with physical summary 0.60 (0.44; 0.72) and 0.52 (0.43; 0.61); with pain -0.33 (-0.51; -0.13) and -0.51 (-0.60; -0.42); with mental health -0.08 (-0.29; 0.14) and 0.25 (0.13; 0.36); with mental summary 0.01 (-0.21; 0.23) and 0.28 (0.16; 0.39); with depression -0.26 (-0.45; -0.05) and -0.42 (-0.52; -0.32); with anxiety -0.17 (-0.37; -0.04) and -0.45 (-0.54; -0.35). Reliability was excellent for both languages. Convergent validity was good with SF-36 physical scales, moderate with VAS pain. Divergent validity was low with SF-36 mental scales in both translated versions and with HADS for the SFS-F (moderate in SFS-G). Both versions seem to be valid and reliable for evaluating perceived functional capacity in patients with back complaints.

Instructional Supports for Students with Special Education Needs in French as a Second Language Education: A Review of Canadian Empirical Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mady, Callie; Muhling, Stefanie

2017-01-01

With the view to responding to a call for information on instructional supports for students with special education needs (SSEN) in French as a second language (FSL) education, this article reviews the empirical literature from three Canadian contexts: core French, intensive French and French immersion. More specifically, we developed this…

Using Early Silent Film to Teach French: The Language of "Cinema Muet."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bloom, Michelle E.

1995-01-01

Discusses the use of early silent films in second-language classrooms, focusing on the experiences of one instructor in using early French silents in elementary and intermediate French courses. Sample lesson plans and information on the availability of French silents are also provided. (Contains 17 references.) (MDM)

Francophonie: The French Journal of the Association for Language Learning, 1994-1997.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smalley, Alan, Ed.

1997-01-01

This journal focuses on the teaching and learning of French. Selected titles in this volume include the following: "Practical Ideas for Teaching Reluctant Learners in Key Stage 4"; "Learning to Count in French"; "Oh No! The Target Language . . . !""French and the English 'Invasion'"; "The Sounds of…

First Language Proficiency and Successful Foreign Language Learning: The Case of High School Students Learning French as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gnintedem, Antoine

2014-01-01

This study investigated whether there was a correlation between first language proficiency as measured by the Mississippi Curriculum Test (MCT II) Reading and Language Arts and foreign language proficiency as measured by the French Language Proficiency Test. Data for the independent variable, first language proficiency, was collected from the…

French Cuisine in the Classroom: Using Culture to Enhance Language Proficiency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrate, Jane E.

1993-01-01

French cuisine offers a valuable resource for creating culture-based contexts for language use in the classroom. Suggestions and ideas are presented for incorporating food-related activities in the French class. (VWL)

English and French Journal Abstracts in the Language Sciences: Three Exploratory Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Bonn, Sarah; Swales, John M.

2007-01-01

This article compares French and English academic article abstracts from the language sciences in an attempt to understand how and why language choice might affect this part-genre--both in actual use and according to authors' linguistic and rhetorical perceptions. Two corpora are used: Corpus A consists of abstracts from a French linguistics…

Gender Differences in Motivation to Learn French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kissau, Scott

2006-01-01

There is concern among second language educators in Canada that male students are losing interest in studying French as a second language (FSL). In response, in the fall of 2003, a study was conducted to investigate gender differences in second language (L2) motivation among Grade 9 core French students. Building upon the traditional model of L2…

Un projet de logiciels d'assistance a l'apprentissage de la lecture en FLE (An Interdisciplinary Research Project Oriented toward Computer Programs for Reading Instruction in French as a Second Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Challe, Odile; And Others

1985-01-01

Describes a French project entitled "Lecticiel," jointly undertaken by specialists in reading, computer programing, and second language instruction to integrate these disciplines and provide assistance for students learning to read French as a foreign language. (MSE)

African Studies in French for the Elementary Grades: Phase II of a Twinned Classroom Approach to the Teaching of French in the Elementary Grades. Volume II, Tapescripts and Essays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Sister Ruth

This experiment examines a new psychological approach to foreign language study at the elementary school level. A principal objective is to determine the nature and importance of second language learning motivation in monolingual societies devoid of the daily living example of the target language and culture. A five-year French language sequence,…

African Studies in French for the Elementary Grades: Phase II of a Twinned Classroom Approach to the Teaching of French in the Elementary Grades. Volume I, Technical Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jonas, Sister Ruth

This experiment examines a new psychological approach to foreign language study at the elementary school level. A principal objective is to determine the nature and importance of second language learning motivation in monolingual societies devoid of the daily living example of the target language and culture. A five-year French language sequence,…

Measurement Invariance of the Short Version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ-SV) across Eight Languages.

PubMed

Lopez-Fernandez, Olatz; Kuss, Daria J; Pontes, Halley M; Griffiths, Mark D; Dawes, Christopher; Justice, Lucy V; Männikkö, Niko; Kääriäinen, Maria; Rumpf, Hans-Jürgen; Bischof, Anja; Gässler, Ann-Kathrin; Romo, Lucia; Kern, Laurence; Morvan, Yannick; Rousseau, Amélie; Graziani, Pierluigi; Demetrovics, Zsolt; Király, Orsolya; Schimmenti, Adriano; Passanisi, Alessia; Lelonek-Kuleta, Bernadeta; Chwaszcz, Joanna; Chóliz, Mariano; Zacarés, Juan José; Serra, Emilia; Dufour, Magali; Rochat, Lucien; Zullino, Daniele; Achab, Sophia; Landrø, Nils Inge; Suryani, Eva; Hormes, Julia M; Terashima, Javier Ponce; Billieux, Joël

2018-06-08

The prevalence of mobile phone use across the world has increased greatly over the past two decades. Problematic Mobile Phone Use (PMPU) has been studied in relation to public health and comprises various behaviours, including dangerous, prohibited, and dependent use. These types of problematic mobile phone behaviours are typically assessed with the short version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire (PMPUQ⁻SV). However, to date, no study has ever examined the degree to which the PMPU scale assesses the same construct across different languages. The aims of the present study were to (i) determine an optimal factor structure for the PMPUQ⁻SV among university populations using eight versions of the scale (i.e., French, German, Hungarian, English, Finnish, Italian, Polish, and Spanish); and (ii) simultaneously examine the measurement invariance (MI) of the PMPUQ⁻SV across all languages. The whole study sample comprised 3038 participants. Descriptive statistics, correlations, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients were extracted from the demographic and PMPUQ-SV items. Individual and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses alongside MI analyses were conducted. Results showed a similar pattern of PMPU across the translated scales. A three-factor model of the PMPUQ-SV fitted the data well and presented with good psychometric properties. Six languages were validated independently, and five were compared via measurement invariance for future cross-cultural comparisons. The present paper contributes to the assessment of problematic mobile phone use because it is the first study to provide a cross-cultural psychometric analysis of the PMPUQ-SV.

Validation of the French version of the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B) questionnaire.

PubMed

Gandolfi, S; Auquit-Auckbur, I; Panunzi, S; Mici, E; Grolleau, J-L; Chaput, B

2016-11-01

The Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief questionnaire is a widely validated tool for estimating the health related quality of life and for assessing the best multidisciplinary management of burn patients. The aim of this study was to translate the BSHS-B into French and to investigate its reliability and validity. According to the procedure proposed by the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Medical Outcomes Trust, the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B) was translated from the English version into French. In order to test the reliability of the French version of the BSHS-B, 53 burn patients French speakers completed the BSHS-B and SF-36 questionnaires from two to four years after burn. Ten of them have been re-tested at 6 months after the first evaluation. To evaluate clinical utility of the BSHS-F, internal consistency, construct validity (using SF-36) and stability in time were assessed using Cronbach's alpha statistic, Spearman rank test, and intra-class correlation coefficient respectively. The French version of the BSHS-B Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.93 and was >0.80 for all the sub-domains. French version of the BSHS-B and the SF-36 were positively correlated, all the associations were statistically significant (p<0.01). Intra-class correlation coefficients for test-retest ranged between 0.95 and 0.99 for the sub-domains. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for the total score was 0.98. The French version of the BSHS-B shows a robust rate of internal consistency, construct validity and stability in time, supporting its application in routine clinical practice as well as in international studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

Pour Nos Petits Manitobains (For Our Little Manitobans): Exposure Package for Grade 3. Conversational French Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saiko, Evelyne, Ed.; Sotiriadis, Caterina, Ed.

This primary "exposure package" is intended for the use of grade 3 teachers of English-speaking children who received French-as-a-Second-Language instruction in a non-immersion context. The aims of this French program are to: (1) expose the child to the French language, (2) foster a positive attitude toward French, and (3) develop…

The Role of Colloquial French in Communication and Implications for Language Instruction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonin, Therese M.

1978-01-01

This article discusses comprehension problems encountered by students of French as a second language as a result of the mismatch between the standard language they learn in classrooms and the language used by native speakers. (CLK)

Construction of the Questionnaire on Foreign Language Learning Strategies in Specific Croatian Context.

PubMed

Božinović, Nikolina; Sindik, Joško

2017-03-01

Learning strategies are special thoughts or behaviours that individuals use to understand, learn or retain new information, according to the point of view of O’Malley & Chamot. The other view, promoted by Oxford, believes learning strategies are specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, and more transferrable to new situations of language learning and use. The use of appropriate strategies ensures greater success in language learning. The aim of the research was to establish metric characteristics of the Questionnaire on learning strategies created by the author, in line with the template of the original SILL questionnaire (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning). The research was conducted at the Rochester Institute of Technology Croatia on a sample of 201 participants who learned German, Spanish, French and Italian as a foreign language. The results have shown that one-component latent dimensions which describe the space of foreign language learning strategies according to Oxford’s classification, have metric characteristics which are low, but still satisfactory (reliability and validity). All dimensions of learning strategies appeared not to be adequately defined. Therefore, we excluded compensation strategies and merged social and affective strategies into social-affective strategies into the unique dimension. Overall, this version of Oxford’s original questionnaire, based on Oxford’s theoretical construct, applied on Croatian students, clearly shows that current version of the questionnaire has poor metric characteristics. One of the explanations of the results obtained could be positioned in multicultural context and intercultural dialogue. Namely, particular social, political and economic context in Croatia could shape even foreign language learning strategies.

"Pour nos petits Manitobains," Exposure Package for Grades K-1 Conversational French Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manitoba Dept. of Education, Winnipeg. Bureau of French Education.

This guide outlines the Manitoba Department of Education's conversational French-as-a-second-language curriculum for kindergarten and first grade. The program is designed to introduce young children to the French language and culture through the learning of French sounds, vocabulary, and some sentence patterns. An introductory section explains the…

"Pour nos petits Manitobains," Exposure Package for Grade 2 Basic/Conversational French Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manitoba Dept. of Education, Winnipeg. Bureau of French Education.

This guide outlines the Manitoban Department of Education's conversational French-as-a-second-language curriculum for second grade. The program is designed to introduce young children to the French language and culture through the learning of French sounds, vocabulary, and some sentence patterns. An introductory section explains the program's…

Recognising Words in Three Languages: Effects of Language Dominance and Language Switching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aparicio, Xavier; Lavaur, Jean-Marc

2014-01-01

This study aims to examine language dominance and language switching effects in a series of monolingual and multilingual lexical decisions in which participants have to decide if the presented letter string is a word or not, regardless of language. Thirty participants (12 French-English bilinguals and 18 French-English-Spanish trilinguals) were…

RELIEF: Revue de linguistique et d'enseignement du francais (Review of Linguistics and French Language Instruction), 1991-1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haillet, P., Ed.; And Others

1993-01-01

This document consists of the first two issues of the journal RELIEF. Each issue contains four articles. All articles deal with French second language instruction: (1) "Utiliser la presse ecrite en classe de francais-langue seconde (Using the Print Media in French Second Language Class)" (H. Canto); (2) "Une lecon de grammaire…

Active offer of health services in French in Ontario: Analysis of reorganization and management strategies of health care organizations.

PubMed

Farmanova, Elina; Bonneville, Luc; Bouchard, Louise

2018-01-01

The availability of health services in French is not only weak but also inexistent in some regions in Canada. As a result, estimated 78% of more than a million of Francophones living in a minority situation in Canada experience difficulties accessing health care in French. To promote the delivery of health services in French, publicly funded organizations are encouraged to take measures to ensure that French-language services are clearly visible, available, easily accessible, and equivalent to the quality of services offered in English. This study examines the reorganization and management strategies taken by health care organizations in Ontario that provide health services in French. Review and analysis of designation plans of a sample of health care organizations. Few health care organizations providing services in French have concrete strategies to guarantee availability, visibility, and accessibility of French-language services. Implementation of the active offer of French-language services is likely to be difficult and slow. The Ontario government must strengthen collaboration with health care organizations, Francophone communities, and other key actors participating in the designation process to help health care organizations build capacities for the effective offer of French-language services. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hierarchies of Authenticity in Study Abroad: French from Canada versus French from France?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wernicke, Meike

2016-01-01

For many decades, Francophone regions in Canada have provided language study exchanges for French as a second language (FSL) learners within their own country. At the same time, FSL students and teachers in Canada continue to orient to a native speaker standard associated with European French. This Eurocentric orientation manifested itself in a…

Pour Adolescent et Adulte, Francais Langue Etrangere, Niveau 1 (French as a Foreign Language, Level 1, for Adolescents and Adults)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibert, Pierre

1975-01-01

This annotated bibliography lists dictionaries and reading materials including stories and legends, biographies, works relating to cinema, theatre and French civilization, magazines, and educational activities and games for introductory instruction of French as a foreign language to adults and adolescents. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Acquisition of Complement Clitics and Tense Morphology in Internationally Adopted Children Acquiring French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gauthier, K.; Genesee, F.; Kasparian, K.

2012-01-01

The present study examined the language development of children adopted from China to examine possible early age effects with respect to their use of complement clitics, lexical diversity and verb morphology. We focused on these aspects of French because they distinguish second language learners of French and native French-speaking children with…

Raising FLAGS: Renewing Core French at the Pre-Service Teacher Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carr, Wendy

2010-01-01

A new program for core French teacher candidates called FLAGS (French Language and Global Studies) was established at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2007. The program is intended for those who are keen to teach core French and possess rudimentary proficiency in the language but may not necessarily have the same proficiency or prior…

Language of Instruction and Instructed Languages in Mauritius

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonck, Gerda

2005-01-01

Mauritius is a multilingual country with English, French and Creole as the main languages, and several ancestral languages which are mainly used for religious ceremonies. Most children speak Creole at home and learn English, French and one ancestral language in the first year of primary school. The educational dropout rate is 40-50% after primary…

Discourses of Linguistic dominance: A Historical Consideration of French Language Ideology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasuya, Keisuke

2001-07-01

The paper offers a historical perspective on the linguistic and cultural imperialism embedded in the struggle to maintain French as a leading international language. France was the nation-state where the ideology of national language was first clearly formulated and directly extended to overseas colonies. This shows the close relationship between linguistic nationalism and imperialism. It was believed that French was the language of universal human reason and had the power to civilize people who spoke it. This myth of the "clarté française" and the "mission civilisatrice" had a strong influence on various kinds of metalinguistic discourses that created the taken-for-granted representation of French as dominant language. It is the essential strategy of language dominance to establish the hierarchy of languages as if it were natural order of things. When French was obliged to yield the status of international language to English, there emerged the ideology of "Francophonie" which tried to defend its privilege against the monopoly of English, but the same ideology is also directed against minorities' claims for their own linguistic human right. It could be said that these discourses form a recursive prototype of language dominance whose variations are to be found in other shapes almost all over the world.

The Stability of General Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety across English and French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Maximo; Abreu, Orangel

2003-01-01

Examined the stability of the general foreign language classroom anxiety construct across English and French. Subjects were preservice teachers from two western universities in Venezuela majoring in these languages. (Author/VWL)

[Validation of the French version of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale-3 (SATAQ-3)].

PubMed

Rousseau, A; Valls, M; Chabrol, H

2010-09-01

Body image literature suggests that the sociocultural environment contributes to the development and maintenance of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders by conveying thin standards of thinness. Three main sources of sociocultural influences were highlighted: family, peers and media. These three sources of pressure can lead to the internalization of messages about the importance of thinness and beauty. Among the various sources of sociocultural influences, media appear to be the most powerful communicator of these standards. Thompson et al. [Intern J Eat Disord 35 (2004) 293-304] developed a multidimensional questionnaire to assess the sociocultural influence of media on appearance: The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale-3 (SATAQ-3). The SATAQ-3 is a 30-item scale composed of Likert-items in five points (1: completely disagree; 5: completely agree) including four subscales: information, pressures, internalization-general and internalization-athlete. This scale is used in Anglo-Saxon research, notably in clinical populations presenting eating disorder pathologies. People with eating disorders generally show higher scores on these four subscales. The present study is to validate the French version of the SATAQ-3. The sample consisted of 818 teenagers from private and public middle schools aged an average of 16.8 ± 1.2 years old, with an average body mass index (BMI) of 20.7 ± 2.9. Participants completed two questionnaires: the body shape questionnaire (BSQ) assessing body dissatisfaction, in particular worries about weight and body shape, and the SATAQ-3. We carried out the translation of the SATAQ-3 in parallel back-translation. First, two French-speaking people translated the English version into French. Then, two English-speakers translated the French version without the assistance of the original version. Thereafter, the two English-language versions (original version and version obtained by back-translation) were compared in order to ensure that there were no errors of meaning in the French version. A factorial analysis of the SATAQ-3 was conducted on the 818 subjects through extraction of the main components method with the extraction's rule of the curve for the Eigen values; the data was transformed through Varimax rotation. The factorial analysis showed five factors with Eigen values greater than 1 (11.3; 2.6; 2.1; 1.6; 1.07). The factors were then composed of the items presenting substantial saturation, greater than or equal to 0.5. Since only one item (20) presented saturation on factor 5, the four-factor solution was retained. These four factors accounted for 17.7, 16.3, 9.7 and 14.8% of the overall variance, respectively. This four-factor solution explains 58.5% of the total variance. The oblique rotation analysis underlined moderate to strong correlations between the four factors (0.3 to 0.66). The four factors of the factorial analysis correspond to the four subscales of the initial American study: pressures (Cronbach's alpha=0.89), information (Cronbach's alpha=0.87), internalization-athlete (Cronbach's alpha=0.82), internalization-general (Cronbach's alpha=0.92). The four subscales are positively correlated with the BSQ (0.26 to 0.55). The correlation for age and BMI indicates a very low association between these two variables and the SATAQ-3 subscales, with only one significant correlation (SATAQ-3 pressures and BMI=0.14; p<0.05). Results of a regression analysis showed that body dissatisfaction (BSQ) was predicted by pressures (β=0.37, t=10.2; p<0.0001), internalization-general (β=0.29, t=8.1; p<0.0001). This model accounted for 38.1% of the variance of body dissatisfaction. This study shows elements of satisfactory validity for the French version of the SATAQ-3. Indeed, as for the original scale validation, the current factorial analysis revealed four factors corresponding to the four subscales developed by the authors along with similar alpha values. Research relating to the risk factors in the development of body image disturbances and eating disorders are important given their implications for future strategies of intervention and prevention. Anglo-Saxon research identified media as a powerful and influential communicator concerning sociocultural standards of beauty. Because of the lack of French studies on this subject, the newly validated SATAQ-3 could provide a means for exploring new issues related to eating disorders in this population. Implications of the SATAQ-3 are multiple, particularly to detect "risk groups" and to prevent body image disturbance and eating behaviours. The current results provide a means for research on media influence, notably in French clinical samples with eating disorders. Copyright © 2009 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity and Specificity of French Language and Processing Measures for the Identification of Primary Language Impairment at Age 5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thordardottir, Elin; Kehayia, Eva; Mazer, Barbara; Lessard, Nicole; Majnemer, Annette; Sutton, Ann; Trudeau, Natacha; Chilingaryan, Gevorg

2011-01-01

Purpose: Research on the diagnostic accuracy of different language measures has focused primarily on English. This study examined the sensitivity and specificity of a range of measures of language knowledge and language processing for the identification of primary language impairment (PLI) in French-speaking children. Because of the lack of…

Factors Associated with Expressive and Receptive Language in French-Speaking Toddlers Clinically Diagnosed with Language Delay

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sylvestre, Audette; Desmarais, Chantal; Meyer, Francois; Bairati, Isabelle; Rouleau, Nancie; Merette, Chantal

2012-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine child and environmental factors known to be associated to language development and how they relate to results in expressive vocabulary, expressive language, and receptive language in language-delayed toddlers. The cross-sectional data on 96 French-speaking children aged 18-36 months were…

Language Needs Analysis from a Perspective of International Professional Mobility: The Case of French Mountain Guides

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wozniak, Severine

2010-01-01

This paper gives a detailed account of an analysis carried out at the French National Skiing and Mountaineering School from August 2008 to June 2009 to assess the language needs of French mountain guides. A targeted literature review highlighted two main points to be taken into account in the design of this language needs analysis: target…

Is the perception of dysphonia severity language-dependent? A comparison of French and Italian voice assessments.

PubMed

Ghio, Alain; Cantarella, Giovanna; Weisz, Frédérique; Robert, Danièle; Woisard, Virginie; Fussi, Franco; Giovanni, Antoine; Baracca, Giovanna

2015-04-01

In this cross-language study, six Italian and six French voice experts evaluated perceptually the speech of 27 Italian and 40 French patients with dysphonia to determine if there were differences based on native language. French and Italian voice specialists agreed substantially in their evaluations of the overall grade of dysphonia and moderately concerning roughness and breathiness. No statistically significant effects were found related to the language of the speakers with the exception of breathiness, a finding that was interpreted as being due to different voice pathologies in the patient groups. It was concluded that the perception of the overall grade of dysphonia and breathiness is not language-dependent, whereas the significant difference in the perception of roughness may be related to a perception/adaption process.

Validation of the French version of the Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index: psychometric properties in French speaking school-aged children.

PubMed

Olliac, Bertrand; Birmes, Philippe; Bui, Eric; Allenou, Charlotte; Brunet, Alain; Claudet, Isabelle; Sales de Gauzy, Jérôme; Grandjean, Hélène; Raynaud, Jean-Philippe

2014-01-01

Although the reliable and valid Child Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction Index (CPTS-RI) is a widely used measure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in children, it has not been validated in French-speaking populations. The present study aims to assess the psychometric properties of the CPTS-RI in three samples of French-speaking school-children. Data was obtained from three samples. Sample 1 was composed of 106 children (mean (SD) age = 11.7(0.7), 50% females) victims of an industrial disaster. Sample 2 was composed of 50 children (mean (SD) age = 10.8(2.6), 44% females) who had received an orthopaedic surgical procedure after an accident. Sample 3 was composed of 106 children (mean (SD) age = 11.7(2.2), 44% females) admitted to an emergency department after a road traffic accident. We tested internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha. We examined test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient. In order to assess the convergent validity of the French version of the CPTS-RI and the Clinician Administered PTS Scale-Child and Adolescent (CAPS-CA), spearman-correlation coefficient was computed. To verify the validity of the cut-off scores, a ROC curve was constructed which evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of each score compared to the diagnosis with the CAPS-CA. We also used principal components analysis with varimax rotation to study the structure of the French version of the CPTS-RI. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.87 for the French version of the CPTS-RI. Two-week test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient (n = 30) was 0.67. The French version of the CPTS-RI was well correlated with the CAPS-CA (r = 0.76, p < 0.001). Taking the CAPS-CA as the diagnostic reference, with a diagnostic cut-off of >24 for the CPTS-RI, the sensitivity and specificities were 100% and 62.6%, respectively. The French version of the CPTS-RI demonstrated a three-factor structure. The CPTS-RI is reliable and valid in French-speaking children.

Banque de strategies d'ecoute pour un enseignement explicite de la 1re a la 7e annee. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes (1998) de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion (Listening Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 1 through 7. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Direction de l'education francaise.

This teacher's guide is intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in immersion programs. It provides a host of strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom in Grades 1 through 7. The first section is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure. It discusses…

Banque de strategies d'ecoute pour un enseignement explicite de la 6e a la 12e annee. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes (1998) de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion (Listening Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 6 through 12. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Direction de l'education francaise.

This teacher's guide is intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting. It provides a host of strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom in Grades 6 through 12. The first section is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure. It…

Banque de strategies de lecture pour un enseignement explicite de la 6e a la 12e annee. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes (1998) de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion (Reading Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 6 through 12. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Territories Dept. of Education, Culture and Employment, Yellowknife.

This teacher's guide is intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting. It provides a host of strategies for teaching reading skills in the classroom in Grades 6 through 12. The first section is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure. It discusses…

Banque de strategies de lecture pour un enseignement explicite de la 1re a la 7e annee. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes (1998) de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion (Reading Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 1 through 7. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Territories Dept. of Education, Culture and Employment, Yellowknife.

This teacher's guide, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting, provides a host of strategies for teaching reading skills in the classroom (Grades 1 through 7). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure, discussing the motivation…

Banque de strategies d'ecriture pour un enseignement explicite de la 6e a la 12e annee. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion de 1998 (Writing Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 6 through 12. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Direction de l'education francaise.

This teacher's guide, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting, provides a host of strategies for teaching writing skills in the classroom (Grades 6 through 12). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure, discussing the motivation…

Teaching French as a Multicultural Language: The French-Speaking World Outside of Europe. Language in Education: Theory and Practice, 39.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ogden, John D.

This booklet proposes to approach the teaching of French from a multicultural perspective. The introductory section presents the reasons for recommending this orientation and the pedagogical advantages to be derived from it, emphasizing the fact that French serves as a link between several Francophone nations and their widely different cultures.…

French Bilingual Classes in Vietnam: Issues and Debates about an Innovative Language Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Normand-Marconnet, Nadine

2013-01-01

Despite a long historical French presence in Vietnam, only 0.5% of Vietnamese people speak French today. As in other countries of South East Asia, language instruction in Vietnam has mainly focused on English for several decades. This paper provides an overview of a project called "French bilingual classes". The main aim of the study is…

Development of Second Language French Oral Skills in an Instructed Setting: A Focus on Speech Ratings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trofimovich, Pavel; Kennedy, Sara; Blanchet, Josée

2017-01-01

This study examined the relationship between targeted pronunciation instruction in French as a second language (L2) and listener-based ratings of accent, comprehensibility, and fluency. The ratings by 20 French listeners evaluating the speech of 30 adult L2 French learners enrolled in a 15-week listening and speaking course targeting segments,…

Acquiring Orthographic Processing through Word Reading: Evidence from Children Learning to Read French and English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasquarella, Adrian; Deacon, Helene; Chen, Becky X.; Commissaire, Eva; Au-Yeung, Karen

2014-01-01

This study examined the within-language and cross-language relationships between orthographic processing and word reading in French and English across Grades 1 and 2. Seventy-three children in French Immersion completed measures of orthographic processing and word reading in French and English in Grade 1 and Grade 2, as well as a series of control…

Morocco: Country Status Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFerren, Margaret

A survey of the status of language usage in Morocco begins with an overview of the distribution and usage of Arabic, the official language, the Berber dialects, and French, an unofficial second language. The continuing high status and widespread use of French despite arabization efforts is discussed. A matrix follows that rates these languages and…

Cross-Language Phonological Activation of Meaning: Evidence from Category Verification

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friesen, Deanna C.; Jared, Debra

2012-01-01

The study investigated phonological processing in bilingual reading for meaning. English-French and French-English bilinguals performed a category verification task in either their first or second language. Interlingual homophones (words that share phonology across languages but not orthography or meaning) and single language control words served…

Language Profiles of Poor Comprehenders in English and French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Angelo, Nadia; Chen, Xi

2017-01-01

This study explored components of language comprehension (vocabulary, grammar, and higher-level language) skills for poor comprehenders in French immersion. We identified three groups of bilingual comprehenders (poor, average, and good) based on English reading performance and compared their language comprehension skills in English L1 and French…

Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale: a multinational review.

PubMed

Boyd, Jennifer E; Adler, Emerald P; Otilingam, Poorni G; Peters, Townley

2014-01-01

The Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness (ISMI) scale is a 29-item questionnaire measuring self-stigma among persons with psychiatric disorders. It was developed with substantial consumer input and has been widely used, but its psychometric qualities have not been comprehensively evaluated across multiple versions. Here we review the 55 known versions, and provide the 47 available versions, including: Arabic, Armenian, Bengali, Bulgarian, Chinese (Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong), Croatian, Dutch, English (USA, South Africa), Estonian, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Lithuanian, Lugandan, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Slovenian, Spanish (Spain), Swahili, Swedish, Tongan, Turkish, Urdu, and Yoruba, and qualitative English and Swahili versions, as well as versions for depression, schizophrenia, substance abuse, eating disorders, epilepsy, inflammatory bowel disease, leprosy, smoking, parents and caregivers of people with mental illness, and ethnicity. The various versions show reliability and validity across a wide range of languages, cultures, and writing systems. The most commonly reported findings of studies using the ISMI are that internalized stigma correlates with higher depression, lower self esteem, and higher symptom severity. Initial studies of ways to reduce internalized stigma are promising and warrant further investigation. © 2014.

Exploring the Ancestral Roots of American Sign Language: Lexical Borrowing from Cistercian Sign Language and French Sign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cagle, Keith Martin

2010-01-01

American Sign Language (ASL) is the natural and preferred language of the Deaf community in both the United States and Canada. Woodward (1978) estimated that approximately 60% of the ASL lexicon is derived from early 19th century French Sign Language, which is known as "langue des signes francaise" (LSF). The lexicon of LSF and ASL may…

"As You Sow so Shall You Reap"--but What to Sow? The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) Applied to a Flemish Business Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marchand, Marjan; Vercruysse, Christophe; De Wilde, Lodewijk

2013-01-01

This research project explores the relationship between the French skills taught during the Dutch-speaking professional Bachelor's of Applied Business, the perceived French language requirements for these Bachelor's graduates in the workplace, and the actual French language needs on the work floor. We review the current situation and consider how…

Fiches pratiques: Le jardin d'epicure; Information sante; Quand la grammaire voit "rouge"...; Jeu des prenoms (Practical Ideas: The Epicure's Garden; Health Information; When Grammar Sees "Red"...; First Name Game).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertocchini, Paola; And Others

1991-01-01

Four ideas for French language classroom activities are described, including an exercise highlighting creative use of language in daily commercial life, a language activity focusing on acquired immune deficiency syndrome; a grammar lesson using a French song about colors; and a game designed to teach French names. (MSE)

The Effect of Target Language and Code-Switching on the Grammatical Performance and Perceptions of Elementary-Level College French Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Viakinnou-Brinson, Lucie; Herron, Carol; Cole, Steven P.; Haight, Carrie

2012-01-01

Grammar instruction is at the center of the target language (TL) and code-switching debate. Discussion revolves around whether grammar should be taught in the TL or using the TL and the native language (L1). This study investigated the effects of French-only grammar instruction and French/English grammar instruction on elementary-level students'…

Processing Code-Switching in Algerian Bilinguals: Effects of Language Use and Semantic Expectancy

PubMed Central

Kheder, Souad; Kaan, Edith

2016-01-01

Using a cross-modal naming paradigm this study investigated the effect of sentence constraint and language use on the expectancy of a language switch during listening comprehension. Sixty-five Algerian bilinguals who habitually code-switch between Algerian Arabic and French (AA-FR) but not between Standard Arabic and French (SA-FR) listened to sentence fragments and named a visually presented French target NP out loud. Participants’ speech onset times were recorded. The sentence context was either highly semantically constraining toward the French NP or not. The language of the sentence context was either in Algerian Arabic or in Standard Arabic, but the target NP was always in French, thus creating two code-switching contexts: a typical and recurrent code-switching context (AA-FR) and a non-typical code-switching context (SA-FR). Results revealed a semantic constraint effect indicating that the French switches were easier to process in the high compared to the low-constraint context. In addition, the effect size of semantic constraint was significant in the more typical code-switching context (AA-FR) suggesting that language use influences the processing of switching between languages. The effect of semantic constraint was also modulated by code-switching habits and the proficiency of L2 French. Semantic constraint was reduced in bilinguals who frequently code-switch and in bilinguals with high proficiency in French. Results are discussed with regards to the bilingual interactive activation model (Dijkstra and Van Heuven, 2002) and the control process model of code-switching (Green and Wei, 2014). PMID:26973559

French immersion experience and reading skill development in at-risk readers.

PubMed

Kruk, Richard S; Reynolds, Kristin A A

2012-06-01

We tracked the developmental influences of exposure to French on developing English phonological awareness, decoding and reading comprehension of English-speaking at-risk readers from Grade 1 to Grade 3. Teacher-nominated at-risk readers were matched with not-at-risk readers in French immersion and English language programs. Exposure to spoken French phonetic and syllabic forms and to written French orthographic and morphological forms by children attending French immersion programs was expected to promote phonological, decoding and reading comprehension achievement. Growth in all outcomes was found, with children in immersion experiencing higher final status in phonological awareness and more rapid growth and higher final status in decoding, using multilevel modeling. At-risk readers in French immersion experienced faster growth and higher final status in reading comprehension. Benefits to reading of exposure to an additional language are discussed in relation to cross-language transfer, phonological grain size and enhanced executive control processes.

The Career Transition Inventory: A Psychometric Evaluation of a French Version (CTI-F)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Anne; Fouquereau, Evelyne; Heppner, Mary J.

2008-01-01

The Career Transition Inventory (CTI) is a well-known measure for assessing perceptions of psychological resources when adults undergo a career change. The purpose of this study was to conduct a psychometric evaluation of a French version of the CTI (CTI-F). A total of 1,042 French volunteer participants completed the CTI-F. The procedure used…

Long-term reliability of ImPACT in professional ice hockey.

PubMed

Echemendia, Ruben J; Bruce, Jared M; Meeuwisse, Willem; Comper, Paul; Aubry, Mark; Hutchison, Michael

2016-02-01

This study sought to assess the test-retest reliability of Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) across 2-4 year time intervals and evaluate the utility of a newly proposed two-factor (Speed/Memory) model of ImPACT across multiple language versions. Test-retest data were collected from non-concussed National Hockey League (NHL) players across 2-, 3-, and 4-year time intervals. The two-factor model was examined using different language versions (English, French, Czech, Swedish) of the test using a one-year interval, and across 2-4 year intervals using the English version of the test. The two-factor Speed index improved reliability across multiple language versions of ImPACT. The Memory factor also improved but reliability remained below the traditional cutoff of .70 for use in clinical decision-making. ImPACT reliabilities remained low (below .70) regardless of whether the four-composite or the two-factor model was used across 2-, 3-, and 4-year time intervals. The two-factor approach increased ImPACT's one-year reliability over the traditional four-composite model among NHL players. The increased stability in test scores improves the test's ability to detect cognitive changes following injury, which increases the diagnostic utility of the test and allows for better return to play decision-making by reducing the risk of exposing an athlete to additional trauma while the brain may be at a heightened vulnerability to such trauma. Although the Speed Index increases the clinical utility of the test, the stability of the Memory index remains low. Irrespective of whether the two-factor or traditional four-composite approach is used, these data suggest that new baselines should occur on a yearly basis in order to maximize clinical utility.

Identite culturelle et francophonie dans les Ameriques (Cultural Identity and the French Language in the Americas). Series No. B-88.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baudot, Alain; And Others

These papers, given at five general sessions and fifteen workshops, discuss the relationship between cultural identity and the French language in the Americas, and deal with the following topics: (1) French speech in Canada; (2) anthropology and cultural identity; (3) translation; (4) French in Ontario and New England; (5) sociology; (6)…

In the Name of Language: School-Based Language Revitalization, Strategic Solidarities, and State Power in the French Basque Country

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidemann, Kai A.

2014-01-01

This article explores the mobilization dynamics of a school-based minority language revitalization initiative in the French Basque Country, known as the Ikastola Movement. Bringing the study of language revitalization into dialogue with social movement theory, I discuss how the solidarity of Basque language activists was influenced by state-level…

Asymmetrical Switch Costs in Bilingual Language Production Induced by Reading Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peeters, David; Runnqvist, Elin; Bertrand, Daisy; Grainger, Jonathan

2014-01-01

We examined language-switching effects in French-English bilinguals using a paradigm where pictures are always named in the same language (either French or English) within a block of trials, and on each trial, the picture is preceded by a printed word from the same language or from the other language. Participants had to either make a language…

Flexibility in Young Second-Language Learners: Examining the Language Specificity of Orthographic Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deacon, S. Helene; Wade-Woolley, Lesly; Kirby, John R.

2009-01-01

This study examines whether orthographic processing transfers across languages to reading when the writing systems under acquisition are sufficiently related. We conducted a study with 76 7-year-old English-first-language children in French immersion. Measures of English and French orthographic processing (orthographic choice tasks) and…

The Work of Ideology: Examining Class, Language Use, and Attitudes among Moroccan University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chakrani, Brahim; Huang, Jason L.

2014-01-01

This article investigates overt language attitudes and linguistic practices among French-taught university students in Morocco, showing the relationship between language behavior and attitudes. The results reveal a class-based divide in respondents' patterns of language use, in their support of the French monolingual sanitized classroom, and in…

Using Authentic Resources in Teaching French. Teaching Languages, 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Barry, Ed.

A collection of papers gives ideas for exploitation of resources easily available to the language teacher. Although the papers apply specifically to French instruction, the ideas may be of interest to all language teachers. "Realia in the Classroom" (Norman Hill) concerns the contribution to language instruction of such materials as containers,…

Banque de strategies de production orale pour un enseignement explicite de la 1re a la 7e annee: Expose et interaction. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion de 1998 (Interactive Oral Presentation Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 1 through 7. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Learning, Edmonton. Direction de l'education francaise.

This teacher's guide, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting, provides a host of strategies for teaching interactive oral presentation skills in the classroom (Grades 1 through 7). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure,…

Banque de strategies de production orale pour un enseignement explicite de la 6e a la 12e annee: Expose et interaction. Document d'appui pour les programmes d'etudes de francais langue premiere et de francais langue seconde--immersion de 1998 (Interactive Oral Presentation Strategies for Specific Instruction in Grades 6 through 12. Guide in Support of Programs Teaching French as a First Language and French as a Second Language--Immersion 1998).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Northwest Territories Dept. of Education, Culture and Employment, Yellowknife.

This teacher's guide, intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting, provides a host of strategies for teaching interactive oral presentation skills in the classroom (Grades 6 through 12). Section 1 is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure,…

La langue etrangere: reflexion sur le statut de la langue francaise en Algerie (Foreign Language: Reflections on the Status of the French Language in Algeria).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morsly, Dalila

1984-01-01

The unstable linguistic situation in Algeria resulting from official "normalization" in a country in which French has strong colonial roots is discussed, as well as its effects on the status of French instruction. (MSE)

Living Language: Self-Assessment, Oral Production, and Domestic Immersion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolosic, Haley N.; Brantmeier, Cindy; Strube, Michael; Hogrebe, Mark C.

2016-01-01

With 24 adolescent students enrolled in a French language summer camp, the present study examines the relationship between self-assessment and oral production in French, interpreting results through a framework of individual learning variables. Participants were surrounded by French inside and outside the classroom. Self-assessment was measured…

Partial validation of a French version of the ADHD-rating scale IV on a French population of children with ADHD and epilepsy. Factorial structure, reliability, and responsiveness.

PubMed

Mercier, Catherine; Roche, Sylvain; Gaillard, Ségolène; Kassai, Behrouz; Arzimanoglou, Alexis; Herbillon, Vania; Roy, Pascal; Rheims, Sylvain

2016-05-01

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a well-known comorbidity in children with epilepsy. In English-speaking countries, the scores of the original ADHD-rating scale IV are currently used as main outcomes in various clinical trials in children with epilepsy. In French-speaking countries, several French versions are in use though none has been fully validated yet. We sought here for a partial validation of a French version of the ADHD-RS IV regarding construct validity, internal consistency (i.e., scale reliability), item reliability, and responsiveness in a group of French children with ADHD and epilepsy. The study involved 167 children aged 6-15years in 10 French neuropediatric units. The factorial structure and item reliability were assessed with a confirmatory factorial analysis for ordered categorical variables. The dimensions' internal consistency was assessed with Guttman's lambda 6 coefficient. The responsiveness was assessed by the change in score under methylphenidate and in comparison with a control group. The results confirmed the original two-dimensional factorial structure (inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity) and showed a satisfactory reliability of most items, a good dimension internal consistency, and a good responsiveness of the total score and the two subscores. The studied French version of the ADHD-RS IV is thus validated regarding construct validity, reliability, and responsiveness. It can now be used in French-speaking countries in clinical trials of treatments involving children with ADHD and epilepsy. The full validation requires further investigations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of Colloquial French in Communication and Implications for Language Instruction. CAL-ERIC/CLL Series on Languages and Linguistics, No. 56.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonin, Therese M.

1978-01-01

A study was conducted to determine the extent to which listening comprehension is impaired when students are confronted with the colloquial use of French, as opposed to its formal use. It was found that amoung 128 prospective French teachers who participated in the study, there existed a low comprehension level of colloquial French, a discrepancy…

La direction generale des relations culturelles et l'enseignement du francais sur les ondes (The Office of Cultural Relations and the Teaching of French by Radio-Television).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francais dans le Monde, 1980

1980-01-01

Outlines the means employed by the French Cultural Relations Office to support the teaching of the French language by foreign radio and television networks. Support includes: the assistance of French professionals; the production and publication of audiovisual aids, language courses, and teachers' guides; and equipment and training for its…

Experience with a second language affects the use of fundamental frequency in speech segmentation

PubMed Central

Broersma, Mirjam; Cho, Taehong; Kim, Sahyang; Martínez-García, Maria Teresa; Connell, Katrina

2017-01-01

This study investigates whether listeners’ experience with a second language learned later in life affects their use of fundamental frequency (F0) as a cue to word boundaries in the segmentation of an artificial language (AL), particularly when the cues to word boundaries conflict between the first language (L1) and second language (L2). F0 signals phrase-final (and thus word-final) boundaries in French but word-initial boundaries in English. Participants were functionally monolingual French listeners, functionally monolingual English listeners, bilingual L1-English L2-French listeners, and bilingual L1-French L2-English listeners. They completed the AL-segmentation task with F0 signaling word-final boundaries or without prosodic cues to word boundaries (monolingual groups only). After listening to the AL, participants completed a forced-choice word-identification task in which the foils were either non-words or part-words. The results show that the monolingual French listeners, but not the monolingual English listeners, performed better in the presence of F0 cues than in the absence of such cues. Moreover, bilingual status modulated listeners’ use of F0 cues to word-final boundaries, with bilingual French listeners performing less accurately than monolingual French listeners on both word types but with bilingual English listeners performing more accurately than monolingual English listeners on non-words. These findings not only confirm that speech segmentation is modulated by the L1, but also newly demonstrate that listeners’ experience with the L2 (French or English) affects their use of F0 cues in speech segmentation. This suggests that listeners’ use of prosodic cues to word boundaries is adaptive and non-selective, and can change as a function of language experience. PMID:28738093

Language experience and consonantal context effects on perceptual assimilation of French vowels by American-English learners of French1

PubMed Central

Levy, Erika S.

2009-01-01

Recent research has called for an examination of perceptual assimilation patterns in second-language speech learning. This study examined the effects of language learning and consonantal context on perceptual assimilation of Parisian French (PF) front rounded vowels ∕y∕ and ∕œ∕ by American English (AE) learners of French. AE listeners differing in their French language experience (no experience, formal instruction, formal-plus-immersion experience) performed an assimilation task involving PF ∕y, œ, u, o, i, ε, a∕ in bilabial ∕rabVp∕ and alveolar ∕radVt∕ contexts, presented in phrases. PF front rounded vowels were assimilated overwhelmingly to back AE vowels. For PF ∕œ∕, assimilation patterns differed as a function of language experience and consonantal context. However, PF ∕y∕ revealed no experience effect in alveolar context. In bilabial context, listeners with extensive experience assimilated PF ∕y∕ to ∕ju∕ less often than listeners with no or only formal experience, a pattern predicting the poorest ∕u-y∕ discrimination for the most experienced group. An “internal consistency” analysis indicated that responses were most consistent with extensive language experience and in bilabial context. Acoustical analysis revealed that acoustical similarities among PF vowels alone cannot explain context-specific assimilation patterns. Instead it is suggested that native-language allophonic variation influences context-specific perceptual patterns in second-language learning. PMID:19206888

L'epreuve de linguistique a l'examen de sortie des C.P.R. marocains de lettres francaises (The Linguistics Section of the Final Exam in Regional Training Centers in French Language and Literature in Morocco)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bastide, Mario

1977-01-01

This article discusses the section of the final examination used at a regional training center in French language and literature in Morocco. The linguistics task is in the form of two tests containing language errors which an examination candidate is required to find, correct, and explain. (Text is in French.) (CLK)

Language Use along the Urban Street in Senegal: Perspectives from Proprietors of Commercial Signs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shiohata, Mariko

2012-01-01

Senegal adopted French as the country's sole official language at the time of independence in 1960, since when the language has been used in administration and other formal domains. Similarly, French is employed throughout the formal education system as the language of instruction. Since the 1990s, however, government has mounted an ambitious…

Teaching for Transfer: Insights from Theory and Practices in Primary-Level French-Second-Language Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Reed; Mady, Callie

2014-01-01

This paper illustrates teaching for transfer across languages by synthesizing key insights from theory and previously published research alongside our case study data from primary-level teachers in core French-second-language (CF) classrooms in Ontario, Canada. Drawing on research that redefines language transfer as a resource, this study drew on…

Reading, Writing and Linguistics Areas in French as a Foreign Language

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erkan, Senem Seda Sahenk

2017-01-01

Globalization and technological developments have caused several students to start their academic careers with the challenge of mastering at least two languages. The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of reading, linguistics, and writing areas in French as a Foreign language (FFL) at the A2 (Waystage) language level. This study was…

Foreign Language Teaching and Learning in the Netherlands 1500-2000: An Overview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilhelm, Frans

2018-01-01

The Netherlands are quite unique in that the Dutch have always learned various foreign languages. Until 1940, French was the most important foreign language. Between roughly 1870 and 1970, Dutch learners in grammar schools and higher secondary schools were even obliged to learn three foreign languages: French, German and English. Since 1970,…

Second Language Text Comprehension: Processing within a Multilayered System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donin, Janet; Graves, Barbara; Goyette, Els

2004-01-01

The results of a within-subject cross-language study of text comprehension in adult second language (L2) learners are presented. Text comprehension and sentence reading time measures were obtained for matched narrative and procedural texts in English and French from adult learners of French as a second language (FSL) at two levels of French…

Language-General and Language-Specific Influences on Children's Acquisition of Argument Structure: A Comparison of French and English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naigles, Letitia R.; Lehrer, Nadine

2002-01-01

This research investigates language-general and language-specific properties of the acquisition of argument structure. Ten French preschoolers enacted forty sentences containing motion verbs; sixteen sentences were ungrammatical in that the syntactic frame was incompatible with the standard argument structure for the verb (e.g. *"Le tigre va le…

Descriptions of Selected Career-Related College Language Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knodel, Arthur J.; And Others

1977-01-01

Seven courses or programs at different colleges emphasizing specific career applications of languages are described. They include: Technical French; Spanish for Law Enforcement and Correctional Personnel; Executive German; Proyecto Desarrollo Economico; Spanish for Medical Professions; Elements of Foreign Language, and Business French and Business…

Cultural adaptation: translatability assessment and linguistic validation of the patient-reported outcome instrument for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea

PubMed Central

Delgado-Herrera, Leticia; Lasch, Kathryn; Popielnicki, Ana; Nishida, Akito; Arbuckle, Rob; Banderas, Benjamin; Zentner, Susan; Gagainis, Ingrid; Zeiher, Bernhardt

2016-01-01

Background and objective Following a 2009 US Food and Drug Administration guidance, a new patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument was developed to support end points in multinational clinical trials assessing irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) symptom severity. Our objective was to assess the translatability of the IBS-D PRO instrument into ten languages, and subsequently perform a cultural adaptation/linguistic validation of the questionnaire into Japanese and US Spanish. Materials and methods Translatability assessments of the US English version of the IBS-D PRO were performed by experienced PRO translators who were native speakers of each target language and currently residing in target-language countries. Languages were Chinese (People’s Republic of China), Dutch (the Netherlands), French (Belgium), German (Germany), Japanese (Japan), Polish (Poland), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian (Russia), Spanish (Mexico), and Spanish (US). The project team assessed the instrument to identify potential linguistic and/or cultural adaptation issues. After the issues identified were resolved, the instrument was translated into Spanish (US) and Japanese through a process of two forward translations, one reconciled translation, and one backward translation. The project team reviewed the translated versions before the instruments were evaluated by cognitive debriefing interviews with samples of five Spanish (US) and five Japanese IBS-D patients. Results Linguistic and cultural adaptation concerns identified during the translatability assessment required minor revisions, mainly the presentation of dates/times and word structure. During the cognitive debriefing interviews, two of five Spanish respondents misunderstood the term “bowel movement” to mean only diarrhea in the Spanish version. Consequently, the term was changed from “movimiento intestinal” to “evacuaciones”. None of the Japanese respondents identified issues with the Japanese version. Conclusion The translatability of the IBS-D PRO instrument into ten target languages was confirmed, with only minor changes made to the translations of the instrument. The translation and linguistic validation into Spanish (US) and Japanese provide evidence that this instrument can be used in multinational trials and clinical settings. PMID:27382346

French version of the Family Attitude Scale: psychometric properties and relation of attitudes to the respondent's psychiatric status.

PubMed

Vandeleur, Caroline L; Kavanagh, David J; Favez, Nicolas; Castelao, Enrique; Preisig, Martin

2013-12-15

The Family Attitude Scale (FAS) is a self-report measure of critical or hostile attitudes and behaviors towards another family member, and demonstrates an ability to predict relapse in psychoses. Data are not currently available on a French version of the scale. The present study developed a French version of the FAS, using a large general population sample to test its internal structure, criterion validity and relationships with the respondents' symptoms and psychiatric diagnoses, and examined the reciprocity of FAS ratings by respondents and their partners. A total of 2072 adults from an urban population undertook a diagnostic interview and completed self-report measures, including an FAS about their partner. A subset of participants had partners who also completed the FAS. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed an excellent fit by a single-factor model, and the FAS demonstrated a strong association with dyadic adjustment. FAS scores of respondents were affected by their anxiety levels and mood, alcohol and anxiety diagnoses, and moderate reciprocity of attitudes and behaviors between the partners was seen. The French version of the FAS has similarly strong psychometric properties to the original English version. Future research should assess the ability of the French FAS to predict relapse of psychiatric disorders. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Teaching Scientific and Technical French at Napier College in Scotland.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Evelyne

Scotland's vocationally-oriented Napier College was funded by the French Government to develop language courses for scientists and engineers. The courses developed have been intensive and extensive, based on work started by a team of French scientists focusing on the language, concepts, and ways of thinking common to the scientific community.…

Entre Nous: A Tutorial Approach to the Teaching of Business French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chaisson, Arthur P.

Suffolk University (Massachusetts) has developed a degree program in international marketing in French and Spanish that links curricula in the economics department and the department of humanities and modern languages. Language tutorials are mandatory for students in the international economics major. The tutorials are taught by native French- and…

Enseigner quel francais du tourisme (Which French to Teach for Tourism).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsson, Bjorn

1992-01-01

Development of a course in French for tourism and the hotel industry in Sweden is chronicled, focusing on the process of functional analysis used to determine appropriate language content. A general functional outline of touristic French and an outline of language functions specific to a restaurant situation are presented. (MSE)

French Interrogative Structures: A New Pedagogical Norm for the 21st-Century Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Antes, Theresa A.

2016-01-01

This study investigated interrogative structures most frequently used by native speakers of French, in an attempt to reconcile differences between language forms taught in the French as a foreign language classroom and those that are encountered in authentic input. Radio, television, and magazine interviews provided multiple examples of…

Lafayette School District: French Immersion Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boudreaux, Nicole

2007-01-01

From 1969 to the late 1980's, most French programs in schools were based on a traditional foreign language instructional model, usually offering 30 minutes a day of French language instruction in elementary grades, increasing to 50 minutes a day in middle school. Contingent on funding and political swings over time, programs expanded from…

Portfolio langagier en francais (Language Portfolios in French).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laplante, Bernard; Christiansen, Helen

2001-01-01

Suggests that first-year college students learning French should create a language portfolio that contains documents that illustrate what they have learned in French, along with a brief statement of what linguistic skill the document demonstrates. The goal of the portfolio is to make students more aware of their own learning, their strengths, and…

Cognate Awareness in French Immersion Students: Contributions to Grade 2 Reading Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipfner-Boucher, Kathleen; Pasquarella, Adrian; Chen, Xi; Deacon, S. Hélène

2016-01-01

Cognate awareness is the ability to recognize the cognate relationship between words in two etymologically related languages. The current study examined the development of cognate awareness and its contribution to French (second language) reading comprehension among Canadian French immersion children. Eighty-one students were tested at the end of…

Galen-In-Use: using artificial intelligence terminology tools to improve the linguistic coherence of a national coding system for surgical procedures.

PubMed

Rodrigues, J M; Trombert-Paviot, B; Baud, R; Wagner, J; Meusnier-Carriot, F

1998-01-01

GALEN has developed a language independent common reference model based on a medically oriented ontology and practical tools and techniques for managing healthcare terminology including natural language processing. GALEN-IN-USE is the current phase which applied the modelling and the tools to the development or the updating of coding systems for surgical procedures in different national coding centers co-operating within the European Federation of Coding Centre (EFCC) to create a language independent knowledge repository for multicultural Europe. We used an integrated set of artificial intelligence terminology tools named CLAssification Manager workbench to process French professional medical language rubrics into intermediate dissections and to the Grail reference ontology model representation. From this language independent concept model representation we generate controlled French natural language. The French national coding centre is then able to retrieve the initial professional rubrics with different categories of concepts, to compare the professional language proposed by expert clinicians to the French generated controlled vocabulary and to finalize the linguistic labels of the coding system in relation with the meanings of the conceptual system structure.

On national flags and language tags: Effects of flag-language congruency in bilingual word recognition.

PubMed

Grainger, Jonathan; Declerck, Mathieu; Marzouki, Yousri

2017-07-01

French-English bilinguals performed a generalized lexical decision experiment with mixed lists of French and English words and pseudo-words. In Experiment 1, each word/pseudo-word was superimposed on the picture of the French or UK flag, and flag-word congruency was manipulated. The flag was not informative with respect to either the lexical decision response or the language of the word. Nevertheless, lexical decisions to word stimuli were faster following the congruent flag compared with the incongruent flag, but only for French (L1) words. Experiment 2 replicated this flag-language congruency effect in a priming paradigm, where the word and pseudo-word targets followed the brief presentation of the flag prime, and this time effects were seen in both languages. We take these findings as evidence for a mechanism that automatically processes linguistic and non-linguistic information concerning the presence or not of a given language. Language membership information can then modulate lexical processing, in line with the architecture of the BIA model, but not the BIA+ model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Immersion Education in the Context of an Endangered Language: A Linguistic Study of the Oral Production of French Immersion Students in Louisiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Betters, Jennifer R.

2016-01-01

In the past century, French has shifted from being the native language of many Louisianans to being an endangered dialect. Since the creation of the state agency CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana) in the 1960's, efforts have been made to revitalize French in Louisiana, and since the 1980's, some parishes have offered…

"Napouléon's" Sequential Heritage. Using a Student Error as a Resource for Learning and Teaching Pronunciation in the French Foreign Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Broth, Mathias; Lundell, Fanny Forsberg

2013-01-01

In this paper, we consider a student error produced in a French foreign language small-group seminar, involving four Swedish L1 first-term university students of French and a native French teacher. The error in question consists of a mispronunciation of the second vowel of the name "Napoléon" in the midst of a student presentation on the…

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale for use in French-speaking populations.

PubMed

Angers, Magalie; Svotelis, Amy; Balg, Frederic; Allard, Jean-Pascal

2016-04-01

The Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) is a self-administered score specific for ankle osteoarthritis (OA) with excellent reliability and strong construct and criterion validity. Many recent randomized multicentre trials have used the AOS, and the involvement of the French-speaking population is limited by the absence of a French version. Our goal was to develop a French version and validate the psychometric properties to assure equivalence to the original English version. Translation was performed according to American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2000 guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation. Similar to the validation process of the English AOS, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the French version (AOS-Fr): criterion validity (AOS-Fr v. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index [WOMAC] and SF-36 scores), construct validity (AOS-Fr correlation to single heel-lift test), and reliability (AOS-Fr test-retest). Sixty healthy individuals tested a prefinal version of the AOS-Fr for comprehension, leading to modifications and a final version that was approved by C. Saltzman, author of the AOS. We then recruited patients with ankle OA for evaluation of the AOS-Fr psychometric properties. Twenty-eight patients with ankle OA participated in the evaluation. The AOS-Fr showed strong criterion validity (AOS:WOMAC r = 0.709 and AOS:SF-36 r = -0.654) and construct validity (r = 0.664) and proved to be reliable (test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.922). The AOS-Fr is a reliable and valid score equivalent to the English version in terms of psychometric properties, thus is available for use in multicentre trials.

Fiches Pratiques: ...et comme le poeme est violent; droit au concours; la liberte guide nos pas; lexique de didactique les 39 marches (Practical Ideas: ...And How Violent the Poem Is; Right to the Contest; Liberty Guides Us; The Language of Teaching in 39 Steps).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dautry, Claire-Lise; And Others

1988-01-01

Four ideas for French language instruction are described, including a class recording of a famous French poem, a contest about the French Revolution, study of the Declaration of the Rights of Man, and a list of 39 definitions forming the basis of instructional language. (MSE)

A dictionary of Astronomy for the French Sign Language (LSF)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proust, Dominique; Abbou, Daniel; Chab, Nasro

2011-06-01

Since a few years, the french deaf communauty have access to astronomy at Paris-Meudon observatory through a specific teaching adapted from the French Sign Language (Langue des Signes Françcaise, LSF) including direct observations with the observatory telescopes. From this experience, an encyclopedic dictionary of astronomy The Hands in the Stars is now available, containing more than 200 astronomical concepts. Many of them did not existed in Sign Language and can be now fully expressed and explained.

L1 Frequency in Foreign Language Acquisition: Recurrent Word Combinations in French and Spanish EFL Learner Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paquot, Magali

2017-01-01

This study investigated French and Spanish EFL (English as a foreign language) learners' preferred use of three-word lexical bundles with discourse or stance-oriented function with a view to exploring the role of first language (L1) frequency effects in foreign language acquisition. Word combinations were extracted from learner performance data…

Sources of Writing Anxiety: A Study on French Language Teaching Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aslim Yetis, Veda

2017-01-01

Conducted on French Language Teaching students, this research aims to determine the causes of writing anxiety. Designed in accordance with the mixed method, a writing anxiety inventory, a language proficiency exam, a retrospective composing-process questionnaire, a writing attitude scale and semi-structured interviews were used. After identifying…

Experiences of French Speaking Immigrants and Non-immigrants Accessing Health Care Services in a Large Canadian City

PubMed Central

Ngwakongnwi, Emmanuel; Hemmelgarn, Brenda R.; Musto, Richard; Quan, Hude; King-Shier, Kathryn M.

2012-01-01

French speakers residing in predominantly English-speaking communities have been linked to difficulties accessing health care. This study examined health care access experiences of immigrants and non-immigrants who self-identify as Francophone or French speakers in a mainly English speaking province of Canada. We used semi-structured interviews to gather opinions of recent users of physician and hospital services (N = 26). Language barriers and difficulties finding family doctors were experienced by both French speaking immigrants and non-immigrants alike. This was exacerbated by a general preference for health services in French and less interest in using language interpreters during a medical consultation. Some participants experienced emotional distress, were discontent with care received, often delayed seeking care due to language barriers. Recent immigrants identified lack of insurance coverage for drugs, transportation difficulties and limited knowledge of the healthcare system as major detractors to achieving health. This study provided the groundwork for future research on health issues of official language minorities in Canada. PMID:23202772

Overt and Covert Prestige in the French Language Classroom: When Is It Good To Sound Bad?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedgecock, John; Lefkowitz, Natalie

2000-01-01

Examines the performance and perceptions of 100 university-level learners of French as a foreign language, with a view toward exposing the impact of social pressure in the learning environment. Addresses the contradictory nature of learners' perceptions of what it means to "sound good" when speaking French. (Author/VWL)

Constructing Language: Evidence from a French-English Bilingual Child

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macrory, Gee

2007-01-01

This paper presents evidence from a French-English bilingual child between the ages of two years three months and three years five months, growing up bilingually from birth, with a French mother and English father in an English speaking environment. In focussing upon questions in the child's two languages, and charting in some detail the emergence…

Standards for the Language Competence of French Immersion Teachers: Is There a Danger of Erosion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veilleux, Ingrid; Bournot-Trites, Monique

2005-01-01

We examined standards used by Canadian universities and British Columbia school districts to verify the language competence of French Immersion (FI) teachers in a time of shortage, confirmed by 56 per cent of school districts surveyed. Parents and Directors of Human Resources agreed on their minimum expectations about French teachers'…

Moving towards Inclusive French as a Second Official Language Education in Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mady, Callie

2013-01-01

This paper examines French as a second official language (FSOL) teachers' perspectives as they relate to the inclusion of immigrants who are learning English (IMMs), in elementary FSOL education in an English-dominant region of Canada, in particular within French immersion. In this paper, I have tried to examine the question of access to…

What Are Successful Teaching Methods for Teaching French to First Graders?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Cassandra Wellington

This paper is about successful teaching methods for foreign language instruction in the primary grades, with emphasis on French in first grade. One teacher drew on the literature of elementary school second language instruction, and personal experience and ideas to develop a six-lesson instructional unit for first grade French instruction at Cale…

Manual of Tape Scripts: French, Level 2. Curriculum Bulletin, 1968-69 Series, Number 10.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipton, Gladys; And Others

This second manual of tape scripts, together with a set of foreign language audio tapes for level 2 French, was prepared to support the curriculum bulletin, New York City Foreign Language Program for Secondary Schools: French, Levels 1-5. Vocabulary, repetition, transformation, and recombination drills on specific grammatical features allow…

Linguistic Proficiency Assessment in Second Language Acquisition Research: The Elicited Imitation Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaillard, Stéphanie; Tremblay, Annie

2016-01-01

This study investigated the elicited imitation task (EIT) as a tool for measuring linguistic proficiency in a second/foreign (L2) language, focusing on French. Nonnative French speakers (n = 94) and native French speakers (n = 6) completed an EIT that included 50 sentences varying in length and complexity. Three raters evaluated productions on…

Proverbes anglo-americains (English/American Proverbs).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giauque, Gerald S.

A collection of the 550 best-known English-language proverbs provides an explanation of their meanings in French and gives French-language equivalents. A list of proverbs categorized by key words is appended. (MSE)

Two Languages Are Better than One

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brion, Corinne

2014-01-01

A program of helping students learn French by integrating students' native tongue into their school instruction, along with French--the country's national language--promises to improve education outcomes in one of the world's poorest nations.

The relation between language and arithmetic in bilinguals: insights from different stages of language acquisition

PubMed Central

Van Rinsveld, Amandine; Brunner, Martin; Landerl, Karin; Schiltz, Christine; Ugen, Sonja

2015-01-01

Solving arithmetic problems is a cognitive task that heavily relies on language processing. One might thus wonder whether this language-reliance leads to qualitative differences (e.g., greater difficulties, error types, etc.) in arithmetic for bilingual individuals who frequently have to solve arithmetic problems in more than one language. The present study investigated how proficiency in two languages interacts with arithmetic problem solving throughout language acquisition in adolescents and young adults. Additionally, we examined whether the number word structure that is specific to a given language plays a role in number processing over and above bilingual proficiency. We addressed these issues in a German–French educational bilingual setting, where there is a progressive transition from German to French as teaching language. Importantly, German and French number naming structures differ clearly, as two-digit number names follow a unit-ten order in German, but a ten-unit order in French. We implemented a transversal developmental design in which bilingual pupils from grades 7, 8, 10, 11, and young adults were asked to solve simple and complex additions in both languages. The results confirmed that language proficiency is crucial especially for complex addition computation. Simple additions in contrast can be retrieved equally well in both languages after extended language practice. Additional analyses revealed that over and above language proficiency, language-specific number word structures (e.g., unit-ten vs. ten-unit) also induced significant modulations of bilinguals' arithmetic performances. Taken together, these findings support the view of a strong relation between language and arithmetic in bilinguals. PMID:25821442

Literacy/Alphabetisation, 1991-92.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Literacy/Alphabetisation, 1992

1992-01-01

"Literacy/Alphabetisation" is the Journal of the Movement for Canadian Literacy. Each issue appears in an English version and a separate French version. This document consists of the four issues comprising Volume 15, with the French issue immediately following the corresponding English issue. Each issue begins with Notes from the Editor…

The neural correlates of highly iconic structures and topographic discourse in French Sign Language as observed in six hearing native signers.

PubMed

Courtin, C; Hervé, P-Y; Petit, L; Zago, L; Vigneau, M; Beaucousin, V; Jobard, G; Mazoyer, B; Mellet, E; Tzourio-Mazoyer, N

2010-09-01

"Highly iconic" structures in Sign Language enable a narrator to act, switch characters, describe objects, or report actions in four-dimensions. This group of linguistic structures has no real spoken-language equivalent. Topographical descriptions are also achieved in a sign-language specific manner via the use of signing-space and spatial-classifier signs. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare the neural correlates of topographic discourse and highly iconic structures in French Sign Language (LSF) in six hearing native signers, children of deaf adults (CODAs), and six LSF-naïve monolinguals. LSF materials consisted of videos of a lecture excerpt signed without spatially organized discourse or highly iconic structures (Lect LSF), a tale signed using highly iconic structures (Tale LSF), and a topographical description using a diagrammatic format and spatial-classifier signs (Topo LSF). We also presented texts in spoken French (Lect French, Tale French, Topo French) to all participants. With both languages, the Topo texts activated several different regions that are involved in mental navigation and spatial working memory. No specific correlate of LSF spatial discourse was evidenced. The same regions were more activated during Tale LSF than Lect LSF in CODAs, but not in monolinguals, in line with the presence of signing-space structure in both conditions. Motion processing areas and parts of the fusiform gyrus and precuneus were more active during Tale LSF in CODAs; no such effect was observed with French or in LSF-naïve monolinguals. These effects may be associated with perspective-taking and acting during personal transfers. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence on the validity and reliability of the German, French and Italian nursing home version of the Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care instrument.

PubMed

Zúñiga, Franziska; Schubert, Maria; Hamers, Jan P H; Simon, Michael; Schwendimann, René; Engberg, Sandra; Ausserhofer, Dietmar

2016-08-01

To develop and test psychometrically the Basel Extent of Rationing of Nursing Care for Nursing Homes instrument, providing initial evidence on the validity and reliability of the German, French and Italian-language versions. In the hospital setting, implicit rationing of nursing care is defined as the withholding of nursing activities due to lack of resources, such as staffing or time. No instrument existed to measure this concept in nursing homes. Cross-sectional study. We developed the instrument in three phases: (1) adaption and translation; (2) content validity testing; and (3) initial validity and reliability testing. For phase 3, we analysed survey data from 4748 care workers collected between May 2012-April 2013 from a randomly selected sample of 162 nursing homes in the German-, French- and Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland to provide evidence from response processes (e.g. missing), internal structure (exploratory factor analysis), inter-item inconsistencies (e.g. Cronbach's alpha) and interscorer differences (e.g. within-group agreement). Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure with good fit statistics. Rationing of nursing care was structured in four domains: (1) activities of daily living; (2) caring, rehabilitation and monitoring; (3) documentation; and (4) social care. Items of the social care subscale showed lower content validity and more missing values than items of other subscales. First evidence indicates that the new instrument can be recommended for research and practice to measure implicit rationing of nursing care in nursing homes. Further refinements of single items are needed. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Second Language Acquisition as Situated Practice: Task Accomplishment in the French Second Language Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mondada, Lorenza; Doehler, Simona Pekarek

2004-01-01

This article provides an empirically based perspective on the contribution of conversation analysis (CA) and sociocultural theory to our understanding of learners' second language (L2) practices within what we call a strong socio-interactionist perspective. It explores the interactive (re)configuration of tasks in French second language…

Actes/Proceedings, Canadian Association of Applied Linguistics, 3rd Annual Meeting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laval Univ., Quebec (Quebec). International Center for Research on Bilingualism.

These proceedings on applied linguistics and language learning contain the following papers: (1) "Audio-visual and Applied Linguistics; The State of the Question," by V. Ferenczi (in French); (2) "Research in Fundamental Language: The State of the Question," by B. Pottier (in French); (3) "Psycholinguistic Insights into Language Learning," by F.…

English as a Minority Language in Quebec

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boberg, Charles

2012-01-01

The variety of English spoken by about half a million people in the Canadian province of Quebec is a minority language in intensive contact with French, the local majority language. This unusual contact situation has produced a unique variety of English which displays many instances of French influence that distinguish it from other types of…

French Vocabulary in "Encore Tricolore": Do Pupils Have a Chance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tschichold, Cornelia

2012-01-01

British learners acquire very little vocabulary in their foreign languages, compared to pupils elsewhere in Europe, particularly learners of English as a foreign language. Could the materials used for teaching help explain this difference? An analysis of the vocabulary loading of a textbook for French as a foreign language commonly used in…

Les langues sur le gril argentin (Languages on the Argentine Grill).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cagnolait, Beatriz

1994-01-01

A survey of secondary students, French language teachers, managers, and university students in Buenos Aires (Argentina) gives insight into the role of French there and reasons for studying it. Students in general appreciated the language for its aesthetic aspects, managers and teachers for its contribution to culture in general. (MSE)

Understanding L2 French Teaching Strategies in a Non-Target Language Classroom Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Peijian; Yuan, Rui; Teng, Lin

2015-01-01

This research explored the congruence and disparity between teachers' and students' attitudes towards French as a second language (L2) teaching strategies in a non-target language classroom context in the USA. The findings suggest students' and teachers' attitudes towards the direct and indirect teaching strategies were generally consistent, but…

Cross-Language Activation of Phonology in Young Bilingual Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jared, Debra; Cormier, Pierre; Levy, Betty Ann; Wade-Woolley, Lesly

2012-01-01

We investigated whether children who were learning to read simultaneously in English and French activate phonological representations from only the language in which they are reading or from both of their languages. Children in French Immersion programs in Grade 3 were asked to name aloud cognates, interlingual homographs, interlingual homophones,…

A cross-linguistic study of the development of gesture and speech in Zulu and French oral narratives.

PubMed

Kunene Nicolas, Ramona; Guidetti, Michèle; Colletta, Jean-Marc

2017-01-01

The present study reports on a developmental and cross-linguistic study of oral narratives produced by speakers of Zulu (a Bantu language) and French (a Romance language). Specifically, we focus on oral narrative performance as a bimodal (i.e., linguistic and gestural) behaviour during the late language acquisition phase. We analyzed seventy-two oral narratives produced by L1 Zulu and French adults and primary school children aged between five and ten years old. The data were all collected using a narrative retelling task. The results revealed a strong effect of age on discourse performance, confirming that narrative abilities improve with age, irrespective of language. However, the results also showed cross-linguistic differences. Zulu oral narratives were longer, more detailed, and accompanied by more co-speech gestures than the French narratives. The parallel effect of age and language on gestural behaviour is discussed and highlights the importance of studying oral narratives from a multimodal perspective within a cross-linguistic framework.

Validation of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being (FACIT-Sp12) on French Old People.

PubMed

Agli, Océane; Bailly, Nathalie; Ferrand, Claude

2017-04-01

The study aimed to develop a French version of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being short version (FACIT-Sp12), in order to provide a self-reported measure for French people in the field of gerontology. The study involving 63 nursing home residents was conducted to evaluate the construct validity, reliability, and convergence validity of the FACIT-Sp12. A confirmatory factor analysis corroborated a three-factor model (Meaning, Peace and Faith) with modifications for two items, also valid among people with cognitive impairment. Subscales showed good internal consistency and are correlated with quality of life and depression. In conclusion, the validated French version is an suitable instrument to study the maintenance and promotion of quality of life in the elderly.

PubMed Central

Brown, J. B.; Schmidt, G.; Lent, B.; Sas, G.; Lemelin, J.

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To replicate, in a Francophone community, our prior work determining the reliability and validity of the full Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST) and a two-item version (WAST-Short). DESIGN: Questionnaires completed by abused and nonabused women. SETTING: Two women's shelters in Francophone communities in Ontario and Quebec and participants' homes or workplaces. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 25 abused women currently residing in two women's shelters and a convenience sample of 21 women who reported they were not abused. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women's responses to French versions of the WAST, the Abuse Risk Inventory (ARI), and comfort in answering the questions were compared. Also, the reliability and validity of French versions of WAST and WAST-Short were assessed. RESULTS: Abused (n = 23) and not abused (n = 21) women were demographically similar. A strong single-factor structure that accounted for 81% of total variance in the French WAST items was identified. The French WAST was found to be highly reliable with a coefficient alpha of .95 and demonstrated construct and discriminant validity. The WAST-Short correctly classified all the nonabused women and 78.7% of the abused women. The abused women reported feeling less comfortable responding to the WAST questions than the nonabused women. CONCLUSION: The French version of the WAST demonstrated good reliability and validity and discriminated between known samples of abused and nonabused women. Even though the French WAST-Short did not perform as well as the English version, results of this study support further evaluation of the WAST for screening women in Francophone or bilingual family practice settings. PMID:11398732

Development of English and French Language and Literacy Skills in EL1 and EL French Immersion Students in the Early Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Au-Yeung, Karen; Hipfner-Boucher, Kathleen; Chen, Xi; Pasquarella, Adrian; D'Angelo, Nadia; Deacon, S. Hélène

2015-01-01

In this article, we report two studies that compared the development of English and French language and literacy skills in French immersion students identified as native English speakers (EL1s) and English learners (ELs). In study 1, 81 EL1s and 147 ELs were tested in the fall and spring terms of grade 1. The EL1s and ELs had similar outcomes and…

Un gars, une fille: plaidoyer pour la culture avec un "petit c" dans un cours de francais languae etrangere (Un gars, une fille: Culture with a "Litte c" in a French as a econd Language Course).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Catherine

2001-01-01

Looks at the Quebecois TV show, "Un gars, Une fille" used in a university French course to teach the socio-cultural reality that underlies all linguistic utterances in a university-level French course. Attempts to identify what makes the show more authentic than videos and CD ROMs that accompany most language textbooks in French.…

Fiches pratiques: Systeme temporel du passe; Le Village, dossier langue (extraits); L'Inspecteur mene l'enquete; La ZUP (Practical Ideas: Temporal System of the Past Tense; The Village, Language File; The Inspector Leads the Investigation; The Urban Priority Zone).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Meyer, Bernard; And Others

1993-01-01

Four instructional ideas for use in the French second-language classroom are described, including an exercise in the temporal aspect of French past tenses; part of a series on simulating a French village community; a verb tense drill set in the context of a murder mystery; and an exercise in current French street slang. (MSE)

Predicting writing development in dual language instructional contexts: exploring cross-linguistic relationships.

PubMed

Savage, Robert; Kozakewich, Meagan; Genesee, Fred; Erdos, Caroline; Haigh, Corinne

2017-01-01

This study examined whether decoding and linguistic comprehension abilities, broadly defined by the Simple View of Reading, in grade 1 each uniquely predicted the grade 6 writing performance of English-speaking children (n = 76) who were educated bilingually in both English their first language and French, a second language. Prediction was made from (1) English to English; (2) French to French; and (3) English to French. Results showed that both decoding and linguistic comprehension scores predicted writing accuracy but rarely predicted persuasive writing. Within the linguistic comprehension cluster of tests, Formulating Sentences was a strong consistent within- and between-language predictor of writing accuracy. In practical terms, the present results indicate that early screening for later writing ability using measures of sentence formulation early in students' schooling, in their L1 or L2, can provide greatest predictive power and allow teachers to differentiate instruction in the primary grades. Theoretically, the present results argue that there are correlations between reading-related abilities and writing abilities not only within the same language but also across languages, adding to the growing body of evidence for facilitative cross-linguistic relationships between bilinguals' developing languages. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Language differences in verbal short-term memory do not exclusively originate in the process of subvocal rehearsal.

PubMed

Thorn, A S; Gathercole, S E

2001-06-01

Language differences in verbal short-term memory were investigated in two experiments. In Experiment 1, bilinguals with high competence in English and French and monolingual English adults with extremely limited knowledge of French were assessed on their serial recall of words and nonwords in both languages. In all cases recall accuracy was superior in the language with which individuals were most familiar, a first-language advantage that remained when variation due to differential rates of articulation in the two languages was taken into account. In Experiment 2, bilinguals recalled lists of English and French words with and without concurrent articulatory suppression. First-language superiority persisted under suppression, suggesting that the language differences in recall accuracy were not attributable to slower rates of subvocal rehearsal in the less familiar language. The findings indicate that language-specific differences in verbal short-term memory do not exclusively originate in the subvocal rehearsal process. It is suggested that one source of language-specific variation might relate to the use of long-term knowledge to support short-term memory performance.

[A study on English loan words in French plastic surgery].

PubMed

Hansson, E; Tegelberg, E

2014-10-01

The French language is less and less used as an international scientific language and many French researchers publish their work in English. Nowadays, Annales de Chirurgie Plastique Esthétique is the only international plastic surgical journal published completely in French. The use of English loan words in French plastic surgery has never been studied. The aim of this study was to describe the frequency and types of English loan words in French plastic surgery. A corpus consisting of all the articles in a number of Annales de Chirurgie Plastique Esthethique, chosen by default, was created. The frequency of English loan words was calculated and the types of words were analysed. The corpus contains 367 (0.8%) English loan words. Most of them are non-integrated loan words and calques. The majority of the plastic surgical loan words describe surgical techniques. The French plastic surgical language seems to be influenced by English. The usage of loan words does not always follow the recommendations and the usage is sometimes ambiguous. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Cross-Language Modulation of Visual Attention Span: An Arabic-French-Spanish Comparison in Skilled Adult Readers.

PubMed

Awadh, Faris H R; Phénix, Thierry; Antzaka, Alexia; Lallier, Marie; Carreiras, Manuel; Valdois, Sylviane

2016-01-01

In delineating the amount of orthographic information that can be processed in parallel during a single fixation, the visual attention (VA) span acts as a key component of the reading system. Previous studies focused on the contribution of VA span to normal and pathological reading in monolingual and bilingual children from different European languages, without direct cross-language comparison. In the current paper, we explored modulations of VA span abilities in three languages -French, Spanish, and Arabic- that differ in transparency, reading direction and writing systems. The participants were skilled adult readers who were native speakers of French, Spanish or Arabic. They were administered tasks of global and partial letter report, single letter identification and text reading. Their VA span abilities were assessed using tasks that require the processing of briefly presented five consonant strings (e.g., R S H F T). All five consonants had to be reported in global report but a single cued letter in partial report. Results showed that VA span was reduced in Arabic readers as compared to French or Spanish readers who otherwise show a similar high performance in the two report tasks. The analysis of VA span response patterns in global report showed a left-right asymmetry in all three languages. A leftward letter advantage was found in French and Spanish but a rightward advantage in Arabic. The response patterns were symmetric in partial report, regardless of the language. Last, a significant relationship was found between VA span abilities and reading speed but only for French. The overall findings suggest that the size of VA span, the shape of VA span response patterns and the VA Span-reading relationship are modulated by language-specific features.

Cross-Language Modulation of Visual Attention Span: An Arabic-French-Spanish Comparison in Skilled Adult Readers

PubMed Central

Awadh, Faris H. R.; Phénix, Thierry; Antzaka, Alexia; Lallier, Marie; Carreiras, Manuel; Valdois, Sylviane

2016-01-01

In delineating the amount of orthographic information that can be processed in parallel during a single fixation, the visual attention (VA) span acts as a key component of the reading system. Previous studies focused on the contribution of VA span to normal and pathological reading in monolingual and bilingual children from different European languages, without direct cross-language comparison. In the current paper, we explored modulations of VA span abilities in three languages –French, Spanish, and Arabic– that differ in transparency, reading direction and writing systems. The participants were skilled adult readers who were native speakers of French, Spanish or Arabic. They were administered tasks of global and partial letter report, single letter identification and text reading. Their VA span abilities were assessed using tasks that require the processing of briefly presented five consonant strings (e.g., R S H F T). All five consonants had to be reported in global report but a single cued letter in partial report. Results showed that VA span was reduced in Arabic readers as compared to French or Spanish readers who otherwise show a similar high performance in the two report tasks. The analysis of VA span response patterns in global report showed a left-right asymmetry in all three languages. A leftward letter advantage was found in French and Spanish but a rightward advantage in Arabic. The response patterns were symmetric in partial report, regardless of the language. Last, a significant relationship was found between VA span abilities and reading speed but only for French. The overall findings suggest that the size of VA span, the shape of VA span response patterns and the VA Span-reading relationship are modulated by language-specific features. PMID:27014125

Validation of the French version of the yale food addiction scale: an examination of its factor structure, reliability, and construct validity in a nonclinical sample.

PubMed

Brunault, Paul; Ballon, Nicolas; Gaillard, Philippe; Réveillère, Christian; Courtois, Robert

2014-05-01

The concept of food addiction has recently been proposed by applying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria for substance dependence to eating behaviour. Food addiction has received increased attention given that it may play a role in binge eating, eating disorders, and the recent increase in obesity prevalence. Currently, there is no psychometrically sound tool for assessing food addiction in French. Our study aimed to test the psychometric properties of a French version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) by establishing its factor structure and construct validity in a nonclinical population. A total of 553 participants were assessed for food addiction (French version of the YFAS) and binge eating behaviour (Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh and Binge Eating Scale). We tested the scale's factor structure (factor analysis for dichotomous data based on tetrachoric correlation coefficients), internal consistency, and construct validity with measures of binge eating. Our results supported a 1-factor structure, which accounted for 54.1% of the variance. This tool had adequate reliability and high construct validity with measures of binge eating in this population, both in its diagnosis and symptom count version. A 2-factor structure explained an additional 9.1% of the variance, and could differentiate between patients with high, compared with low, levels of insight regarding addiction symptoms. In our study, we validated a psychometrically sound French version of the YFAS, both in its symptom count and diagnostic version. Future studies should validate this tool in clinical samples.

Predicting growth in English and French vocabulary: The facilitating effects of morphological and cognate awareness.

PubMed

D'Angelo, Nadia; Hipfner-Boucher, Kathleen; Chen, Xi

2017-07-01

The present study investigated the contribution of morphological and cognate awareness to the development of English and French vocabulary knowledge among young minority and majority language children who were enrolled in a French immersion program. Participating children (n = 75) were assessed in English and French on measures of morphological awareness, cognate awareness, and vocabulary knowledge from Grades 1 to 3. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to investigate linear trends in English and French vocabulary growth for minority and majority language children and to identify metalinguistic contributions to Grade 1 and Grade 3 English and French vocabulary performance and rate of growth. Results demonstrated a similar pattern of prediction for both groups of children. English and French morphological awareness and French-English cognate awareness significantly predicted concurrent and longitudinal vocabulary development after controlling for nonverbal reasoning, phonological awareness, and word identification. The contributions of morphological awareness to English vocabulary and cognate awareness to French vocabulary strengthened between Grades 1 and 2. These findings highlight the emerging importance of morphological and cognate awareness in children's vocabulary development and suggest that these metalinguistic factors can serve to broaden the vocabulary repertoire of children who enter school with limited language proficiency. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Barriers to offering French language physician services in rural and northern Ontario.

PubMed

Timony, Patrick E; Gauthier, Alain P; Serresse, Suzanne; Goodale, Natalie; Prpic, Jason

2016-01-01

Rural and Northern Ontario francophones face many health-related challenges including poor health status, a poor supply of French-speaking physicians, and the potential for an inability or reduced ability to effectively communicate with anglophone healthcare providers. As such, it can reasonably be expected that rural and Northern Ontario francophones experience barriers when receiving care. However, the experience of physicians working in areas densely populated by francophones is largely unexplored. This paper identifies barriers experienced by French-speaking and Non-French-speaking rural and Northern Ontario physicians when serving francophone patients. A series of key informant interviews were conducted with 18 family physicians practicing in rural and urban francophone communities of Northeastern Ontario. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis process. Five categories of barrier were identified: (1) language discordance, (2) characteristics of francophone patients, (3) dominance of English in the medical profession, (4) lack of French-speaking medical personnel, and (5) physicians' linguistic (in)sensitivity. Some barriers identified were unique to Non-French-speaking physicians (eg language discordance, use of interpreters, feelings of inadequacy), some were unique to French-speaking physicians (eg limited French education and resources), and some were common to both groups (eg lack of French-speaking colleagues/staff, added time commitments, and the particularities of Franco-Ontarian preferences and culture). Healthcare providers and decision makers may take interest in these results. Although physicians were the focus of the present article, the barriers expressed are likely experienced by other healthcare providers, and thus the lessons learned from this article extend beyond the physician workforce. Efforts must be made to offer educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare providers working in areas densely populated by francophones; these include linguistic and cultural sensitivity training, in addition to teaching strategies for the practice of 'active offer' of French-language services. In sum, the present study outlines the importance of linguistic concordant communication in healthcare delivery, and describes some of the challenges faced when providing French-language services in rural and Northern Ontario.

L'evaluation de la competence linguistique des membres des ordres professionnels au Quebec (The Quebec Region Evaluation of Professional Personnel's Language Proficiency).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gareau, Claude

1981-01-01

Describes a testing program designed to assess the French language proficiency of professionals desiring to practice in the Quebec region. Discusses the criteria used for the construction, administration, and scoring of the tests in compliance with the 1977 French language legislation. (MES)

On the Spot: Using Mobile Devices for Listening and Speaking Practice on a French Language Programme

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demouy, Valerie; Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes

2010-01-01

This paper presents and discusses the initial findings of a mobile language learning project undertaken in the context of an undergraduate distance-learning French language programme at The Open University (UK). The overall objective of the project was to investigate students' experiences when using their own portable devices for additional…

On Parle Francais Ici: The People of the St. John Valley Have a Tremendous Advantage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banville, Beurmond J.

1995-01-01

A change in philosophy concerning the maintenance of native languages has led to local efforts to revive the French language in the St. John Valley (Maine), including the formation of a community organization and implementation of language programs in which children in all grades receive daily instruction in French. (LP)

The Relationship between Task Difficulty and Second Language Fluency in French: A Mixed Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Préfontaine, Yvonne; Kormos, Judit

2015-01-01

While there exists a considerable body of literature on task-based difficulty and second language (L2) fluency in English as a second language (ESL), there has been little investigation with French learners. This mixed methods study examines learner appraisals of task difficulty and their relationship to automated utterance fluency measures in…

Possible Pedagogical Applications of a Talking Computer Terminal for the French-Speaking Blind to Foreign Language Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trescases, Pierre

A computer system developed as a database access facilitator for the blind is found to have application to foreign language instruction, specifically in teaching French to speakers of English. The computer is programmed to translate symbols from the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) into appropriate phonemes for whatever language is being…

Foreign Language Learning in Primary School: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, Meg; Parrao, Constanza Gonzalez; Austerberry, Helen; Ingold, Anne

2017-01-01

The Foreign Language Learning (FLL) programme aimed to improve the English language attainment of Year 3 and 4 pupils through a detailed curriculum of weekly French classes with linked activity in English lessons. The programme, created by the Education Development Trust (formerly CfBT), lasted for three half-terms. French classes were 45 minutes…

Second Language Pre-Service Teachers as Learners: The Language Portfolio Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christiansen, Helen; Laplante, Bernard

2004-01-01

This article reports on a study of pre-service French immersion teachers who were required to compile second language (L2) portfolios as part of their professional development. Documents included a brief biography of the students' lives as speakers and learners of French; an action plan in which students assessed their L2 proficiency and set…

French Second Language Teacher Education and Continuing Professional Development in Canada: The Roles of Smaller Universities and Related Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heffernan, Peter J.

1991-01-01

Discusses teacher shortages in French language instruction areas in Canada, both core and immersion; the rationalization of programs; staffing and financial support among Alberta's tertiary education; language teacher preparation; and continuing professional development. Suggestions are made as to how a smaller university can better fulfill its…

From "La Plume de Ma Tante" to "Parlez-Vous Francais?" The Making of French Language Policy in British Columbia, 1945-1982

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raptis, Helen; Fleming, Thomas

2004-01-01

During the first half of the twentieth century in British Columbia, French language was considered a school subject to be taught as any other using formal classical approaches. Generally, no specific provincial or local policies existed to guide how French was taught and learned. By 1981, however, British Columbia had developed explicit language…

Selected Essays and Curriculum Units: Foreign Language Instruction through the Study of Literary Texts. French, German, Spanish.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silber, Ellen S., Ed.; Krug, Clara, Ed.

This guide presents essays and curriculum units designed for use by secondary and college teachers of French, German, and Spanish as a foreign language. The first section of the work includes two essays, in French, and eight curriculum units based on the stories of Guy de Maupassant. The second section contains seven curriculum units that…

Language Learning versus Vocational Training: French, Arab and British Voices Speak about Indigenous Girls' Education in Nineteenth-Century Colonial Algeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rogers, Rebecca Elizabeth

2012-01-01

This article focuses on the first school for indigenous girls in Algeria that opened in Algiers in 1845. The founder, Eugenie Luce, taught girls the rudiments--French language and grammar, reading, arithmetic, and Arabic, while the afternoon hours were devoted to sewing. This early focus on teaching French in order to achieve the "fusion of…

On the Second Language Acquisition of Spanish Reflexive Passives and Reflexive Impersonals by French- and English-Speaking Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tremblay, Annie

2006-01-01

This study, a partial replication of Bruhn de Garavito (1999a; 1999b), investigates the second language (L2) acquisition of Spanish reflexive passives and reflexive impersonals by French- and English-speaking adults at an advanced level of proficiency. The L2 acquisition of Spanish reflexive passives and reflexive impersonals by native French and…

French Teaching Aids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, J. Dale

Supplementary teaching materials for French language programs are presented in this text. Primarily intended for secondary school students, the study contains seven units of material. They include: (1) French gestures, (2) teaching the interrogative pronouns, (3) French cuisine, (4) recreational learning games, (5) French-English cognates, (6)…

Single-Center Study Investigating Foreign Language Acquisition at School in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults With Uni- or Bilateral Cochlear Implants in the Swiss German Population.

PubMed

Beeres-Scheenstra, Renske; Ohnsorg, Claudia; Candreia, Claudia; Heinzmann, Sybille; Castellanos, Susana; De Min, Nicola; Linder, Thomas E

2017-07-01

To evaluate foreign language acquisition at school in cochlear implant patients. Cohort study. CI center. Forty three cochlear implants (CI) patients (10-18 yr) were evaluated. CI nonusers and patients with CI-explantation, incomplete datasets, mental retardation, or concomitant medical disorders were excluded. Additional data (type of schooling, foreign language learning, and bilingualism) were obtained with questionnaires. German-speaking children with foreign tuition language (English and/or French) at school were enrolled for further testing. General patient data, auditory data, and foreign language data from both questionnaires and tests were collected and analyzed. Thirty seven out of 43 questionnaires (86%) were completed. Sixteen (43%) were in mainstream education. Twenty-seven CI users (73%) have foreign language learning at school. Fifteen of these were in mainstream education (55%), others in special schooling. From 10 CI users without foreign language learning, one CI user was in mainstream education (10%) and nine patients (90%) were in special schooling. Eleven German-speaking CI users were further tested in English and six additionally in French. For reading skills, the school objectives for English were reached in 7 of 11 pupils (64%) and for French in 3 of 6 pupils (50%). For listening skills, 3 of 11 pupils (27%) reached the school norm in English and none in French. Almost 75% of our CI users learn foreign language(s) at school. A small majority of the tested CI users reached the current school norm for in English and French in reading skills, whereas for hearing skills most of them were not able to reach the norm.

Validation of a French version of the pure procrastination scale (PPS).

PubMed

Rebetez, Marie My Lien; Rochat, Lucien; Gay, Philippe; Van der Linden, Martial

2014-08-01

Procrastination is a widespread phenomenon that affects everyone's day-to-day life and interferes with the clinical treatment of several psychopathological states. To assess this construct, Steel (2010) developed the Pure Procrastination Scale (PPS), a short scale intended to capture the general notion of dysfunctional delay. The aim of the current study was to present a French version of this questionnaire. To this end, the 12 items of the PPS were translated into French and data were collected from an online survey in a sample of 245 French-speaking individuals from the general population. The results revealed that one item had problematic face validity; it was therefore removed. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses performed on the resulting 11-item version of the French PPS indicated that the scale was composed of two factors ("voluntary delay" and "observed delay") depending on a common, higher-order construct ("general procrastination"). Good internal consistency and test-retest reliability were found. External validity was supported by specific relationships with measures of personality traits, impulsivity, and subjective well-being. The French PPS therefore presents satisfactory psychometric properties and may be considered a reliable and valid instrument for research, teaching and clinical practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Factorial Structure of the French Version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale among the Elderly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gana, Kamel; Alaphilippe, Daniel; Bailly, Nathalie

2005-01-01

Ten different confirmatory factor analysis models, including ones with correlated traits correlated methods, correlated traits correlated uniqueness, and correlated traits uncorrelated methods, were proposed to examine the factorial structure of the French version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965). In line with previous studies…

Factor Structure Evaluation of the French Version of the Digital Natives Assessment Scale.

PubMed

Wagner, Vincent; Acier, Didier

2017-03-01

"Digital natives" concept defines young adults particularly familiar with emerging technologies such as computers, smartphones, or Internet. This notion is still controversial and so far, the primary identifying criterion was to consider their date of birth. However, literature highlighted the need to describe specific characteristics. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the factor structure of a French version of the Digital Natives Assessment Scale (DNAS). The sample of this study includes 590 participants from a 6-week massive open online course and from Web sites, electronic forums, and social networks. The DNAS was translated in French and then back-translated to English. A principal component analysis with orthogonal rotation followed by a confirmatory factorial analysis showed that a 15-item four-correlated component model provided the best fit for the data of our sample. Factor structure of this French-translated version of the DNAS was rather similar than those found in earlier studies. This study provides evidence of the DNAS robustness through cross-cultural and cross-generational validation. The French version of the DNAS appears to be appropriate as a quick and effective questionnaire to assess digital natives. More studies are needed to better define further features of this particular group.

Tu peux compter sur moi: Guide a l'intention du parent pour l'accompagnement de l'enfant dans son education en francais langue premiere (You Can Count on Me: Guide for Parents for Accompanying Their Child in French as a First Language Education).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federation des parents francophones de l'Alberta, Edmonton (Canada).

This guidebook is intended for parents of French-speaking students in Alberta. It describes French-as-a-first-language education in Alberta and provides information to help parents, in collaboration with school personnel and the wider francophone community in Alberta, to preserve and develop their children's identity as speakers of French and as…

Resumes de texte en langue maternelle et en langue seconde: Differences dans l'application des macroregles entre experts et etudiants de differents niveaux universitaires (Test Summaries in the Mother Tongue and in a Second Language: Differences in the Application of Macrorules between Experts and University Students of Various Levels).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corbeil, Giselle

2001-01-01

Analyzes differences between experts and university students of various academic levels in the application of the macrorules of deletion, generalization, and construction of text summaries. Learners of French as a second language wrote summaries of a French text in French as well as in English, their mother tongue, while professors of French and…

Exaggeration of Language-Specific Rhythms in English and French Children's Songs

PubMed Central

Hannon, Erin E.; Lévêque, Yohana; Nave, Karli M.; Trehub, Sandra E.

2016-01-01

The available evidence indicates that the music of a culture reflects the speech rhythm of the prevailing language. The normalized pairwise variability index (nPVI) is a measure of durational contrast between successive events that can be applied to vowels in speech and to notes in music. Music–language parallels may have implications for the acquisition of language and music, but it is unclear whether native-language rhythms are reflected in children's songs. In general, children's songs exhibit greater rhythmic regularity than adults' songs, in line with their caregiving goals and frequent coordination with rhythmic movement. Accordingly, one might expect lower nPVI values (i.e., lower variability) for such songs regardless of culture. In addition to their caregiving goals, children's songs may serve an intuitive didactic function by modeling culturally relevant content and structure for music and language. One might therefore expect pronounced rhythmic parallels between children's songs and language of origin. To evaluate these predictions, we analyzed a corpus of 269 English and French songs from folk and children's music anthologies. As in prior work, nPVI values were significantly higher for English than for French children's songs. For folk songs (i.e., songs not for children), the difference in nPVI for English and French songs was small and in the expected direction but non-significant. We subsequently collected ratings from American and French monolingual and bilingual adults, who rated their familiarity with each song, how much they liked it, and whether or not they thought it was a children's song. Listeners gave higher familiarity and liking ratings to songs from their own culture, and they gave higher familiarity and preference ratings to children's songs than to other songs. Although higher child-directedness ratings were given to children's than to folk songs, French listeners drove this effect, and their ratings were uniquely predicted by nPVI. Together, these findings suggest that language-based rhythmic structures are evident in children's songs, and that listeners expect exaggerated language-based rhythms in children's songs. The implications of these findings for enculturation processes and for the acquisition of music and language are discussed. PMID:27445907

Exaggeration of Language-Specific Rhythms in English and French Children's Songs.

PubMed

Hannon, Erin E; Lévêque, Yohana; Nave, Karli M; Trehub, Sandra E

2016-01-01

The available evidence indicates that the music of a culture reflects the speech rhythm of the prevailing language. The normalized pairwise variability index (nPVI) is a measure of durational contrast between successive events that can be applied to vowels in speech and to notes in music. Music-language parallels may have implications for the acquisition of language and music, but it is unclear whether native-language rhythms are reflected in children's songs. In general, children's songs exhibit greater rhythmic regularity than adults' songs, in line with their caregiving goals and frequent coordination with rhythmic movement. Accordingly, one might expect lower nPVI values (i.e., lower variability) for such songs regardless of culture. In addition to their caregiving goals, children's songs may serve an intuitive didactic function by modeling culturally relevant content and structure for music and language. One might therefore expect pronounced rhythmic parallels between children's songs and language of origin. To evaluate these predictions, we analyzed a corpus of 269 English and French songs from folk and children's music anthologies. As in prior work, nPVI values were significantly higher for English than for French children's songs. For folk songs (i.e., songs not for children), the difference in nPVI for English and French songs was small and in the expected direction but non-significant. We subsequently collected ratings from American and French monolingual and bilingual adults, who rated their familiarity with each song, how much they liked it, and whether or not they thought it was a children's song. Listeners gave higher familiarity and liking ratings to songs from their own culture, and they gave higher familiarity and preference ratings to children's songs than to other songs. Although higher child-directedness ratings were given to children's than to folk songs, French listeners drove this effect, and their ratings were uniquely predicted by nPVI. Together, these findings suggest that language-based rhythmic structures are evident in children's songs, and that listeners expect exaggerated language-based rhythms in children's songs. The implications of these findings for enculturation processes and for the acquisition of music and language are discussed.

Ambivalence, Modernisation and Language Attitudes: French and Arabic in Tunisia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stevens, Paul B.

1983-01-01

Examines the ambivalent attitude toward the major speech varieties used in Tunisia (French, Classical Arabic, and Tunisian Arabic) and seeks to show the effects of that ambivalence on language policy, especially with regard to Arabization and bilingualism. (EKN)

Mapping the unconscious maintenance of a lost first language.

PubMed

Pierce, Lara J; Klein, Denise; Chen, Jen-Kai; Delcenserie, Audrey; Genesee, Fred

2014-12-02

Optimal periods during early development facilitate the formation of perceptual representations, laying the framework for future learning. A crucial question is whether such early representations are maintained in the brain over time without continued input. Using functional MRI, we show that internationally adopted (IA) children from China, exposed exclusively to French since adoption (mean age of adoption, 12.8 mo), maintained neural representations of their birth language despite functionally losing that language and having no conscious recollection of it. Their neural patterns during a Chinese lexical tone discrimination task matched those observed in Chinese/French bilinguals who have had continual exposure to Chinese since birth and differed from monolingual French speakers who had never been exposed to Chinese. They processed lexical tone as linguistically relevant, despite having no Chinese exposure for 12.6 y, on average, and no conscious recollection of that language. More specifically, IA participants recruited left superior temporal gyrus/planum temporale, matching the pattern observed in Chinese/French bilinguals. In contrast, French speakers who had never been exposed to Chinese did not recruit this region and instead activated right superior temporal gyrus. We show that neural representations are not overwritten and suggest a special status for language input obtained during the first year of development.

The Role of Drama on Cultural Sensitivity, Motivation and Literacy in a Second Language Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bournot-Trites, Monique; Belliveau, George; Spiliotopoulos, Valia; Séror, Jérémie

2007-01-01

Although drama has been used successfully in English as a second language and has been shown to have positive effects on achievement and on self-confidence and motivation in various studies, it has received little attention in French immersion context where subjects are taught in French, the second language of students. The objective of this study…

False Friends or True? Semantic Anglicisms in France Today.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rifelj, Carol

1996-01-01

Focuses on the infiltration of English into the French language. The article covers terms belonging to one of three levels of acceptability and perception: (1) terms that have been in the French language for a long period; (2) terms that have recently gained a foothold in the language; and (3) terms that still escape the notice of dictionaries.…

Individual Differences in Early Language Learning: A Study of English Learners of French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Courtney, Louise; Graham, Suzanne; Tonkyn, Alan; Marinis, Theodoros

2017-01-01

The present longitudinal study examines the interaction of learner variables (gender, motivation, self-efficacy, and first language literacy) and their influence on second language learning outcomes. The study follows English learners of French from Year 5 in primary school (aged 9-10) to the first year in secondary school (Year 7; aged 11-12).…

To Like or Not to Like! Student Perceptions of Technological Activities for Learning French as a Second Language at Five Canadian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peters, Martine; Weinberg, Alysse; Sarma, Nandini

2009-01-01

This article examines student attitudes towards and perceptions of technological activities in the language classroom. Data collected from students (n = 71) in the French language departments of five Canadian universities were used to examine which technological activities students preferred, whether and to what degree different activities were…

A Cross-Linguistic Study of the Development of Gesture and Speech in Zulu and French Oral Narratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicolas, Ramona Kunene; Guidetti, Michele; Colletta, Jean-Marc

2017-01-01

The present study reports on a developmental and cross-linguistic study of oral narratives produced by speakers of Zulu (a Bantu language) and French (a Romance language). Specifically, we focus on oral narrative performance as a bimodal (i.e., linguistic and gestural) behaviour during the late language acquisition phase. We analyzed seventy-two…

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum: Electronic Discussion and Foreign Language Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanna, Barbara; de Nooy, Juliana

2003-01-01

Examines participation of language students in on-line discussion groups with native speakers of the target language. Examines the threads started by four anglophone students of French when they post messages to a forum on the Web site of the French newspaper "Le Monde." Investigation of these examples points to the ways in which electronic…

Les linguistes et les questions de langue au Quebec: points de vue (Linguists and Language Questions in Quebec: Points of View).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deshaies, Denise, Ed.; Ouellon, Conrad, Ed.

Papers, all in French, address four issues concerning linguistics and language in Quebec: language quality and linguistic reality; linguistic politics and the future of French in Quebec; the linguist's role in modern society; and dictionaries. Each section includes an untitled, substantive introduction and several papers. Papers include:…

Defense Language Institute French Basic Course. Volume II, Lessons 16-25. Volume III, Lessons 26-35.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Language Inst., Washington, DC.

The 20 lessons included in these two volumes are intended for the first four weeks of the intermediate phase of a 68-lesson intensive audiolingual basic French course developed recently by the Defense Language Institute to train native speakers of English to a Level 3 second language skill proficiency. Designed primarily to enable students to…

Electronic Mail, a New Written-Language Register: A Study with French-Speaking Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Volckaert-Legrier, Olga; Bernicot, Josie; Bert-Erboul, Alain

2009-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the linguistic forms used by adolescents in electronic mail (e-mail) differ from those used in standard written language. The study was conducted in French, a language with a deep orthography that has strict, addressee-dependent rules for using second person personal pronouns (unfamiliar…

Segmenting Words from Fluent Speech during Infancy--Challenges and Opportunities in a Bilingual Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polka, Linda; Orena, Adriel John; Sundara, Megha; Worrall, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Previous research shows that word segmentation is a language-specific skill. Here, we tested segmentation of bi-syllabic words in two languages (French; English) within the same infants in a single test session. In Experiment 1, monolingual 8-month-olds (French; English) segmented bi-syllabic words in their native language, but not in an…

Multilingualism in Action: A Conversation Analytic View on How Children Are Re-Voicing a Story in a French Second Language Learning Lesson

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arend, Béatrice; Sunnen, Patrick

2017-01-01

Our paper provides an empirically based perspective on the contribution of Conversation Analysis (CA) to our understanding of children's second language learning practices in a multilingual classroom setting. While exploring the interactional configuration of a French second language learning activity, we focus our analytic lens on how five…

How Do Utterance Measures Predict Raters' Perceptions of Fluency in French as a Second Language?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Préfontaine, Yvonne; Kormos, Judit; Johnson, Daniel Ezra

2016-01-01

While the research literature on second language (L2) fluency is replete with descriptions of fluency and its influence with regard to English as an additional language, little is known about what fluency features influence judgments of fluency in L2 French. This study reports the results of an investigation that analyzed the relationship between…

PubMed

Brosseau, Lucie; Laroche, Chantal; Guitard, Paulette; King, Judy; Poitras, Stéphane; Casimiro, Lynn; Barette, Julie Alexandra; Cardinal, Dominique; Cavallo, Sabrina; Laferrière, Lucie; Martini, Rose; Champoux, Nicholas; Taverne, Jennifer; Paquette, Chanyque; Tremblay, Sébastien; Sutton, Ann; Galipeau, Roseline; Tourigny, Jocelyne; Toupin-April, Karine; Loew, Laurianne; Demers, Catrine; Sauvé-Schenk, Katrine; Paquet, Nicole; Savard, Jacinthe; Lagacé, Josée; Pharand, Denyse; Vaillancourt, Véronique

2017-01-01

Objectives: The primary objective was to produce a French-Canadian translation of AMSTAR (a measurement tool to assess systematic reviews) and to examine the validity of the translation's contents. The secondary and tertiary objectives were to assess the inter-rater reliability and factorial construct validity of this French-Canadian version of AMSTAR. Methods: A modified approach to Vallerand's methodology (1989) for cross-cultural validation was used. 1 First, a parallel back-translation of AMSTAR 2 was performed, by both professionals and future professionals. Next, a first committee of experts (P1) examined the translations to create a first draft of the French-Canadian version of the AMSTAR tool. This draft was then evaluated and modified by a second committee of experts (P2). Following that, 18 future professionals (master's students in physiotherapy) rated this second draft of the instrument for clarity using a seven-point scale (1: very clear; 7: very ambiguous). Lastly, the principal co-investigators then reviewed the problematic elements and proposed final changes. Four independent raters used this French-Canadian version of AMSTAR to assess 20 systematic reviews that were published in French after the year 2000. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and kappa coefficient were calculated to measure the tool's inter-rater reliability. A Cronbach's alpha coefficient was also calculated to measure internal consistency. In addition, factor analysis was used to evaluate construct validity in order to determine the number of dimensions. Results: The statements on the final version of the AMSTAR tool received an average ambiguity rating of between 1.0 and 1.4. No statement received an average rating below 1.4, which indicates a high level of clarity. Inter-rater reliability ( n =4) for the instrument's total score was moderate, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.61 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.29, 0.97). Inter-rater reliability for 82% of the individual items was good, according to the kappa values obtained. Internal consistency was excellent, with a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.83, 0.99). The French-Canadian version of AMSTAR is a unidimensional tool, as confirmed by factor analysis and community values greater than 0.30. Conclusion: A valid French-Canadian version of AMSTAR was created using this rigorous five-step process. This version is unidimensional, with moderate inter-rater reliability for the elements overall, and with excellent internal consistency. This tool could be valuable to French-Canadian professionals and researchers, and could also be of interest to the international Francophone community.

Language and memory abilities of internationally adopted children from China: evidence for early age effects.

PubMed

Delcenserie, Audrey; Genesee, Fred

2014-11-01

The goal of the present study was to examine if internationally adopted (IA) children from China (M = 10;8) adopted by French-speaking families exhibit lags in verbal memory in addition to lags in verbal abilities documented in previous studies (Gauthier & Genesee, 2011). Tests assessing verbal and non-verbal memory, language, non-verbal cognitive ability, and socio-emotional development were administered to thirty adoptees. Their results were compared to those of thirty non-adopted monolingual French-speaking children matched on age, gender, and socioeconomic status. The IA children scored significantly lower than the controls on language, verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, and verbal long-term memory. No group differences were found on non-verbal memory, non-verbal cognitive ability, and socio-emotional development, suggesting language-specific difficulties. Despite extended exposure to French, adoptees may experience language difficulties due to limitations in verbal memory, possibly as a result of their delayed exposure to that language and/or attrition of the birth language.

Cross-language treatment generalisation

PubMed Central

Goral, Mira; Levy, Erika S.; Kastl, Rebecca

2009-01-01

Background Recent investigations of language gains following treatment in bilingual individuals with chronic aphasia appear to confirm early reports that not only the treated language but also the non-treated language(s) benefit from treatment. The evidence, however, is still suggestive, and the variables that may mitigate generalisation across languages warrant further investigation. Aims We set out to examine cross-language generalisation of language treatment in a trilingual speaker with mild chronic aphasia. Methods & Procedures Language treatment was administered in English, the participant’s second language (L2). The first treatment block focused on morphosyntactic skills and the second on language production rate. Measurements were collected in the treated language (English, L2) as well as the two non-treated languages: Hebrew (the participant’s first language, L1) and French (the participant’s third language, L3). Outcomes & Results The participant showed improvement in his production of selected morphosyntactic elements, such as pronoun gender agreement, in the treated language (L2) as well as in the non-treated French (L3) following the treatment block that focused on morphosyntactic skills. Speech rate also improved in English (L2) and French (L3) following that treatment block. No changes were observed in Hebrew, the participant’s L1. Conclusions Selective cross-language generalisation of treatment benefit was found for morphosyntactic abilities from the participant’s second language to his third language. PMID:20221311

Role des congeneres interlinguaux dans le developpement du vocabulaire receptif: Application au francais langue seconde (The Role of Interlingual Cognates in the Development of Receptive Vocabulary: Application to French as a Second Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Treville, Marie-Claude

This study investigated the effects of systematic use of similarities between the native and second languages on the lexical competence of second language learners. Subjects were 209 first- and second-year English-speaking university students in French language classes. The students were pre- and post-tested for their visual recognition of…

[Physician Emile Littré, French translator and publisher of Hippocrates].

PubMed

Frøland, Anders

2006-01-01

To-day, the French author and scholar Emile Littré (1801-1881) is best known as the founder of a widely used dictionary of the French language. He was one of the most diligent French authors in the nineteenth century and had a huge knowledge of modern and ancient languages, medicine, science, history, and philosophy. Apart from the dictionary, his most impressive work was the edition and translation of the complete collection of the Hippocratic writings (1839-61). The translation was meant to serve as a textbook for French doctors, but the rapid development in medicine made it obsolete in that respect before it was completed. Instead it is now a philological and historical monument. Littré also published a large number of books and articles on positivism, history, politics, philology, and medicine. He was politically active as supporter of the French republic during the periods of monarchy and was elected lifelong senator of the French National Assembly after the 1870-71 war. He was elected member of the French Academy in spite of intense opposition from the Roman Catholic Church. He was an atheist, but was baptised on his deathbed by his wife. His edition of the Hippocratic writings still remains the only complete collection in Greek and a modern language.

Validation of the French Version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale: An Examination of Its Factor Structure, Reliability, and Construct Validity in a Nonclinical Sample

PubMed Central

Brunault, Paul; Ballon, Nicolas; Gaillard, Philippe; Réveillère, Christian; Courtois, Robert

2014-01-01

Objective: The concept of food addiction has recently been proposed by applying the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, criteria for substance dependence to eating behaviour. Food addiction has received increased attention given that it may play a role in binge eating, eating disorders, and the recent increase in obesity prevalence. Currently, there is no psychometrically sound tool for assessing food addiction in French. Our study aimed to test the psychometric properties of a French version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) by establishing its factor structure and construct validity in a nonclinical population. Method: A total of 553 participants were assessed for food addiction (French version of the YFAS) and binge eating behaviour (Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh and Binge Eating Scale). We tested the scale’s factor structure (factor analysis for dichotomous data based on tetrachoric correlation coefficients), internal consistency, and construct validity with measures of binge eating. Results: Our results supported a 1-factor structure, which accounted for 54.1% of the variance. This tool had adequate reliability and high construct validity with measures of binge eating in this population, both in its diagnosis and symptom count version. A 2-factor structure explained an additional 9.1% of the variance, and could differentiate between patients with high, compared with low, levels of insight regarding addiction symptoms. Conclusions: In our study, we validated a psychometrically sound French version of the YFAS, both in its symptom count and diagnostic version. Future studies should validate this tool in clinical samples. PMID:25007281

To what extent are Canadian second language policies evidence-based? Reflections on the intersections of research and policy

PubMed Central

Cummins, Jim

2014-01-01

The paper addresses the intersections between research findings and Canadian educational policies focusing on four major areas: (a) core and immersion programs for the teaching of French to Anglophone students, (b) policies concerning the learning of English and French by students from immigrant backgrounds, (c) heritage language teaching, and (d) the education of Deaf and hard-of hearing students. With respect to the teaching of French, policy-makers have largely ignored the fact that most core French programs produce meager results for the vast majority of students. Only a small proportion of students (<10%) attend more effective alternatives (e.g., French immersion and Intensive French programs). With respect to immigrant-background students, a large majority of teachers and administrators have not had opportunities to access the knowledge base regarding effective instruction for these students nor have they had opportunities for pre-service or in-service professional development regarding effective instructional practices. Educational policies in most jurisdictions have also treated the linguistic resources that children bring to school with, at best, benign neglect. In some cases (e.g., Ontario) school systems have been explicitly prohibited from instituting enrichment bilingual programs that would promote students’ bilingualism and biliteracy. Finally, with respect to Deaf students, policy-makers have ignored overwhelming research on the positive relationship between academic success and the development of proficiency in natural sign languages, preferring instead to leave uncorrected the proposition that acquisition of languages such as American Sign Language by young children (with or without cochlear implants) will impede children’s language and academic development. The paper reviews the kinds of policies, programs, and practices that could be implemented (at no additional cost) if policy-makers and educators pursued evidence-based educational policies. PMID:24847289

The French Version of the Autism-Spectrum Quotient in Adolescents: A Cross-Cultural Validation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sonie, Sandrine; Kassai, Behrouz; Pirat, Elodie; Bain, Paul; Robinson, Janine; Gomot, Marie; Barthelemy, Catherine; Charvet, Dorothee; Rochet, Thierry; Tatou, Mohamed; Assouline, Brigitte; Cabrol, Stephane; Chabane, Nadia; Arnaud, Valerie; Faure, Patricia; Manificat, Sabine

2013-01-01

We assessed the accuracy of the French version of the "Autism Spectrum Quotient" ("AQ") in adolescents with Asperger syndrome (AS) and high-functioning autism (HFA) compared to healthy controls and adolescents with psychiatric disorders (PDs). Three groups of adolescents, aged 11-18, were assessed: 116 with AS/HFA (93 with IQ…

Validation of a French version of the Sleep Condition Indicator: a clinical screening tool for insomnia disorder according to DSM-5 criteria.

PubMed

Bayard, Sophie; Lebrun, Cindy; Maudarbocus, Khaalid Hassan; Schellaert, Vanessa; Joffre, Alicia; Ferrante, Esther; Le Louedec, Marie; Cournoulat, Alice; Gely-Nargeot, Marie-Christine; Luik, Annemarie I

2017-12-01

Insomnia disorder is frequent in the population, yet there is no French screening instrument available that is based on the updated DSM-5 criteria. We evaluated the validity and reliability of the French version of an insomnia screening instrument based on DSM-5 criteria, the Sleep Condition Indicator, in a population-based sample of adults. A total of 366 community-dwelling participants completed a face-to-face clinical interview to determine insomnia disorder against DSM-5 criteria and several questionnaires including the French Sleep Condition Indicator version. Three-hundred and twenty-nine participants completed the Sleep Condition Indicator again after 1 month. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the reliability, construct validity, divergent validity and temporal stability of the French translation of the Sleep Condition Indicator. In addition, an explanatory factor analysis was performed to assess the underlying structure. The internal consistency (α = 0.87) and temporal stability (r = 0.86, P < 0.001) of the French Sleep Condition Indicator were high. When using the previously defined cut-off value of ≤ 16, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.93 with a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 75%. Additionally, good construct and divergent validity were demonstrated. The factor analyses showed a two-factor structure with a focus on sleep and daytime effects. The French version of the Sleep Condition Indicator demonstrates satisfactory psychometric properties while being a useful instrument in detecting cases of insomnia disorder, consistent with features of DSM-5, in the general population. © 2017 European Sleep Research Society.

Multilingualism and Affordances: Variation in Self-Perceived Communicative Competence and Communicative Anxiety in French L1, L2, L3 and L4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dewaele, Jean-Marc

2010-01-01

In this contribution, I investigate the effect of the knowledge of other languages on self-perceived communicative competence and communicative anxiety in the French of 953 users. I tested the hypothesis that knowledge of more languages, specifically other Romance languages, create stronger or clearer affordances (Singleton & Aronin, Innovation in…

USA: L'Avenir du francais se joue sur un air de Sidney Bechet (U.S.A.: The Future of French Playing on a Sidney Bechet Tune).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charpantier, Jean

1989-01-01

The concern in the United States about foreign language instruction, as illustrated in recent reports about American education and language competence in general, is discussed and issues in the future of French language instruction in the United States are examined. These include public attitudes and teacher supply. (MSE)

Validation of the dutch version of the health education impact questionnaire (HEIQ) and comparison of the Dutch translation with the English, German and French HEIQ.

PubMed

Ammerlaan, Judy W; van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke; Sont, Jacob K; Elsworth, Gerald R; Osborne, Richard H

2017-01-31

The Health Education Impact Questionnaire (heiQ) evaluates the effectiveness of health education and self-management programs provided to people dealing with a wide range of conditions. Aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt and validate the Dutch translation of the heiQ and to compare the results with the English, German and French translations. A systematic translation process was undertaken. Psychometric properties were studied among patients with arthritis, atopic dermatitis, food allergy and asthma (n = 286). Factorial validity using confirmatory factor analysis, item difficulty (D), item remainder correlation and composite reliability were conducted. Stability was tested using the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Items were well understood and only minor language adjustments were required. Confirmatory fit indices were >0.95 and item difficulty was D ≥ 0.65 for all items in scales showing acceptable fit indices, except for the reversed Emotional distress scale. Composite reliability ranged between 0.67 and 0.85. Test-retest reliability (n = 93) ICC varied between 0.61 and 0.84. Comparisons with other translations showed comparable fit indices. A lower ICC on Self-monitoring and insight scale was observed. The Dutch translation of the heiQ was found to be well understood and user friendly by patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Atopic Dermatitis, Food allergy and asthma and to have robust psychometric properties for evaluating the impact of health education and self-management programs. Given the wide applications of the heiQ and the comparability of the Dutch results with the English, German and French version, the heiQ is a practical and useful questionnaire to evaluate the impact of self-management support programs in different countries and populations with different diseases.

Aspirations langagieres: Negociation et apprentissage du francais (Language Aspirations: Negotiation and Learning French).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lepetit, Daniel; Cichocki, Wladyslaw

1990-01-01

A survey of 130 beginning French students at the University of Windsor (Canada) focused on their second language aspirations, expectations, and anticipated needs. Interpersonal relations appear to be the primary motivator, with travel and instrumental motivation secondary. (20 references) (Author/MSE)

Interactive Atlas of Heart Disease and Stroke

MedlinePlus

... View Table page Language: English 中文 Chinese Deutsch (German) Español (Spanish) Français (French) Italiano (Italian) 한국어 (Korean) ... DOC [3 pages] Language: English 中文 Chinese Deutsch (German) Español (Spanish) Français (French) Italiano (Italian) 한국어 (Korean) ...

Bilingualism Review. April 1976

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ontario Dept. of State, Ottawa. Information Services.

This issue deals with the problems of reviving the study of French in general, and the use of French in Louisiana in particular. "Rebirth of French in New Orleans" describes a conference on French language teaching held in New Orleans on December 26-30, 1975, and organized jointly by the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF),…

Research Perspectives on Core French: A Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lapkin, Sharon; Mady, Callie; Arnott, Stephanie

2009-01-01

This article reviews the research literature on core French in three main areas: student diversity, delivery models for the core French program, and instructional approaches. These topics are put into context through a discussion of studies on community attitudes to French as a second language (FSL), dissatisfaction with core French outcomes and…

French for Marketing. Using French in Media and Communications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batchelor, R. E.; Chebli-Saadi, M.

The textbook, entirely in French, is designed to help prepare anglophone students for French language usage in the media and telecommunications. It is organized according to two major themes. The first part addresses the French of advertising; chapter topics include the actors in advertising (agencies, announcers, supports), forms of advertising,…

Comparing Written Competency in Core French and French Immersion Graduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lappin-Fortin, Kerry

2014-01-01

Few studies have compared the written competency of French immersion students and their core French peers, and research on these learners at a postsecondary level is even scarcer. My corpus consists of writing samples from 255 students from both backgrounds beginning a university course in French language. The writing proficiency of core French…

Master's Theses on Afro-French and Afro-Hispanic Literatures and Cultures and African American Images in French and Spanish Literatures Produced by Howard University's Department of Romance Languages from 1933-1993.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, James J.

This paper focuses on the production of Master's theses at Howard University, Department of Romance Languages, over 60 years on the African diaspora, specifically on Black studies and themes in French and Spanish literature from 1930-1960. Howard University was the first of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to offer graduate…

Assessment of Mindfulness with the French Version of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills in Community and Borderline Personality Disorder Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicastro, Rosetta; Jermann, Francoise; Bondolfi, Guido; McQuillan, Annabel

2010-01-01

This article explores mindfulness skills in community and borderline personality disorder (BPD) samples. Study 1 includes 173 community volunteers and explores the psychometric properties of the French version of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills (KIMS). Study 2 explores the KIMS factor structure in 130 BPD patients and compares KIMS…

Balanced bilinguals favor lexical processing in their opaque language and conversion system in their shallow language.

PubMed

Buetler, Karin A; de León Rodríguez, Diego; Laganaro, Marina; Müri, René; Nyffeler, Thomas; Spierer, Lucas; Annoni, Jean-Marie

2015-11-01

Referred to as orthographic depth, the degree of consistency of grapheme/phoneme correspondences varies across languages from high in shallow orthographies to low in deep orthographies. The present study investigates the impact of orthographic depth on reading route by analyzing evoked potentials to words in a deep (French) and shallow (German) language presented to highly proficient bilinguals. ERP analyses to German and French words revealed significant topographic modulations 240-280 ms post-stimulus onset, indicative of distinct brain networks engaged in reading over this time window. Source estimations revealed that these effects stemmed from modulations of left insular, inferior frontal and dorsolateral regions (German>French) previously associated to phonological processing. Our results show that reading in a shallow language was associated to a stronger engagement of phonological pathways than reading in a deep language. Thus, the lexical pathways favored in word reading are reinforced by phonological networks more strongly in the shallow than deep orthography. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometric Properties of Three Measures of Protective Factors for Depression and Suicidal Behaviour Among Adolescents

PubMed Central

Labelle, Réal; Breton, Jean-Jacques; Berthiaume, Claude; Royer, Chantal; Raymond, Sylvie; Cournoyer, Marilou; Balan, Bogdan; Zaloum, Terry; Bibaud, Antoine; Gauvin, Geoffrey; Janelle, Alain

2015-01-01

Objectives: To assess the reliability of French versions of the Adolescent Coping Scale (ACS), the Reasons for Living Inventory for Adolescents (RFL-A), and the Spirituality Scale (SS); to examine the construct validity of these psychometric instruments; and to determine their convergent validity with French versions of the Life Events Questionnaire for Adolescents (LEQ-A), the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), and the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) among French-Canadian adolescents. Methods: Participants were 429 adolescents from high schools (n = 283) and the Mood Disorder Clinic (n = 146) in Montreal. The instruments were translated into French following the back-translation method. The internal consistency was assessed through Cronbach alpha coefficients. Exploratory analyses were conducted to document the content of their dimensions. Convergent validity was examined by correlating the ACS, the RFL-A, and the SS with the French versions of the LEQ-A, the BDI-II, and the BHS. Results: The findings confirm that the ACS, RFL-A, and SS are psychometric instruments well suited to assess protective factors for depression and suicidal behaviour among French-speaking adolescents in community and clinical settings. However, results must be interpreted with some circumspection as 2 SS subscales obtained reliability coefficients in the moderate range only and the instructions for the RFL-A were reframed in response to ethical considerations. Conclusions: Our results add to those already available on the original English versions of the ACS, RFL-A, and SS and advance the knowledge of the psychometric properties of protective measures. PMID:25886667

The Canadian Experience in the Teaching of Official Languages. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Canadian Experience in the Teaching of Official Languages (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, May 22-23, 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canadian Heritage, Ottawa (Ontario).

Symposium panel presentations on teaching official languages (French and English) in Canada include: "Social Stakes of English and French Teaching in Canada Over the Last 25 Years" (Roger Collet, Jan Finlay, Alan Lombard, Paul Ruest); "Evolution of the School-Community-Family Linkages" (Fernand Langlais, Roger Arsenault,…

NDEA FIELD SUMMER LANGUAGE INSTITUTE FOR SECONDARY FRENCH AND SPANISH (2D WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY, JUNE 27 TO AUGUST 19, 1966). FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STILWELL, ROBERT

PARTICIPANTS IN THE 1966 NDEA LANGUAGE INSTITUTE HELD AT WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY WERE THOSE SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY ATTENDED AN NDEA INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED TRAINING IN THEIR PRINCIPAL LANGUAGE TEACHING FIELD, BUT WHO FROM CHOICE OR NECESSITY HAD BEEN ASSIGNED FRENCH OR SPANISH AS A SECOND TEACHING FIELD. THE REPORT OF THIS…

Auditory-Motor Rhythms and Speech Processing in French and German Listeners

PubMed Central

Falk, Simone; Volpi-Moncorger, Chloé; Dalla Bella, Simone

2017-01-01

Moving to a speech rhythm can enhance verbal processing in the listener by increasing temporal expectancies (Falk and Dalla Bella, 2016). Here we tested whether this hypothesis holds for prosodically diverse languages such as German (a lexical stress-language) and French (a non-stress language). Moreover, we examined the relation between motor performance and the benefits for verbal processing as a function of language. Sixty-four participants, 32 German and 32 French native speakers detected subtle word changes in accented positions in metrically structured sentences to which they previously tapped with their index finger. Before each sentence, they were cued by a metronome to tap either congruently (i.e., to accented syllables) or incongruently (i.e., to non-accented parts) to the following speech stimulus. Both French and German speakers detected words better when cued to tap congruently compared to incongruent tapping. Detection performance was predicted by participants' motor performance in the non-verbal cueing phase. Moreover, tapping rate while participants tapped to speech predicted detection differently for the two language groups, in particular in the incongruent tapping condition. We discuss our findings in light of the rhythmic differences of both languages and with respect to recent theories of expectancy-driven and multisensory speech processing. PMID:28443036

Validation of the Italian version of the Laval questionnaire: health-related quality of life in subjects with obesity.

PubMed

Donini, Lorenzo Maria; Rosano, Aldo; Di Lazzaro, Luca; Poggiogalle, Eleonora; Lubrano, Carla; Migliaccio, Silvia; Carbonelli, Mariagrazia; Pinto, Alessandro; Lenzi, Andrea

2017-05-15

Obesity is associated to increased risk of metabolic comorbidity as well as increased mortality. Notably, obesity is also associated to the impairment of the psychological status and of quality of life. Only three questionnaires are available in the Italian language evaluating the health-related quality of life in subjects with obesity. The aim of the present study was to test the validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Laval Questionnaire. The original French version was translated into Italian and back-translated by a French native speaker. 273 subjects with obesity (Body Mass Index ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) were enrolled; the Italian version of the Laval Questionnaire and the O.R.Well-97 questionnaire were administered in order to assess health- related quality of life. The Laval questionnaire consists of 44 items distributed in 6 domains (symptoms, activity/mobility, personal hygiene/clothing, emotions, social interaction, sexual life). Disability and overall psychopathology levels were assessed through the TSD-OC test (SIO test for obesity correlated disabilities) and the SCL-90 (Symptom Checklist-90) questionnaire, respectively. To verify the validity of the Italian version, the analysis of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity were performed. The observed proportion of agreement concordance of results was 50.2% with Cohen's K = 0.336 (CI 95%: 0.267-0.404), indicating a fair agreement between the two tests. Test-retest correlation was statistically significant (ρ = 0.82; p < 0.01); validity (standardized Chronbach's alpha) was considered reliable (α > 0.70). The analysis of construct validity showed a statistically significant association in terms of both total score (ρ = -0.66) and scores at each single domain (p < 0.01). A high correlation (p < 0.01) was observed between Laval questionnaire total and single domain scores and other related measures (Body Mass Index, TSD-OC scores, SCL-90 global severity index), revealing a high construct validity of the test. The Italian version of the Laval Questionnaire is a valid and reliable measure to assess the health-related quality of life in subjects with obesity.

Task-Oriented Language Acquisition and the Advanced Learner of French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rolin-Ianziti, Jeanne; McCarthy, Brian

A new third-year French textbook, in its introduction, describes its rationale and construction. The book's main objective is to provide authentic material for developing students' linguistic skills, focusing on language learning rather than civilization but including a cultural component. The textbook's organization is based on 20 recorded…

A Vous de Parler. French Trainee Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cole, Richard

A set of instructional materials for French is designed for Peace Corps volunteer language instruction and geared to the daily language needs of volunteers in Morocco. It consists of 38 units containing mini-dialogues, related grammatical and cultural information, vocabulary, and exercises. Unit topics include introductions, information giving and…

An Illustration of "Motivating Students in the Foreign Language Classroom" in an Intensive French Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stephens, Doris T.

1978-01-01

An intensive French course, offered as an experimental summer course at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, was a learning experience in which students were intrinsically motivated. Assumptions of Frank M. Grittner concerning motivating students in language programs are discussed. (SW)

Checkpoint A-French. Course of Study in Foreign Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Div. of Curriculum and Instruction.

The New York City schools' syllabus for the first year of high school French instruction outlines a communicative curriculum conforming to state standards of preparation for state language proficiency examinations. The syllabus begins with an introductory section that describes the objectives and approach used and provides suggestions for…

International Review of Education. Volume 25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Hamburg (West Germany). Inst. for Education.

This publication, designed for a worldwide readership, contains articles, notes, and book reviews pertaining to educational theories and practices. While the body of the articles are in English, overviews are given in German and French. French and German books are reviewed in their native language; English and other language books are reviewed in…

English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese? Code Choice and Austrian Export

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lavric, Eva; Back, Bernhard

2009-01-01

This article deals with how "export oriented Austrian companies effect code choice in their business relationships with customers from Romance language speaking countries". The focus lies on the most widespread Romance languages, therefore on French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese speaking customers.The question of code choice in export…

The Second Language Component of Primary French Immersion Programs in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schauber, Holli; And Others

1995-01-01

Describes a long-standing Montreal bilingual program that completely immerses Anglophone students in a French academic context. Support from the target-language culture and environmental reinforcements contribute to students' academic success and steady program enrollment. Such immersion education has produced functionally bilingual Anglophone…

Optimizing Basic French Skills Utilizing Multiple Teaching Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skala, Carol

This action research project examined the impact of foreign language teaching techniques on the language acquisition and retention of 19 secondary level French I students, focusing on student perceptions of the effectiveness and ease of four teaching techniques: total physical response, total physical response storytelling, literature approach,…

Alors, la chanson francaise? (And So, the French Song?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calvet, Louis Jean

1977-01-01

The introductory article in an issue devoted to songs as a teaching device. The article deals with English and American rock, folk and pop music. It makes the point that learning a language is also learning the culture of the people who speak the language. (Text is in French.) (AMH)

The Role of Translation in Commercial French Courses.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vande Berg, Camille Kennedy

While the exclusive use of French in commercial language courses has the advantage of maximizing student exposure to the target language, it also has the disadvantage of eliminating translation from pedagogical activities. However, translation can be a valuable instructional tool both for helping students assimilate the vocabulary and concepts of…

French as a Second Language. Annotated Bibliography of Learning Resources: Beginning Level. Early Childhood Services - Grade 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alberta Dept. of Education, Edmonton. Language Services Branch.

This annotated bibliography of instructional resources for Alberta (Canada) introductory French second language teaching in early childhood, elementary, and secondary education consists of citations in 10 categories: audio/video recordings; communicative activity resources (primarily texts and workbooks); dictionaries and vocabulary handbooks;…

The Impact of Language Opacity and Proficiency on Reading Strategies in Bilinguals: An Eye Movement Study.

PubMed

de León Rodríguez, Diego; Buetler, Karin A; Eggenberger, Noëmi; Laganaro, Marina; Nyffeler, Thomas; Annoni, Jean-Marie; Müri, René M

2016-01-01

Reading strategies vary across languages according to orthographic depth - the complexity of the grapheme in relation to phoneme conversion rules - notably at the level of eye movement patterns. We recently demonstrated that a group of early bilinguals, who learned both languages equally under the age of seven, presented a first fixation location (FFL) closer to the beginning of words when reading in German as compared with French. Since German is known to be orthographically more transparent than French, this suggested that different strategies were being engaged depending on the orthographic depth of the used language. Opaque languages induce a global reading strategy, and transparent languages force a local/serial strategy. Thus, pseudo-words were processed using a local strategy in both languages, suggesting that the link between word forms and their lexical representation may also play a role in selecting a specific strategy. In order to test whether corresponding effects appear in late bilinguals with low proficiency in their second language (L2), we present a new study in which we recorded eye movements while two groups of late German-French and French-German bilinguals read aloud isolated French and German words and pseudo-words. Since, a transparent reading strategy is local and serial, with a high number of fixations per stimuli, and the level of the bilingual participants' L2 is low, the impact of language opacity should be observed in L1. We therefore predicted a global reading strategy if the bilinguals' L1 was French (FFL close to the middle of the stimuli with fewer fixations per stimuli) and a local and serial reading strategy if it was German. Thus, the L2 of each group, as well as pseudo-words, should also require a local and serial reading strategy. Our results confirmed these hypotheses, suggesting that global word processing is only achieved by bilinguals with an opaque L1 when reading in an opaque language; the low level in the L2 gives way to a local and serial reading strategy. These findings stress the fact that reading behavior is influenced not only by the linguistic mode but also by top-down factors, such as readers' proficiency.

Language-specific stress perception by 9-month-old French and Spanish infants.

PubMed

Skoruppa, Katrin; Pons, Ferran; Christophe, Anne; Bosch, Laura; Dupoux, Emmanuel; Sebastián-Gallés, Núria; Limissuri, Rita Alves; Peperkamp, Sharon

2009-11-01

During the first year of life, infants begin to have difficulties perceiving non-native vowel and consonant contrasts, thus adapting their perception to the phonetic categories of the target language. In this paper, we examine the perception of a non-segmental feature, i.e. stress. Previous research with adults has shown that speakers of French (a language with fixed stress) have great difficulties in perceiving stress contrasts (Dupoux, Pallier, Sebastián & Mehler, 1997), whereas speakers of Spanish (a language with lexically contrastive stress) perceive these contrasts as accurately as segmental contrasts. We show that language-specific differences in the perception of stress likewise arise during the first year of life. Specifically, 9-month-old Spanish infants successfully distinguish between stress-initial and stress-final pseudo-words, while French infants of this age show no sign of discrimination. In a second experiment using multiple tokens of a single pseudo-word, French infants of the same age successfully discriminate between the two stress patterns, showing that they are able to perceive the acoustic correlates of stress. Their failure to discriminate stress patterns in the first experiment thus reflects an inability to process stress at an abstract, phonological level.

[Validation of French versions of magical ideation and perceptual aberrations questionnaires].

PubMed

Dumas, P; Bouafia, S; Gutknecht, C; Saoud, M; Daléry, J; d'Amato, T

2000-01-01

Chapman and colleagues have developed symptom-oriented scales based on Meehl's manual of schizotypy, such as the Social Anhedonia (SA) and Physical Anhedonia (PhA) Scales, the Magical Ideation Scale (MIS), and the Perceptual Aberration Scale (PAS). Whereas Chapman's scales of psychosis proneness are the most internationally used instruments for the assessment of schizotypy, some of them, such as MIS and PAS, were still not available in French. We reported here the validation study of the MIS and the PAS French versions that we had published previously. This study was conducted in a sample of 233 students (males: n = 108; females: n = 125; mean age: 21.17 +/- 1.47; mean educational level: 13.36 +/- 1.06). The French versions of the MIS and the PAS have high internal reliability (MIS: Cronbach's alpha = 0.85; PAS: Cronbach's alpha = 0.88). French norms are given for each of these scales. They are respectively 19/30 for the MIS and 17/35 for the PAS high cutoff scores without any difference when gender was considered. These results are very closed to those found by Chapman and colleagues for University of Wisconsin undergraduate students.

Validation of the French version of the Acceptability E-scale (AES) for mental E-health systems.

PubMed

Micoulaud-Franchi, Jean-Arthur; Sauteraud, Alain; Olive, Jérôme; Sagaspe, Patricia; Bioulac, Stéphanie; Philip, Pierre

2016-03-30

Despite the increasing use of E-health systems for mental-health organizations, there is a lack of psychometric tools to evaluate their acceptability by patients with mental disorders. Thus, this study aimed to translate and validate a French version of the Acceptability E-scale (AES), a 6-item self-reported questionnaire that evaluates the extent to which patients find E-health systems acceptable. A forward-backward translation of the AES was performed. The psychometric properties of the French AES version, with construct validity, internal structural validity and external validity (Pearson's coefficient between AES scores and depression symptoms on the Beck Depression Inventory II) were analyzed. In a sample of 178 patients (mean age=46.51 years, SD=12.91 years), the validation process revealed satisfactory psychometric properties: factor analysis revealed two factors: "Satisfaction" (3 items) and "Usability" (3 items) and Cronbach's alpha was 0.7. No significant relation was found between AES scores and depression symptoms. The French version of the AES revealed a two-factor scale that differs from the original version. In line with the importance of acceptability in mental health and with a view to E-health systems for patients with mental disorders, the use of the AES in psychiatry may provide important information on acceptability (i.e., satisfaction and usability). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning to Read in English and French: Emergent Readers in French Immersion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Sheila Cira; Koh, Poh Wee; Deacon, S. Hélène; Chen, Xi

2017-01-01

This longitudinal study investigated the predictors of word reading in English and French for 69 children in early total French immersion from first through third grade. The influence of phonological awareness, orthographic processing, and vocabulary in English and French on the achievement and growth of word reading in the 2 languages were…

Speaking two languages with different number naming systems: What implications for magnitude judgments in bilinguals at different stages of language acquisition?

PubMed

Van Rinsveld, Amandine; Schiltz, Christine; Landerl, Karin; Brunner, Martin; Ugen, Sonja

2016-08-01

Differences between languages in terms of number naming systems may lead to performance differences in number processing. The current study focused on differences concerning the order of decades and units in two-digit number words (i.e., unit-decade order in German but decade-unit order in French) and how they affect number magnitude judgments. Participants performed basic numerical tasks, namely two-digit number magnitude judgments, and we used the compatibility effect (Nuerk et al. in Cognition 82(1):B25-B33, 2001) as a hallmark of language influence on numbers. In the first part we aimed to understand the influence of language on compatibility effects in adults coming from German or French monolingual and German-French bilingual groups (Experiment 1). The second part examined how this language influence develops at different stages of language acquisition in individuals with increasing bilingual proficiency (Experiment 2). Language systematically influenced magnitude judgments such that: (a) The spoken language(s) modulated magnitude judgments presented as Arabic digits, and (b) bilinguals' progressive language mastery impacted magnitude judgments presented as number words. Taken together, the current results suggest that the order of decades and units in verbal numbers may qualitatively influence magnitude judgments in bilinguals and monolinguals, providing new insights into how number processing can be influenced by language(s).

Translations of volcanological terms: cross-cultural standards for teaching, communication, and reporting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Andrew J. L.; Belousov, Alexander; Calvari, Sonia; Delgado-Granados, Hugo; Hort, Matthias; Koga, Ken; Wulan Mei, Estuning Tyas; Harijoko, Agung; Pacheco, José; Prival, Jean-Marie; Solana, Carmen; Þórðarson, Þorvaldur; Thouret, Jean-Claude; van Wyk de Vries, Benjamin

2017-07-01

When teaching at a non-English language university, we often argue that because English is the international language, students need to become familiar with English terms, even if the bulk of the class is in the native language. However, to make the meaning of the terms clear, a translation into the native language is always useful. Correct translation of terminology is even more crucial for emergency managers and decision makers who can be confronted with a confusing and inconsistently applied mix of terminology. Thus, it is imperative to have a translation that appropriately converts the meaning of a term, while being grammatically and lexicologically correct, before the need for use. If terms are not consistently defined across all languages following industry standards and norms, what one person believes to be a dog, to another is a cat. However, definitions and translations of English scientific and technical terms are not always available, and language is constantly evolving. We live and work in an international world where English is the common language of multi-cultural exchange. As a result, while finding the correct translation can be difficult because we are too used to the English language terms, translated equivalents that are available may not have been through the peer review process. We have explored this issue by discussing grammatically and lexicologically correct French, German, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Japanese versions for terms involved in communicating effusive eruption intensity.

Wh-Questions in Child L2 French: Derivational Complexity and Its Interactions with L1 Properties, Length of Exposure, Age of Exposure, and the Input

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prévost, Philippe; Strik, Nelleke; Tuller, Laurie

2014-01-01

This study investigates how derivational complexity interacts with first language (L1) properties, second language (L2) input, age of first exposure to the target language, and length of exposure in child L2 acquisition. We compared elicited production of "wh"-questions in French in two groups of 15 participants each, one with L1 English…

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) Revisited in a French-Speaking Population: Proposition of a Reduced Version of the Parent SDQ

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauvin, Bruno; Leonova, Tamara

2016-01-01

Key concerns about the psychometric properties of the 25-item version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) have consistently been raised in the literature. The present study aimed at examining the meaningfulness of an alternative model to the SDQ in which 7 problematic items are excluded. French-speaking parents of 262 boys and…

Cross-cultural French adaptation and validation of the Impact On Family Scale (IOFS).

PubMed

Boudas, Raphaël; Jégu, Jérémie; Grollemund, Bruno; Quentel, Elvire; Danion-Grilliat, Anne; Velten, Michel

2013-04-23

The IOFS (Impact On Family Scale) questionnaire is a useful instrument to assess the impact of chronic childhood conditions on general family quality of life. As this instrument was not validated in French, we proposed to translate, adapt and validate the IOFS questionnaire for clinical and research use in French-speaking populations. The sample studied comprised French-speaking parents with a child presenting a cleft lip or cleft lip and palate, aged 6 to 12 years and treated in the University Hospital of Strasbourg, France. The 15-item version of the IOFS was translated into French and then sent to the parents by post. The structure of the measure was studied using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient and test-retest reliability was studied by calculating the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The French version of the IOFS questionnaire exhibited very good psychometric properties. For practitioners, this instrument will facilitate the assessment of the impact of chronic childhood conditions on quality of life among French-speaking families.

[Translation and validation in French of the First-Time Father Questionnaire].

PubMed

Capponi, I; Carquillat, P; Premberg, Å; Vendittelli, F; Guittier, M-J

2016-09-01

For fathers, being present at a birth for the first time is not an insignificant event. Witnessing suffering can cause feelings of loneliness and powerlessness, which may be associated with postnatal problems such as depression. However, without a confirmed French-language tool concerning the experience of childbirth for fathers, we are limited in our ability to develop our understanding of their experiences and establish links between these experiences and their distress (anxiety, depression, etc.), or to develop appropriate methods of support. Our objective has been to translate and validate the Swedish "First-Time Father Questionnaire" with a French-speaking sample. The tool was translated using a translation/backtranslation process (using two independent agencies, with a pre-test on 30 new fathers as well as exchanges with the Swedish authors). The French version was then tested with 154 new fathers at 1 month post-partum. Factorial analysis followed by multi-trait analysis and variance analyses were conducted, with subgroups contrasted according to the mode of delivery. The factorial structure is satisfactory, retaining 19 items and reproducing 54.12% of variance. Professional support, worry, and prenatal preparation constitute the 3 dimensions of this. Internal consistency, homogeneity, and the discriminating capacity of the questionnaire are good. Validation of the questionnaire shows good metrological qualities. It can therefore be used in the perinatal field to evaluate the childbirth experience for first-time fathers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Negation in Near-Native French: Variation and Sociolinguistic Competence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Bryan

2017-01-01

This study investigated how adult second language (L2) speakers of French with near-native proficiency realize verbal negation, a well-known sociolinguistic variable in contemporary spoken French. Data included 10 spontaneous informal conversations between near-native speakers of French and native speakers (NSs) closely acquainted with them.…

Ten Projects to Involve Your Students Directly in French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Lent, Peter C.

1981-01-01

Proposes 10 activities to provide French classes of all levels with a broad spectrum of language projects involving direct and active use of French including students polling each other, skits based on television commercials, geographical "show and tell," cooking French dishes, writing a monthly newspaper, and field trips. (BK)

English versus French: Language Rivalry in Tunisia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Battenburg, John

1997-01-01

Examines the competition between English and French in Tunisian educational institutions and programs. Scrutinizes two periods in postprotectorate Tunisia: the introduction of English and the spread of English. Findings indicate that the decline in French linguistic influence may be accompanied by a future decrease in French political and economic…

When pitch Accents Encode Speaker Commitment: Evidence from French Intonation.

PubMed

Michelas, Amandine; Portes, Cristel; Champagne-Lavau, Maud

2016-06-01

Recent studies on a variety of languages have shown that a speaker's commitment to the propositional content of his or her utterance can be encoded, among other strategies, by pitch accent types. Since prior research mainly relied on lexical-stress languages, our understanding of how speakers of a non-lexical-stress language encode speaker commitment is limited. This paper explores the contribution of the last pitch accent of an intonation phrase to convey speaker commitment in French, a language that has stress at the phrasal level as well as a restricted set of pitch accents. In a production experiment, participants had to produce sentences in two pragmatic contexts: unbiased questions (the speaker had no particular belief with respect to the expected answer) and negatively biased questions (the speaker believed the proposition to be false). Results revealed that negatively biased questions consistently exhibited an additional unaccented F0 peak in the preaccentual syllable (an H+!H* pitch accent) while unbiased questions were often realized with a rising pattern across the accented syllable (an H* pitch accent). These results provide evidence that pitch accent types in French can signal the speaker's belief about the certainty of the proposition expressed in French. It also has implications for the phonological model of French intonation.

Language-Learning Motivation during Short-Term Study Abroad: An Activity Theory Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Heather Willis

2010-01-01

This study investigated the development of language-learning motivation during short-term study abroad (SA) for six intermediate-level students of French. Taking an activity theory perspective, findings demonstrated that one of two orientations motivated participants to study or continue studying French at the college level: linguistic motives or…

Proceedings of the National Conference on Individualized Instruction in Foreign Languages (2nd, Ohio State University, October 24-25, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ervin, Gerard L., Ed.

Papers in this volume on individualized instruction in foreign languages include: (1) "Individualized Instruction and 'Back to Basics': Are They Compatible?" by Howard B. Altman; (2) "Individualized Instruction in French at Northwestern University" by Margaret Sinclair Breslin; (3) "An Individualized French Program for…

Young Children Learning Languages in a Multilingual Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirsch, Claudine

2006-01-01

Luxembourg is a trilingual country where residents communicate in Luxembourgish, French and German concurrently. Children therefore study these languages at primary school. In this paper I explore how six eight-year-old Luxembourgish children use and learn German, French and English in formal and informal settings over a period of one year. Their…

French Immersion for English Language Learners?: Kindergarten Teachers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mady, Callie

2016-01-01

Given the increasingly diverse, multilingual student body in Canada, the call for increased inclusion in education, and in light of research highlighting the potential for inclusion in French immersion (FI) to be limited by gatekeepers, this study examines the beliefs of kindergarten teachers regarding the inclusion of English language learners in…

Laughing and Smiling to Manage Trouble in French-Language Classroom Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petitjean, Cécile; González-Martínez, Esther

2015-01-01

This article deals with communicative functions of laughter and smiling in the classroom studied using a conversation analytical approach. Analysing a corpus of video-recorded French first-language lessons, we show how students sequentially organise laughter and smiling, and use them to preempt, solve or assess a problematic action. We also focus…

"Techniques d'expression,""approche communicative," meme combat? ("Expressive Techniques,""Communicative Approach," Same Struggle?)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vives, Robert

1983-01-01

Based on a literature review and analysis of teaching methods and objectives, it is proposed that the emphasis on communicative competence ascendant in French foreign language instruction is closely related to, and borrows from, expressive techniques taught in French native language instruction in the 1960s. (MSE)

A FLES Handbook: French, Spanish, German, Grades K-6. Third edition, revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Medlin, Dorothy

Classroom activities for foreign language in the elementary school (FLES) are presented. The languages covered are French, Spanish, and German. Suggestions are offered for use of repetition in the classroom for reading and writing, for testing, and for creating lesson plans. Classroom techniques such as dramatics, songs, and team competition are…

Dictionnaires du francais langue etrangere (Dictionaries for French as a Second Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gross, Gaston; Ibrahim, Amr

1981-01-01

Examines the purposes served by native language dictionaries as an introduction to the review of three monolingual French dictionaries for foreigners. Devotes particular attention to the most recent, the "Dictionnaire du francais langue etrangere", published by Larousse. Stresses the characteristics that are considered desirable for this type of…

Invited Colloquium: Inclusivity in French Second Language Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Sara

2015-01-01

The aim of this bilingual (French/English) symposium was to inform researchers and teacher educators about the specific challenges faced by second language (L2) students and teachers in creating an inclusive L2 classroom in order to encourage plurilingual, non-English-dominant students and students with learning difficulties to succeed. In the…

French version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) version 3.

PubMed

Joly, F; Lange, M; Rigal, O; Correia, H; Giffard, B; Beaumont, J L; Clisant, S; Wagner, L

2012-12-01

Impairment of cognitive function, a common complaint in patients receiving chemotherapy, is usually measured through neuropsychological tests. Patient self-evaluation of cognitive difficulties is an important complement to those tests. The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) is a self-report questionnaire with potential to be used in standard clinical practice as a tool for evaluating patient's cognitive function before, during, and after chemotherapy. The purpose of our study was to conduct linguistic validation of the French version of the FACT-Cog. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this study. After undergoing a rigorous translation methodology, the French FACT-Cog version was pretested in France with 35 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Interviews were conducted with all patients to ascertain their understanding of each item. The validation of the final version was conducted among 63 cancer patients, and sociodemographic information was collected as well as brief measure of cognitive function and depression score. Patient comments obtained through the cognitive debriefing interviews indicated that patients understand the French FACT-Cog items as they are intended and that the measure is culturally appropriate. Internal consistency reliability of the subscales, evaluated using Cronbach's coefficient alpha, was high for all four subscales: Perceived Cognitive Impairments = 0.93, Impact On QOL = 0.85, Comments From Others = 0.70, and Perceived Cognitive Abilities = 0.89. All item-total correlations for each subscale were greater than 0.20, and most were greater than 0.50. Results from this study effectively demonstrate that the French FACT-Cog is a reliable instrument for the self-reporting of cognitive abilities in patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Canadian adaptation of the Newest Vital Sign©, a health literacy assessment tool.

PubMed

Mansfield, Elizabeth D; Wahba, Rana; Gillis, Doris E; Weiss, Barry D; L'Abbé, Mary

2018-04-25

The Newest Vital Sign© (NVS) was developed in the USA to measure patient health literacy in clinical settings. We adapted the NVS for use in Canada, in English and French, and created a computerized version. Our objective was to evaluate the reliability of the Canadian NVS as a self-administered computerized tool. We used a randomized crossover design with a washout period of 3-4 weeks to compare health literacy scores obtained using the computerized version with scores obtained using the standard interviewer-administered NVS. ANOVA models and McNemar's tests assessed differences in outcomes assessed with each version of the NVS and order effects of the testing. Participants were recruited from multicultural catchment areas in Ontario and Nova Scotia. English- and French-speaking adults aged 18 years or older. A total of 180 (81 %) of the 222 adults (112 English/110 French) initially recruited completed both the interviewer-NVS and computer-NVS. Scores for those who completed both assessments ranged from 0 to 6 with a mean of 3·63 (sd 2·11) for the computerized NVS and 3·41 (sd 2·21) for the interview-administered NVS. Few (n 18; seven English, eleven French) participants' health literacy assessments differed between the two versions. Overall, the computerized Canadian NVS performed as well as the interviewer-administered version for assessing health literacy levels of English- and French-speaking participants. This Canadian adaptation of the NVS provides Canadian researchers and public health practitioners with an easily administered health literacy assessment tool that can be used to address the needs of Canadians across health literacy levels and ultimately improve health outcomes.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the french version of the 15-item Myasthenia Gravis Quality Of life scale.

PubMed

Birnbaum, Simone; Ghout, Idir; Demeret, Sophie; Bolgert, Francis; Eymard, Bruno; Sharshar, Tarek; Portero, Pierre; Hogrel, Jean-Yves

2017-05-01

Evaluation of quality of life (QOL) has become essential in healthcare. Currently no MG-specific QOL measure exists in French. The aim of this study was to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the French version of the 15-Item Myasthenia Gravis Quality of Life Scale (MG-QOL15) scale for French myasthenia patients. Translation and cross-cultural adaption of the MG-QOL15 was performed, followed by reliability and validity evaluations. One hundred and twenty-five patients were included. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach α = 0.92) as was test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92, 95% CI 0.86-0.96). Concurrent validity was good for both clinical scores (myasthenic muscle score: ρ = -0.52, P < 0.001; Myasthenia Gravis-Activities of Daily Living scale score: ρ = 0.62, P < 0.001). Correlations were strongest for overall QOL (ρ = 0.62, P < 0.001) and physical health (ρ = 0.67, P < 0.001) on the World Health Organization Quality of Life short score (WHO-QOL BREF). The French version of the MG-QOL15 is valid and reliable and is now available for use with French-speaking patients. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 639-645, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The World of Business and Commerce as Seen by French Literary Authors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elton, Maurice G. A.

It is argued that while it is important to make the French second language curriculum relevant to today's world, it is also important not to neglect the cultural and literary components of the traditional French major, including those learning French for business. In light of this, several French novels, plays, and stories in which business is a…

Switches to English during French Service Encounters: Relationships with L2 French Speakers' Willingness to Communicate and Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNaughton, Stephanie; McDonough, Kim

2015-01-01

This exploratory study investigated second language (L2) French speakers' service encounters in the multilingual setting of Montreal, specifically whether switches to English during French service encounters were related to L2 speakers' willingness to communicate or motivation. Over a two-week period, 17 French L2 speakers in Montreal submitted…

Fiche Pratique: Magic Circus; Une revolte? Non, une revolution!; 1789: tous en scene; Lexique de didactique, les 39 marches. (Practical Ideas: Magic Circus; A Revolt? No, a Revolution!; 1789: All on Stage; The Vocabulary of Instruction: 39 Steps).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rezende de Rezende, Eleonora; And Others

1988-01-01

Four articles present practical classroom ideas related to language instruction, including (1) a children's circus production; (2) a language-learning game using the French Revolution as its theme; (3) a play using the French Revolution as its theme; and (4) definitions of terminology used in language teaching. (MSE)

Teaching the Anxiety of Learning a Foreign Language That Influences High School Students in Learning French as a Second Foreign Language "The Case of Denizli"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kusçu, Ertan

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the reasons of anxiety levels of high school students who learn French as a second foreign language. The sample of the study consisted of four hundred fifty-six students from two high schools in Denizli province in 2015-2016 academic year. In this study, the effects of variables such as learners' gender,…

Brain correlates of constituent structure in sign language comprehension.

PubMed

Moreno, Antonio; Limousin, Fanny; Dehaene, Stanislas; Pallier, Christophe

2018-02-15

During sentence processing, areas of the left superior temporal sulcus, inferior frontal gyrus and left basal ganglia exhibit a systematic increase in brain activity as a function of constituent size, suggesting their involvement in the computation of syntactic and semantic structures. Here, we asked whether these areas play a universal role in language and therefore contribute to the processing of non-spoken sign language. Congenitally deaf adults who acquired French sign language as a first language and written French as a second language were scanned while watching sequences of signs in which the size of syntactic constituents was manipulated. An effect of constituent size was found in the basal ganglia, including the head of the caudate and the putamen. A smaller effect was also detected in temporal and frontal regions previously shown to be sensitive to constituent size in written language in hearing French subjects (Pallier et al., 2011). When the deaf participants read sentences versus word lists, the same network of language areas was observed. While reading and sign language processing yielded identical effects of linguistic structure in the basal ganglia, the effect of structure was stronger in all cortical language areas for written language relative to sign language. Furthermore, cortical activity was partially modulated by age of acquisition and reading proficiency. Our results stress the important role of the basal ganglia, within the language network, in the representation of the constituent structure of language, regardless of the input modality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Brain responses in 4-month-old infants are already language specific.

PubMed

Friederici, Angela D; Friedrich, Manuela; Christophe, Anne

2007-07-17

Language is the most important faculty that distinguishes humans from other animals. Infants learn their native language fast and effortlessly during the first years of life, as a function of the linguistic input in their environment. Behavioral studies reported the discrimination of melodic contours [1] and stress patterns [2, 3] in 1-4-month-olds. Behavioral [4, 5] and brain measures [6-8] have shown language-independent discrimination of phonetic contrasts at that age. Language-specific discrimination, however, has been reported for phonetic contrasts only for 6-12-month-olds [9-12]. Here we demonstrate language-specific discrimination of stress patterns in 4-month-old German and French infants by using electrophysiological brain measures. We compare the processing of disyllabic words differing in their rhythmic structure, mimicking German words being stressed on the first syllable, e.g., pápa/daddy[13], and French ones being stressed on the second syllable, e.g., papá/daddy. Event-related brain potentials reveal that experience with German and French differentially affects the brain responses of 4-month-old infants, with each language group displaying a processing advantage for the rhythmic structure typical in its native language. These data indicate language-specific neural representations of word forms in the infant brain as early as 4 months of age.

[Validation of the French translation of Beck's Sociotropy-Autonomy Scale].

PubMed

Husky, Mathilde M; Grondin, Olivier S; Compagnone, Philippe D

2004-12-01

To validate the French version of the Sociotropy- Autonomy Scale (SAS) developed by Beck and others. The SAS is a self-questionnaire of 60 items divided into 2 dimensions measuring sociotropy and autonomy. The SAS was completed by 1028 students, 140 of whom jointly completed Robins' Personal Style Inventory-Revised, and 75 of whom completed the SAS again 3 months later. The principal-axes factor analysis conducted on all 60 items yielded 2 distinct dimensions: sociotropy and autonomy. The factor analysis of each dimension led us to identify 6 subdimensions, just as in the original instrument. The French translation features satisfying psychometric and conceptual characteristics and allows these dimensions to be studied in a French sample. Results are discussed with regards to adequacy when compared with the original Beck's version.

Adaptation and validation of the Evidence-Based Practice Belief and Implementation scales for French-speaking Swiss nurses and allied healthcare providers.

PubMed

Verloo, Henk; Desmedt, Mario; Morin, Diane

2017-09-01

To evaluate two psychometric properties of the French versions of the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales, namely their internal consistency and construct validity. The Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales developed by Melnyk et al. are recognised as valid, reliable instruments in English. However, no psychometric validation for their French versions existed. Secondary analysis of a cross sectional survey. Source data came from a cross-sectional descriptive study sample of 382 nurses and other allied healthcare providers. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate internal consistency, and principal axis factor analysis and varimax rotation were computed to determine construct validity. The French Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales showed excellent reliability, with Cronbach's alphas close to the scores established by Melnyk et al.'s original versions. Principal axis factor analysis showed medium-to-high factor loading scores without obtaining collinearity. Principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation of the 16-item Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs scale resulted in a four-factor loading structure. Principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation of the 17-item Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scale revealed a two-factor loading structure. Further research should attempt to understand why the French Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scale showed a two-factor loading structure but Melnyk et al.'s original has only one. The French versions of the Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales can both be considered valid and reliable instruments for measuring Evidence-Based Practice beliefs and implementation. The results suggest that the French Evidence-Based Practice Beliefs and Evidence-Based Practice Implementation scales are valid and reliable and can therefore be used to evaluate the effectiveness of organisational strategies aimed at increasing professionals' confidence in Evidence-Based Practice, supporting its use and implementation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Old French for Undergraduates at the University of Minnesota, Morris.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, David E.

Old French for undergraduates, as it is offered to students at the University of Minnesota, Morris, represents a break with tradition. A rationale for the program and course descriptions accentuate benefits accrued from undergraduate medieval studies. Syllabuses for French 80, The History of the Language; French 90, Directed Medieval Studies; and…

Nonverbal Aspects of Verbal Behavior in French Canadian French-English Bilinguals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grujic, Zdenda; Libby, William L., Jr.

The present study was designed to investigate whether known intercultural differences in nonverbal behavior extend to specific nonverbal repertoires accompanying, and perhaps facilitating the act of speaking a verbal language. Conversations in the form of structured interviews between 48 French-Canadian, French-English bilinguals (24 males and 24…

Immersion francaise precoce: Francais I (Early French Immersion: French I).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burt, Andy; And Others

This manual for first grade French instruction accompanies the early French immersion program. It is based on general and specific learning objectives for the four language skills the child needs to develop (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The introduction to the manual provides an overview of the program for the primary grades and…

Chansons et Chansonniers (Songs and Songsters). Teacher's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ullmann, Rebecca

A resource kit for French instruction at the advanced secondary level is represented by a teacher's guide. A specific area of French-Canadian "pop" music is introduced to students of French as a second language. In order to acquaint students with aspects of this type of music, four French-Canadian "chansonniers" are discussed:…

Simon Fraser University's New Interactive Learning System to Teach French as a Second Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirchner, Glenn

1988-01-01

Provides an overview of the design, production, and preliminary testing of a microcomputer-controlled interactive learning workstation developed at Simon Fraser University to teach French as a Second Language. Criteria and guidelines are discussed; the authoring system is explained; and field testing with grades four through seven is described.…

FipsOrtho: A Spell Checker for Learners of French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

L'Haire, Sebastien

2007-01-01

This paper presents FipsOrtho, a spell checker targeted at learners of French, and a corpus of learners' errors which has been gathered to test the system and to get a sample of specific language learners' errors. Spell checkers are a standard feature of many software products, however they are not designed for specific language learners' errors.…

Vocabulary Breadth in French L2 Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

David, Annabelle

2008-01-01

Vocabulary is one of the building blocks of language and is a necessary component of learners' development. This paper aims to describe the development of the L2 lexicon from the first year of learning French as a foreign language at school to the last year of undergraduate studies at university by setting out what learners know and how this…

Language Curriculum Analysis of French Literature in Iranian Universities at BA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahmatian, Rouhollah; Cheraghi, Haleh; Letafati, Roya; Safa, Parivash

2017-01-01

This article attempts to realize the dominant approach in developing the academic curriculum of language degree and French literature in Iran. It concentrates on analyzing the content of the curriculum approved by the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology in Iran and the University of Tehran. It was concluded that the first curriculum opts…

The Role of Composing Process and Coherence/Cohesion in FFL Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yetis, Veda Aslim

2017-01-01

The aim of this paper is to examine the role of composing process and knowledge about coherence/cohesion in French foreign language writing skill. Research sample consists of 35 Turkish students studying French language teaching at a Turkish university. The participants were first given a test containing of three parts in order to determine their…

"Peau d'Ane" videodisque interactif de francais, langue etrangere ("Donkey's Hide," an Interactive Videodisc in French as a Second Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garrigues, Mylene

1985-01-01

The characteristics of videodisc technology are outlined, and a project undertaken to create an interactive videodisc for French language instruction is described, including the efforts to eliminate physical barriers between the computer and the user, pedagogical strategy and material, programing technicalities, and other details of production.…

Le Carte Blanc or La Carte Blanche? Bilingual Children's Acquisition of French Adjective Agreement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nicoladis, Elena; Marchak, Kristan

2011-01-01

Because of less exposure to either language, bilingual children's language acquisition can be delayed relative to monolingual children in domains related to input frequency. This study predicted that the acquisition of gender agreement with adjectives in French would be delayed in bilingual children on a picture description task. The results…

Technology for French Learning: A Mismatch between Expectations and Reality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karabulut, Aliye; Levelle, Kimberly; Li, Jinrong; Suvorov, Ruslan

2012-01-01

The qualitative study reported in this article explored the use of technology for language learning in a third-year French class at a public university in the Midwest of the USA. To address the need for a more holistic study of technology for language learning (Basharina, 2007; Thorne, 2003), an Activity Theory framework was employed to…

Internet-Based French as a Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning: Academic Success and Opinions on FFL Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erkan, Senem Seda Sahenk

2017-01-01

In the 21st century, globalization and technological developments in different domains of life have accentuated the importance of multilingualism and multiculturalism in studying English and French as foreign languages in different countries of the world, including Turkey. This research is aimed at determining the effects of learning vocabulary in…

Integrated French and Spanish Curricula: Language Planning, Communicative, Linguistic and Cultural Interactions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Papalia, Anthony

Two guides are presented to assist in organization of a thematic approach to instruction in French and Spanish that is helpful in integrating language and culture. Each booklet contains the following elements: (1) a general introduction to the factors that must be present in the teaching situation for real communication to take place, and to…

Auditory Training for Experienced and Inexperienced Second-Language Learners: Native French Speakers Learning English Vowels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iverson, Paul; Pinet, Melanie; Evans, Bronwen G.

2012-01-01

This study examined whether high-variability auditory training on natural speech can benefit experienced second-language English speakers who already are exposed to natural variability in their daily use of English. The subjects were native French speakers who had learned English in school; experienced listeners were tested in England and the less…

Affective Factors Influencing Fluent Performance: French Learners' Appraisals of Second Language Speech Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kormos, Judit; Préfontaine, Yvonne

2017-01-01

The present mixed-methods study examined the role of learner appraisals of speech tasks in second language (L2) French fluency. Forty adult learners in a Canadian immersion program participated in the study that compared four sources of data: (1) objectively measured utterance fluency in participants' performances of three narrative tasks…

Regional Language Vitality in the Linguistic Landscape: Hidden Hierarchies on Street Signs in Toulouse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Amos, H. William

2017-01-01

The city of Toulouse is a major contributor to the public visibility of Occitan, a regional language (RL) associated with southern France. Whilst French law recognizes the country's RLs in terms of national heritage, the official supremacy of French remains constitutionally unchallenged. This means that, along with other public texts, street names…

Processing Focus Structure in L1 and L2 French: L2 Proficiency Effects on ERPs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reichle, Robert V.; Birdsong, David

2014-01-01

This study examined the event-related potentials (ERPs) elicited by focus processing among first language (L1) speakers and second language (L2) learners of French. Participants read wh-questions containing explicit focus marking, followed by responses instantiating contrastive and informational focus. We hypothesized that L2 proficiency would…

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury, Frontal Lesions, and Social Aspects of Language Use: A Study of French-Speaking Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dardier, Virginie; Bernicot, Josie; Delanoe, Anaig; Vanberten, Melanie; Fayada, Catherine; Chevignard, Mathilde; Delaye, Corinne; Laurent-Vannier, Anne; Dubois, Bruno

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the social (pragmatic) aspects of language use by French-speaking individuals with frontal lesions following a severe traumatic brain injury. Eleven participants with traumatic brain injury performed tasks in three areas of communication: production (interview situation), comprehension (direct…

Psychometric properties of the French versions of the Perceived Stress Scale.

PubMed

Lesage, Francois-Xavier; Berjot, Sophie; Deschamps, Frederic

2012-06-01

This study was conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the French versions of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and to compare the appropriateness of the three versions of this scale (14 items, 10 items, or 4 items) in a sample of workers. Five hundred and one workers were randomly selected in several occupational health care centers of the North of France during 2010. Participants completed a questionnaire including demographic variables and the PSS. The psychometric properties of this scale were analyzed: internal consistency, factorial structure, and discriminative sensibility. For the PSS-14 and PSS-10, the Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) provided a two-factor structure, corresponding to the positively and negatively worded items. Those two factors were significantly correlated (r = 0.43 and 0.50, respectively). For the PSS-4, the EFA yielded a one-factor structure. The reliability was high for all three versions of the PSS (Cronbach's α values ranged from 0.73 to 0.84). The results concerning the effects of age, gender, marital, parental and occupational statuses showed that the 10-item version had the best discriminative sensibility. The findings confirmed satisfactory psychometric properties of all the three French versions of the PSS. We recommend the use of the PSS-10 in research settings because of its good psychometric properties.

Cultural Understanding: French, Level One. Selected Cultural Concepts Which May Be Developed in French Level I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walpole, Earl L.

This manual was prepared to instruct the language teacher on concepts of French culture to be taught in a beginning French class to students of any age. The cultural concepts are cross-referenced and intended to be used with five of the most widely used French texts. Certain deeper cultural concepts are meant to be used for longer unit…

But Do They Speak French? A Comparison of French Immersion Programs in Immersion Only and English/Immersion Settings. Research Report 79-01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkin, Michael

Students' use of French in unsupervised classroom situations and outside the classroom was investigated in immersion center schools (all students are involved in French immersion programs) and dual track schools (French immersion programs co-exist with regular English language programs). A total of 414 students in grades 3 and 4 were observed…

Effectiveness of a Heritage Educational Program for the Acquisition of Oral and Written French and Tahitian in French Polynesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nocus, Isabelle; Guimard, Philippe; Vernaudon, Jacques; Paia, Mirose; Cosnefroy, Olivier; Florin, Agnes

2012-01-01

The research examines the effects of a bilingual pedagogical program (French/Tahitian) on the acquisition of oral and written French as well as the Tahitian language itself in primary schools in French Polynesia. 125 children divided into an experimental group (partially schooled in Tahitian for 300 min per week) and a control group (schooled in…

The Canadian minimum dataset for chronic low back pain research: a cross-cultural adaptation of the National Institutes of Health Task Force Research Standards.

PubMed

Lacasse, Anaïs; Roy, Jean-Sébastien; Parent, Alexandre J; Noushi, Nioushah; Odenigbo, Chúk; Pagé, Gabrielle; Beaudet, Nicolas; Choinière, Manon; Stone, Laura S; Ware, Mark A

2017-01-01

To better standardize clinical and epidemiological studies about the prevalence, risk factors, prognosis, impact and treatment of chronic low back pain, a minimum data set was developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Task Force on Research Standards for Chronic Low Back Pain. The aim of the present study was to develop a culturally adapted questionnaire that could be used for chronic low back pain research among French-speaking populations in Canada. The adaptation of the French Canadian version of the minimum data set was achieved according to guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation of self-reported measures (double forward-backward translation, expert committee, pretest among 35 patients with pain in the low back region). Minor cultural adaptations were also incorporated into the English version by the expert committee (e.g., items about race/ethnicity, education level). This cross-cultural adaptation provides an equivalent French-Canadian version of the minimal data set questionnaire and a culturally adapted English-Canadian version. Modifications made to the original NIH minimum data set were minimized to facilitate comparison between the Canadian and American versions. The present study is a first step toward the use of a culturally adapted instrument for phenotyping French- and English-speaking low back pain patients in Canada. Clinicians and researchers will recognize the importance of this standardized tool and are encouraged to incorporate it into future research studies on chronic low back pain.

Assessing Grammar: The Languages of LARSP. Communication Disorders across Languages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ball, Martin; Crystal, David; Fletcher, Paul

2012-01-01

This collection is a resource book for those working with language disordered clients in a range of languages. It collects together versions of the well-known Language Assessment Remediation Screening Procedure (LARSP) prepared for different languages. Starting with the original version for English, the book then presents versions in more than a…

Students and Teachers' Reasons for Using the First Language within the Foreign Language Classroom (French and English) in Central Mexico (Razones de alumnos y maestros sobre el uso de la primera lengua en el salón de lenguas extranjeras (francés e inglés) en el centro de México)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mora Pablo, Irasema; Lengeling, M. Martha; Rubio Zenil, Buenaventura; Crawford, Troy; Goodwin, Douglas

2011-01-01

The present study explores the use of the first language in a context of foreign language teaching. This qualitative research presents the classroom practice and points of view of French and English teachers and students within a public educational institute in central Mexico using the techniques of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.…

Responding to the Challenge of Survival: Multidisciplinary Language Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Champagne, Roland A.

1978-01-01

Multidisciplinary language courses offer hope for integrating language courses into a university undergraduate curriculum. Such courses use a target language, such as French, to explore problems in another discipline. (Author)

Fiche pratique: Anaphores et enchainements; B. d. de Grand Vent; FDM Frequence plus: Une minute sur la mode; Chimie pour non-chimistes (Practical Ideas: Anaphors and Linking; The Comic Strip "Grand Vent"; One Minute on Fashion; Chemistry for Non-Chemists).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baldovi, Josep Ramon Torres

1994-01-01

Ideas for French instruction are offered, including a grammar exercise on pronouns; exploration of a comic strip's language and culture; use of a taped program on fashion; and an activity to help French language teachers cope with unfamiliar discipline-specific texts, whose topics (but not language) are familiar to their students. (MSE)

Public attitudes toward mental illness in Africa and North America.

PubMed

St Louis, K O; Roberts, P M

2013-03-01

Public attitudes toward mental illness in two widely disparate cultures, Canada and Cameroon, were compared using an experimental version of a survey instrument, the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Mental Illness or POSHA-MI(e). 120 respondents rated POSHA-MI(e) items relating to mental illness on 1-9 equal appearing interval scales: 30 in English and 30 in French in both Cameroon and Canada. Additionally, 30 matched, monolingual English, American respondents were included as a comparison group. In Canada (and in the USA), attitudes were generally more positive and less socially stigmatizing toward mental illness than in Cameroon. Differences between countries were much larger than differences between language groups. Consistent with other research, beliefs and reactions of the public regarding mental illness reflect stigma, especially in Cameroon. Cultural influences on these public attitudes are more likely important than language influences. Results of this field test of the POSHA-MI(e), documenting differences in public attitudes toward mental illness in two divergent cultures, support its further development.

Discrimination of English and French orthographic patterns by biliterate children.

PubMed

Jared, Debra; Cormier, Pierre; Levy, Betty Ann; Wade-Woolley, Lesly

2013-04-01

We investigated whether young English-French biliterate children can distinguish between English and French orthographic patterns. Children in French immersion programs were asked to play a dictionary game when they were in Grade 2 and again when they were in Grade 3. They were shown pseudowords that contained either an English spelling pattern or a French spelling pattern, and they were asked to decide whether each pseudoword should go in an English dictionary or a French dictionary if it became a real word. Comparison groups of monolingual English children, monolingual French children, and English-French bilingual university students were also tested on the task. French immersion students in both grades were above chance in discriminating between the two types of pseudowords but were well below adult performance on the task. Measures obtained in kindergarten showed that early print knowledge had some ability to predict later ability to discriminate between the orthographic patterns of the two languages. Further analyses indicated that exposure to print in each language in Grades 1 to 3 was strongly related to discrimination performance. The findings are interpreted as being consistent with the statistical learning hypothesis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cross-linguistic interactions influence reading development in bilinguals: a comparison between early balanced French-Basque and Spanish-Basque bilingual children.

PubMed

Lallier, Marie; Acha, Joana; Carreiras, Manuel

2016-01-01

This study investigates whether orthographic consistency and transparency of languages have an impact on the development of reading strategies and reading sub-skills (i.e. phonemic awareness and visual attention span) in bilingual children. We evaluated 21 French (opaque)-Basque (transparent) bilingual children and 21 Spanish (transparent)-Basque (transparent) bilingual children at Grade 2, and 16 additional children of each group at Grade 5. All of them were assessed in their common language (i.e. Basque) on tasks measuring word and pseudoword reading, phonemic awareness and visual attention span skills. The Spanish speaking groups showed better Basque pseudoword reading and better phonemic awareness abilities than their French speaking peers, but only in the most difficult conditions of the tasks. However, on the visual attention span task, the French-Basque bilinguals showed the most efficient visual processing strategies to perform the task. Therefore, learning to read in an additional language affected differently Basque literacy skills, depending on whether this additional orthography was opaque (e.g. French) or transparent (e.g. Spanish). Moreover, we showed that the most noteworthy effects of Spanish and French orthographic transparency on Basque performance were related to the size of the phonological and visual grain used to perform the tasks. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[Not Available].

PubMed

Brosseau, Lucie; Laroche, Chantal; Sutton, Anne; Guitard, Paulette; King, Judy; Poitras, Stéphane; Casimiro, Lynn; Tremblay, Manon; Cardinal, Dominique; Cavallo, Sabrina; Laferrière, Lucie; Grisé, Isabelle; Marshall, Lisa; Smith, Jacky R; Lagacé, Josée; Pharand, Denyse; Galipeau, Roseline; Toupin-April, Karine; Loew, Laurianne; Demers, Catrine; Sauvé-Schenk, Katrine; Paquet, Nicole; Savard, Jacinthe; Tourigny, Jocelyne; Vaillancourt, Véronique

2015-08-01

To prepare a Canadian French translation of the PEDro Scale under the proposed name l'Échelle PEDro, and to examine the validity of its content. A modified approach of Vallerand's cross-cultural validation methodology was used, beginning with a parallel back-translation of the PEDro scale by both professional translators and clinical researchers. These versions were reviewed by an initial panel of experts (P1), who then created the first experimental version of l'Échelle PEDro. This version was evaluated by a second panel of experts (P2). Finally, 32 clinical researchers evaluated the second experimental version of l'Échelle PEDro, using a 5-point clarity scale, and suggested final modifications. The various items on the final version of l'Échelle PEDro show a high degree of clarity (from 4.0 to 4.7 on the 5-point scale). The four rigorous steps of the translation process have produced a valid Canadian French version of the PEDro scale.

Accent on Foreign Languages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McWilliams, Larry; And Others

A guide on foreign languages is presented for counselors, administrators, teachers, and parents. An introductory section discusses reasons for foreign language study, college entrance or exit requirements, foreign language and SAT scores, careers that use foreign languages, myths about learning foreign languages, and information about French,…

Syntactic Comprehension in Reading and Listening: A Study with French Children with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casalis, Severine; Leuwers, Christel; Hilton, Heather

2013-01-01

This study examined syntactic comprehension in French children with dyslexia in both listening and reading. In the first syntactic comprehension task, a partial version of the Epreuve de Comprehension syntaxico-semantique (ECOSSE test; French adaptation of Bishop's test for receptive grammar test) children with dyslexia performed at a lower level…

Predicting Growth in English and French Vocabulary: The Facilitating Effects of Morphological and Cognate Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

D'Angelo, Nadia; Hipfner-Boucher, Kathleen; Chen, Xi

2017-01-01

The present study investigated the contribution of morphological and cognate awareness to the development of English and French vocabulary knowledge among young minority and majority language children who were enrolled in a French immersion program. Participating children (n = 75) were assessed in English and French on measures of morphological…

English-French Bilingual Education in the Early Grades: The Elgin Study through Grade Four

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barik, Henri C.; Swain, Merrill

1976-01-01

This paper presents the results of an evaluation of a bilingual education program for English-speaking pupils, grades 1-4, in Ontario. It is a partial French immersion program, with instruction in French or English half of each day. Evaluative tests are described, and English and French language skills examined. (CHK)

Student Engagement in an Ottawa French Immersion High School Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Makropoulos, Josee

2010-01-01

This article makes a contribution to the field of French immersion studies by examining the engagement realities of two groups of students in an Ottawa French immersion high school program: those with and without a parent who makes them eligible for minority French language instruction as outlined by Section 23 of the "Canadian Charter of…

Sciences Humaines Assessment, Manitoba 1991. Final Report: French Immersion Program = Evaluation en sciences humaines, Manitoba 1991. Rapport finale: Programme d'immersion francaise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manitoba Dept. of Education and Training, Winnipeg. Curriculum Services Branch.

This document is the second of two reports of the findings of the 1991 "Sciences...humaines" Assessment for grades 8 and 10 conducted in Franco-Manitoban schools and in French immersion programs in Manitoba, Canada. The report on the French immersion course is presented in parallel French and English versions, and a separate report, in…

Construct validity of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale in a French sample of adolescents with mild to moderate intellectual disability.

PubMed

Maïano, Christophe; Bégarie, Jérôme; Morin, Alexandre J S; Garbarino, Jean-Marie; Ninot, Grégory

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability (i.e. internal consistency and test-retest reliability) and construct validity (i.e. content validity, factor validity, measurement invariance, and latent mean invariance) of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale (NAKS) in a sample of French adolescents with mild to moderate Intellectual Disability (ID). A total sample of 260 adolescents (144 boys and 116 girls), aged between 12 and 18 years old, with mild to moderate ID was involved in two studies. In the first study, analysis of items' content reveals that many words from the original version were not understood or induced confusion. These items were reworded and simplified while retaining their original meaning. In the second study, results provided support for: (i) the factor validity and reliability of a 15-item French version of the NAKS; (ii) the measurement invariance of the resulting NAKS across genders and ID levels; (iii) the partial measurement invariance of the resulting NAKS across age groups and type of school placement. In addition, the latent means of the 15-item French version of the NAKS proved to be invariant across gender, age categories, and ID levels, but to vary across type of school placement (with adolescents schooled in self-contained classes from regular schools presenting higher levels of NAK than adolescents placed in specialized establishments). The present results thus provide preliminary evidence regarding the construct validity of a 15-item French version of the NAKS in a sample of adolescents with ID.

Effect of Bilingualism on Lexical Stress Pattern Discrimination in French-Learning Infants

PubMed Central

Bijeljac-Babic, Ranka; Serres, Josette; Höhle, Barbara; Nazzi, Thierry

2012-01-01

Monolingual infants start learning the prosodic properties of their native language around 6 to 9 months of age, a fact marked by the development of preferences for predominant prosodic patterns and a decrease in sensitivity to non-native prosodic properties. The present study evaluates the effects of bilingual acquisition on speech perception by exploring how stress pattern perception may differ in French-learning 10-month-olds raised in bilingual as opposed to monolingual environments. Experiment 1 shows that monolinguals can discriminate stress patterns following a long familiarization to one of two patterns, but not after a short familiarization. In Experiment 2, two subgroups of bilingual infants growing up learning both French and another language (varying across infants) in which stress is used lexically were tested under the more difficult short familiarization condition: one with balanced input, and one receiving more input in the language other than French. Discrimination was clearly found for the other-language-dominant subgroup, establishing heightened sensitivity to stress pattern contrasts in these bilinguals as compared to monolinguals. However, the balanced bilinguals' performance was not better than that of monolinguals, establishing an effect of the relative balance of the language input. This pattern of results is compatible with the proposal that sensitivity to prosodic contrasts is maintained or enhanced in a bilingual population compared to a monolingual population in which these contrasts are non-native, provided that this dimension is used in one of the two languages in acquisition, and that infants receive enough input from that language. PMID:22363500

Validation of the French Version of the DSM-5 Yale Food Addiction Scale in a Nonclinical Sample

PubMed Central

Courtois, Robert; Gearhardt, Ashley N.; Gaillard, Philippe; Journiac, Kevin; Cathelain, Sarah; Réveillère, Christian; Ballon, Nicolas

2016-01-01

Objective: The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) is the only questionnaire that assesses food addiction (FA) based on substance dependence criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Following recent updating of addiction criteria, a new DSM-5 version (YFAS 2.0) has been developed. Our study tested the psychometric properties of the French YFAS 2.0 in a nonclinical population. Method: We assessed 330 nonclinical participants for FA (French YFAS 2.0), eating behaviour, and eating disorder (Binge Eating Scale, Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised, Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale). We tested the scale’s factor structure (confirmatory factor analysis based on 11 diagnostic criteria), internal consistency, and construct and incremental validity. Results: Prevalence of FA was 8.2%. Our results supported a 1-factor structure similar to the US version. In both its diagnostic and symptom count versions, the YFAS 2.0 had good internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson alpha was 0.83) and was associated with body mass index (BMI), binge eating, uncontrolled and emotional eating, binge eating disorder, and cognitive restraint. FA predicted BMI above and beyond binge eating frequency. Females had a higher prevalence of FA than males but not more FA symptoms. Conclusions: We validated a psychometrically sound French version of the YFAS 2.0 in a nonclinical population, in both its symptom count and diagnostic versions. Future studies should investigate psychometric properties of this questionnaire in clinical populations potentially at risk for FA (that is, patients with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or other metabolic syndrome risk factors). PMID:28212499

Validation of the French Version of the DSM-5 Yale Food Addiction Scale in a Nonclinical Sample.

PubMed

Brunault, Paul; Courtois, Robert; Gearhardt, Ashley N; Gaillard, Philippe; Journiac, Kevin; Cathelain, Sarah; Réveillère, Christian; Ballon, Nicolas

2017-03-01

The Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS) is the only questionnaire that assesses food addiction (FA) based on substance dependence criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Fourth Edition, Text Revision. Following recent updating of addiction criteria, a new DSM-5 version (YFAS 2.0) has been developed. Our study tested the psychometric properties of the French YFAS 2.0 in a nonclinical population. We assessed 330 nonclinical participants for FA (French YFAS 2.0), eating behaviour, and eating disorder (Binge Eating Scale, Emotional Overeating Questionnaire, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, Questionnaire on Eating and Weight Patterns-Revised, Eating Disorder Diagnostic Scale). We tested the scale's factor structure (confirmatory factor analysis based on 11 diagnostic criteria), internal consistency, and construct and incremental validity. Prevalence of FA was 8.2%. Our results supported a 1-factor structure similar to the US version. In both its diagnostic and symptom count versions, the YFAS 2.0 had good internal consistency (Kuder-Richardson alpha was 0.83) and was associated with body mass index (BMI), binge eating, uncontrolled and emotional eating, binge eating disorder, and cognitive restraint. FA predicted BMI above and beyond binge eating frequency. Females had a higher prevalence of FA than males but not more FA symptoms. We validated a psychometrically sound French version of the YFAS 2.0 in a nonclinical population, in both its symptom count and diagnostic versions. Future studies should investigate psychometric properties of this questionnaire in clinical populations potentially at risk for FA (that is, patients with obesity, diabetes, hypertension, or other metabolic syndrome risk factors).

French for Travelers--Spanish for Travelers: Nonsequential Semester Courses in the Foreign Language Area. Guidelines and Handbook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prince George's County Board of Education, Upper Marlboro, MD.

Guidelines for nonsequential, one-semester courses in French and Spanish for travelers, offered at the secondary level of instruction, are presented in this study. The courses are intended for those who wish a brief introduction to the language focusing primarily on selected phrases and expressions often used by travelers. The categories of…

Exploring the Mastery of French Students in Using Basic Notions of the Language of Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Canac, Sophie; Kermen, Isabelle

2016-01-01

Learning chemistry includes learning the language of chemistry (names, formulae, symbols, and chemical equations) which has to be done in connection with the other areas of chemical knowledge. In this study we investigate how French students understand and use names (of chemical species and common mixtures) and chemical formulae. We set a paper…

Au Courant: Teaching French Vocabulary and Culture Using the Mass Media. Language in Education: Theory and Practice 65.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berwald, Jean-Pierre

This volume outlines potential uses of many of the topics associated with daily newspapers, music, film, theater, and sports for vocabulary development and grammar review in French language instruction. The emphasis is on the advantage of using authentic, current materials prepared for the general public but somewhat familiar to students. The…

Short-Term Second Language and Music Training Induces Lasting Functional Brain Changes in Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moreno, Sylvain; Lee, Yunjo; Janus, Monika; Bialystok, Ellen

2015-01-01

Immediate and lasting effects of music or second-language training were examined in early childhood using event-related potentials. Event-related potentials were recorded for French vowels and musical notes in a passive oddball paradigm in thirty-six 4- to 6-year-old children who received either French or music training. Following training, both…

Language-Specific Stress Perception by 9-Month-Old French and Spanish Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Skoruppa, Katrin; Pons, Ferran; Christophe, Anne; Bosch, Laura; Dupoux, Emmanuel; Sebastian-Galles, Nuria; Limissuri, Rita Alves; Peperkamp, Sharon

2009-01-01

During the first year of life, infants begin to have difficulties perceiving non-native vowel and consonant contrasts, thus adapting their perception to the phonetic categories of the target language. In this paper, we examine the perception of a non-segmental feature, i.e. stress. Previous research with adults has shown that speakers of French (a…

A Hidden Curriculum in Language Textbooks: Are Beginning Learners of French at U.S. Universities Taught about Canada?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapelle, Carol A.

2009-01-01

This study investigated a hidden curriculum in published language teaching materials by tabulating the number of instances that Canada was mentioned in 9 French textbooks and their accompanying workbooks and CD-ROMs. The materials were used at large public universities in the northern United States. For the present study, 2 raters, a Quebecois…

Inclusion of Students with Special Education Needs in French as a Second Language Programs: A Review of Canadian Policy and Resource Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muhling, Stefanie; Mady, Callie

2017-01-01

This article describes a document analysis of policy and resource documents pertaining to inclusion of students with special education needs (SSEN) in Canadian French as a Second Language (FSL) programs. By recognizing gaps and acknowledging advancements, we aim to inform current implementation and future development of inclusive policy. Document…

Functional Foreign Language Literacy for Higher Education and Research: The Case of French in Nigerian Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uhuegbu, Alozie R.; Edung, Mike T. U.

2015-01-01

African nations have always considered the knowledge of each other's official language, principally English and French, as a means for their scientists to exchange their research work and findings with their counterparts across the linguistic barriers on the continent and in the world, and thereby hasten the pace of national development. Nigerian…

The Inclusion of Children with Special Educational Needs in an Intensive French as a Second-Language Program: From Theory to Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Joy, Rhonda; Murphy, Elizabeth

2012-01-01

This paper portrays the activity system of eight classes of Grade 6 children with special educational needs in an Intensive French as a second-language education program. Classroom norms and tools reflected a social-interactionist and social-constructivist approach with scaffolding, social interaction, multiple modes of representing, holistic,…

French Second-Language Teacher Candidates' Positions towards Allophone Students and Implications for Inclusion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mady, Callie; Arnett, Katy; Muilenburg, Lin Y.

2017-01-01

In Canada, there is a rising population of K-12 students who speak neither French nor English at home, and who are sometimes expected to learn both of the country's official languages in school. Applying the lenses of critical theory and positioning theory, this study uses questionnaire and interview data to frame considerations to explore how…

Le montage d'une grammaire seconde (The Construction of a Second Grammar)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adamczewski, Henri

1975-01-01

Discusses the influence of modern linguistic research on foreign language instruction. Shows the role of grammar 1 in the acquisition of grammar 2, and specifically when French is 1 and English is 2. Considers that conscious, systematic knowledge of L2, learned through L1, is positive for second language acquisition. (Text is in French.) (TL)

Caracteristiques de trois systemes informatiques de transcription phonetique et graphemique (Characteristics of Three Computer-Based Systems of Phonetic and Graphemic Transcription).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marty, Fernand

Three computer-based systems for phonetic/graphemic transcription of language are described, compared, and contrasted. The text is entirely in French, with examples given from the French language. The three approaches to transcription are: (1) text entered in standard typography and exiting in phonetic transcription with markers for rhythmic…

Propositions d'Outils pour une Grammaire du Francais Langue Etrangere (Suggestions for Tools for a Grammar of French as a Foreign Language)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamy, Andre

1975-01-01

Recommends some deformalization of instruction, without rendering it simplistic, by cultivation of students' discrimination of the appropriateness of grammatical elements, at a level where the student has already accumulated examples of structures and situations in the language. Substantial examples are provided. (Text is in French.) (MSE)

Language Abilities of Internationally Adopted Children from China during the Early School Years: Evidence for Early Age Effects?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delcenserie, Audrey; Genesee, Fred; Gauthier, Karine

2013-01-01

We assessed the language, cognitive, and socioemotional abilities of 27 internationally adopted children from China, adopted by French-speaking parents, 12 of whom had been assessed previously by Gauthier and Genesee. The children were on average 7 years, 10 months old and were matched to nonadopted monolingual French-speaking children on age,…

Thinking Aloud about L2 Decoding: An Exploration of the Strategies Used by Beginner Learners when Pronouncing Unfamiliar French Words

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woore, Robert

2010-01-01

"Decoding"--converting the written symbols (or graphemes) of an alphabetical writing system into the sounds (or phonemes) they represent, using knowledge of the language's symbol/sound correspondences--has been argued to be an important but neglected skill in the teaching of second language (L2) French in English secondary schools.…

The Effects of Increasing Object Pronoun Input Frequency on the Aural Comprehension of 3rd Person Object Pronouns among Second Semester Classroom Learners of French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barone, Olivia L.

2017-01-01

This semester-long study was designed to benefit developing Second Language Acquisition (SLA) instructional methods, specifically honing French language instruction, creating a foundation on which to explore the connection between input frequency during instruction and aural comprehension of difficultly acquired forms. Concurrently, five current…

The Role of Phoneme and Onset-Rime Awareness in Second Language Reading Acquisition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haigh, Corinne A.; Savage, Robert; Erdos, Caroline; Genesee, Fred

2011-01-01

This study investigated the link between phoneme and onset-rime awareness and reading outcomes in children learning to read in a second language (L2). Closely matched phoneme and onset-rime awareness tasks were administered in English and French in the spring of kindergarten to English-dominant children in French immersion programmes (n=98).…

Linguistic validation of translation of the self-assessment goal achievement (saga) questionnaire from English

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background A linguistic validation of the Self-Assessment Goal Achievement (SAGA) questionnaire was conducted for 12 European languages, documenting that each translation adequately captures the concepts of the original English-language version of the questionnaire and is readily understood by subjects in the target population. Methods Native-speaking residents of the target countries who reported urinary problems/lower urinary tract problems were asked to review a translation of the SAGA questionnaire, which was harmonized among 12 languages: Danish, Dutch, English (UK), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish. During a cognitive debriefing interview, participants were asked to identify any words that were difficult to understand and explain in their own words the meaning of each sentence in the questionnaire. The qualitative analysis was conducted by local linguistic validation teams (original translators, back translator, project manager, interviewer, and survey research expert). Results Translations of the SAGA questionnaire from English to 12 European languages were well understood by the participants with an overall comprehension rate across language of 98.9%. In addition, the translations retained the original meaning of the SAGA items and instructions. Comprehension difficulties were identified, and after review by the translation team, minor changes were made to 7 of the 12 translations to improve clarity and comprehension. Conclusions Conceptual, semantic, and cultural equivalence of each translation of the SAGA questionnaire was achieved thus confirming linguistic validation. PMID:22525050

Linguistic validation of translation of the Self-Assessment Goal Achievement (SAGA) questionnaire from English.

PubMed

Piault, Elisabeth; Doshi, Sameepa; Brandt, Barbara A; Angün, Çolpan; Evans, Christopher J; Bergqvist, Agneta; Trocio, Jeffrey

2012-04-23

A linguistic validation of the Self-Assessment Goal Achievement (SAGA) questionnaire was conducted for 12 European languages, documenting that each translation adequately captures the concepts of the original English-language version of the questionnaire and is readily understood by subjects in the target population. Native-speaking residents of the target countries who reported urinary problems/lower urinary tract problems were asked to review a translation of the SAGA questionnaire, which was harmonized among 12 languages: Danish, Dutch, English (UK), Finnish, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Spanish, and Swedish. During a cognitive debriefing interview, participants were asked to identify any words that were difficult to understand and explain in their own words the meaning of each sentence in the questionnaire. The qualitative analysis was conducted by local linguistic validation teams (original translators, back translator, project manager, interviewer, and survey research expert). Translations of the SAGA questionnaire from English to 12 European languages were well understood by the participants with an overall comprehension rate across language of 98.9%. In addition, the translations retained the original meaning of the SAGA items and instructions. Comprehension difficulties were identified, and after review by the translation team, minor changes were made to 7 of the 12 translations to improve clarity and comprehension. Conceptual, semantic, and cultural equivalence of each translation of the SAGA questionnaire was achieved thus confirming linguistic validation.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Schizophrenia Caregiver Questionnaire (SCQ) and the Caregiver Global Impression (CaGI) Scales in 11 languages.

PubMed

Rofail, Diana; Acquadro, Catherine; Izquierdo, Cécile; Regnault, Antoine; Zarit, Steven H

2015-06-09

The Schizophrenia Caregiver Questionnaire (SCQ) was developed to provide a comprehensive view of caregivers' subjective experiences of the impacts of caring for someone with schizophrenia. The Caregiver Global Impression (CaGI) scales were designed to assess their perception of the severity of the schizophrenia symptoms, of change in schizophrenia symptoms and in the experience of caring since the beginning of the study. The objectives of the study were to translate the SCQ and CaGI scales in 11 languages [French (Canada, France), English (Canada, UK, Australia), German (Germany), Italian (Italy), Spanish (Spain), Dutch (the Netherlands), Finnish (Finland), and Swedish (Sweden)], to present evidence that the translations capture the concepts of the original questionnaires and are well understood by caregivers of patients with schizophrenia in each target country. The different language versions were developed using a standard or adjusted linguistic validation process fully complying with the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) recommended procedures. Interviews were conducted with 55 caregivers of patients with schizophrenia from 10 countries representing the 11 different languages. Participants ranged in age from 28 to 84 years and had 5 to 16 years of education. Women represented 69.1 % (38/55) of the sample. Fourteen out of the 32 items of the SCQ generated difficulties which were mostly of semantic origin (13 items). The translation of the CaGI scales did not raise any major difficulty. Only five out of the 55 caregivers had difficulty understanding the meaning of the translations of "degree" in the expressions "degree of change in experience of caring" and "degree of change in symptoms". Translations of the SCQ and CaGI scales into 11 languages adequately captured the concepts in the original English versions of the questionnaires, thereby demonstrating the conceptual, semantic, and cultural equivalence of each translation.

Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents and School Anxiety Inventory: Psychometric properties in French adolescents.

PubMed

Delgado, Beatriz; García-Fernández, José M; Martínez-Monteagudo, María C; Inglés, Cándido J; Marzo, Juan C; La Greca, Annette M; Hugon, Mandarine

2018-06-02

School and social anxiety are common problems and have a significant impact on youths' development. Nevertheless, the questionnaires to assess these anxious symptoms in French adolescents have limitations. The aim of this study is to provide a French version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) and the School Anxiety Inventory (SAI), analysing their psychometric properties by the factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity. The SAS-A and the SAI were collectively administered in a sample of 1011 French adolescents (48.5% boys) ranging in age from 11 to 18 years. Confirmatory factor analyses replicated the previously identified correlated three-factor structure of the SAS-A and the correlated four-factor structure of the SAI. Acceptable internal consistency indexes were found for SAS-A and SAI scores. Correlations supported the convergent validity of the questionnaires' subscales. Overall, results supported the internal consistency and validity of the French versions of the SAS-A and SAI.

Cross-linguistic validity of the French and Dutch versions of the Very Short form of the Physical Self-Inventory among adolescents.

PubMed

Maïano, Christophe; Morin, Alexandre J S; Probst, Michel

2015-09-01

The study tested the cross-linguistic validity of the Very Short form of the Physical Self-Inventory (PSI-VS) among 1115 Flemish (Dutch version) adolescents, and a comparison sample of 1103 French adolescents (French version; from Morin & Maïano, 2011a). Flemish adolescents also completed a positively worded reformulation of the reverse-keyed item of the physical attractiveness (PA) subscale. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported the factor validity and reliability (except for the Dutch PA subscale) of the PSI-VS, and its partial measurement invariance across samples. CFA conducted on the modified version of the Dutch PSI-VS (11 original items plus the positively worded replacement), presented satisfactory reliability (ω=.67-.89), and was fully invariant across sexes, age groups, and body mass index categories. Additionally, results revealed latent mean differences across sexes and body mass index categories. Therefore, the modified Dutch PSI-VS can be used whenever there is a need for a very short physical self-concept questionnaire. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off scores of the Massachusetts youth screening instrument-second version in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions.

PubMed

Dölitzsch, Claudia; Leenarts, Laura E W; Schmeck, Klaus; Fegert, Jorg M; Grisso, Thomas; Schmid, Marc

2017-02-08

There is a growing consensus about the importance of mental health screening of youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument-second version (MAYSI-2) was specifically designed, normed and validated to assist juvenile justice facilities in the United States of America (USA), in identifying youths with potential emotional or behavioral problems. However, it is not known if the USA norm-based cut-off scores can be used in Switzerland. Therefore, the primary purpose of the current study was to estimate the diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2 in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. As the sample was drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland, the three languages were represented in the total sample of the current study and consequently we could estimate the diagnostic performance and the optimal cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2 for the language regions separately. The other main purpose of the current study was to identify potential gender differences in the diagnostic performance and optimal cut-off scores. Participants were 297 boys and 149 girls (mean age = 16.2, SD = 2.5) recruited from 64 youth welfare and juvenile justice institutions (drawn from the French-, German- and Italian-speaking parts of Switzerland). The MAYSI-2 was used to screen for mental health or behavioral problems that could require further evaluation. Psychiatric classification was based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children, Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL). The MAYSI-2 scores were submitted into Receiver-Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses to estimate the diagnostic performance and optimal 'caution' cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2. The ROC analyses revealed that nearly all homotypic mappings of MAYSI-2 scales onto (cluster of) psychiatric disorders revealed above chance level accuracy. The optimal 'caution' cut-off scores derived from the ROC curve for predicting (cluster of) psychiatric disorders were, for several MAYSI-2 scales, comparable to the USA norm-based 'caution' cut-off scores. For some MAYSI-2 scales, however, higher optimal 'caution' cut-off scores were found. With adjusted optimal 'caution' cut-off scores, the MAYSI-2 screens potential emotional or behavioral problems well in a sample of Swiss youths in welfare and juvenile justice institutions. However, as for choosing the optimal 'caution' cut off score for the MAYSI-2, both language as well as gender seems to be of importance. The results of this study point to a compelling need to test the diagnostic performance and optimal 'caution' cut-off scores of the MAYSI-2 more elaborately in larger differentiated language samples in Europe.

A French-speaking speech-language pathology program in West Africa: transfer of training between Minority and Majority World countries.

PubMed

Topouzkhanian, Sylvia; Mijiyawa, Moustafa

2013-02-01

In West Africa, as in Majority World countries, people with a communication disability are generally cut-off from the normal development process. A long-term involvement of two partners (Orthophonistes du Monde and Handicap International) allowed the implementation in 2003 of the first speech-language pathology qualifying course in West Africa, within the Ecole Nationale des Auxiliaires Medicaux (ENAM, National School for Medical Auxiliaries) in Lome, Togo. It is a 3-year basic training (after the baccalaureate) in the only academic training centre for medical assistants in Togo. This department has a regional purpose and aims at training French-speaking African students. French speech-language pathology lecturers had to adapt their courses to the local realities they discovered in Togo. It was important to introduce and develop knowledge and skills in the students' system of reference. African speech-language pathologists have to face many challenges: creating an African speech and language therapy, introducing language disorders and their possible cure by means other than traditional therapies, and adapting all the evaluation tests and tools for speech-language pathology to each country, each culture, and each language. Creating an African speech-language pathology profession (according to its own standards) with a real influence in West Africa opens great opportunities for schooling and social and occupational integration of people with communication disabilities.

More French, s'il vous plait!

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGillivray, W. Russ, Ed.

The collection of essays on French second language instruction in Canada, directed to parents, includes: "Our Brave New World" (Andrew Kniewasser); "French in Your School: Identifying and Achieving the Right Program" (Carolyn Hodych, Jos Scott); "So, You're Worried About Becoming an Immersion Parent" (Judy Gibson);…

Les affaires "en francais" (Business "In French").

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanko, Helene N.

1993-01-01

A French brochure entitled "700 Current Words for Business" was developed to familiarize the business community with modern French business vocabulary and avoid intrusion of terminology from other languages. Some terms are neologisms. Translations from Latin, Japanese, and English illustrate the etymology and morphological patterns of…

Invariance levels across language versions of the PISA 2009 reading comprehension tests in Spain.

PubMed

Elosua Oliden, Paula; Mujika Lizaso, Josu

2013-01-01

The PISA project provides the basis for studying curriculum design and for comparing factors associated with school effectiveness. These studies are only valid if the different language versions are equivalent to each other. In Spain, the application of PISA in autonomous regions with their own languages means that equivalency must also be extended to the Spanish, Galician, Catalan and Basque versions of the test. The aim of this work was to analyse the equivalence among the four language versions of the Reading Comprehension Test (PISA 2009). After defining the testlet as the unit of analysis, equivalence among the language versions was analysed using two invariance testing procedures: multiple-group mean and covariance structure analyses for ordinal data and ordinal logistic regression. The procedures yielded concordant results supporting metric equivalence across all four language versions: Spanish, Basque, Galician and Catalan. The equivalence supports the estimated reading literacy score comparability among the language versions used in Spain.

Inconsistencies Between Two Cross-Cultural Adaptations of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Into French.

PubMed

Boussat, Bastien; François, Patrice; Gandon, Gérald; Giai, Joris; Seigneurin, Arnaud; Perneger, Thomas; Labarère, José

2017-11-15

Two cross-cultural adaptations of the 12-dimension Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) into French coexist: the Occelli and Vlayen versions. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Occelli version in comparison with those reported for the Vlayen and the original US versions of this instrument. Using the original data from a cross-sectional study of 5,064 employees at a single university hospital in France, we examined the acceptability, internal consistency, factorial structure, and construct validity of the Occelli version of the HSOPSC. The response rate was 76.8% (n = 3888). Our study yielded lower missing value rates (median, 0.4% [range, 0.0%-2.4%] versus 0.8% [range, 0.2%-11.4%]) and lower dimension scores (median, 3.19 [range, 2.67-3.54] versus 3.42 [range, 2.92-3.96]) than those reported for the Vlayen version. Cronbach alphas (median, 0.64; range, 0.56-0.84) compared unfavorably with those reported for the Vlayen (median, 0.73; range, 0.57-0.86) and original US (median, 0.78; range, 0.63-0.84) versions. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis were consistent between the Vlayen and Occelli versions, making it possible to conduct surveys from the 12-dimensional structure with both versions. The inconsistencies observed between the Occelli and Vlayen versions of the HSOPSC may reflect either differences between the translations or heterogeneity in the study population and context. Current evidence does not clearly support the use of one version over the other. The two cross-cultural adaptations of the HSOPSC can be used interchangeably in French-speaking countries.

A Systematic Review of Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Oswestry Disability Index.

PubMed

Yao, Min; Wang, Qiong; Li, Zun; Yang, Long; Huang, Pin-Xian; Sun, Yue-Li; Wang, Jing; Wang, Yong-Jun; Cui, Xue-Jun

2016-12-15

Systematic review of cross-cultural adaptation of the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The aim of this study was to evaluate the translation procedures for and measurement properties of cross-cultural adaptations of the ODI. The ODI is the most commonly used questionnaire to determine the outcome of low back pain, and has been translated into many other languages, such as Danish, Greek, and Korean, and adapted for use in different countries. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Medline, and EMBASE were searched from the time they were established to January 2015. Studies related to cross-cultural adaptation of the ODI in a specific language/culture were included. Guidelines for the Process of Cross-Cultural Adaptation of Self-Report Measures and Quality Criteria for Psychometric Properties of Health Status Questionnaire were used for assessment. This study included 27 versions of ODI adaptations in 24 different languages/cultures. Only the Danish-Danish adaptation employed all six of the cross-cultural adaptation processes. Expert committee review (three of 27), back translation (eight of 27), and pretesting (nine of 27) were conducted in very few studies. The Polish-Polish (two) adaptation reported all (nine of nine) the measurement properties, whereas the Traditional Chinese-Taiwan and Hungarian-Hungarian adaptations reported six of them. Content validity (16/27), construct validity (17/27), and reliability (22/27) were determined in a relatively high number of studies, whereas agreement (three of 27), responsiveness (12/27), floor and ceiling effects (six of 27), and interpretability (one of 27) were only determined in some studies. We recommend the Traditional Chinese-Taiwan, Simplified Chinese-Mandarin Chinese, Danish-Danish, German-Swiss, Hungarian-Hungarian, Italian-Italian, and Polish-Polish (two) versions for application, but Traditional Chinese-Hong Kong, French-Swiss, Japanese-Japanese (two), Polish-Polish (two), Tamil-Indian, and Thai-Thai versions may need more research. Furthermore, supplementary tests for the adaptations are necessary, especially for assessing agreement, responsiveness, and interpretability. 1.

A comparison of the scaling properties of the English, Spanish, French, and Chinese EQ-5D descriptive systems.

PubMed

Luo, Nan; Li, Minghui; Chevalier, Julie; Lloyd, Andrew; Herdman, Michael

2013-10-01

To compare the scaling properties of the English, Spanish, French, and Chinese versions of the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L descriptive systems. Members of the general populations in the UK, Spain, France, and China were interviewed to measure the severity of health problems represented by the response labels used in the EQ-5D descriptive systems using a visual analog scale. Multiple linear regression models were used to compare the perceived label severity across the four language groups. Severity scores for labels from each EQ-5D-5L dimension scale were compared with each other to assess ordinality. EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L labels used for describing different levels of health problems were rated differently, while those describing the same level of health problems were rated similarly. For example, the deviation of any group mean from the grand severity mean score for the label 'slight(ly)' was no larger than 5 points on a 0-100 scale for all five EQ-5D dimensions (p > 0.05 for all, t tests). Label ratings violating hypothesized ordinality of the EQ-5D-5L scales were observed in only a small proportion of respondents. Our study provided some preliminary evidence supporting the ordinality and equivalence of the EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L descriptive systems across four major languages.

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation Questionnaire on lateral elbow tendinopathy for French-speaking patients.

PubMed

Kaux, Jean-François; Delvaux, François; Schaus, Jean; Demoulin, Christophe; Locquet, Médéa; Buckinx, Fanny; Beaudart, Charlotte; Dardenne, Nadia; Van Beveren, Julien; Croisier, Jean-Louis; Forthomme, Bénédicte; Bruyère, Olivier

Translation and validation of algo-functional questionnaire. The lateral elbow tendinopathy is a common injury in tennis players and physical workers. The Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation (PRTEE) Questionnaire was specifically designed to measure pain and functional limitations in patients with lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). First developed in English, this questionnaire has since been translated into several languages. The aims of the study were to translate and cross-culturally adapt the PRTEE questionnaire into French and to evaluate the reliability and validity of this translated version of the questionnaire (PRTEE-F). The PRTEE was translated and cross-culturally adapted into French according to international guidelines. To assess the reliability and validity of the PRTEE-F, 115 participants were asked twice to fill in the PRTEE-F, and once the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand Questionnaire (DASH) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Internal consistency (using Cronbach's alpha), test-retest reliability (using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement and minimal detectable change), and convergent and divergent validity (using the Spearman's correlation coefficients respectively with the DASH and with some subscales of the SF-36) were assessed. The PRTEE was translated into French without any problems. PRTEE-F showed a good test-retest reliability for the overall score (ICC 0.86) and for each item (ICC 0.8-0.96) and a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.98). The correlation analyses revealed high correlation coefficients between PRTEE-F and DASH (convergent validity) and, as expected, a low or moderate correlation with the divergent subscales of the SF-36 (discriminant validity). There was no floor or ceiling effect. The PRTEE questionnaire was successfully cross-culturally adapted into French. The PRTEE-F is reliable and valid for evaluating French-speaking patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Doctoral Degrees Granted in Foreign Languages in the United States: 1995.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benseler, David P.; And Others

1996-01-01

Lists doctoral degrees granted in the United States in African languages and literatures; Celtic languages and literatures; comparative literature; foreign-/second-language acquisition and teaching; French, Germanic, and Italian languages and literatures; theoretical linguistics; Near and Middle Eastern languages and literatures; and Portuguese,…

Effect of Constructivist Teaching Method on Students' Achievement in French Listening Comprehension in Owerri North LGA of Imo State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uwalaka, A. J.; Offorma, G. C.

2015-01-01

The study investigated the effect of constructivist teaching method on students' achievement in French listening comprehension in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Achievement in French listening comprehension over the years has been discouraging. The conventional method of teaching French Language has not improved the…

Materialien und Modelle fuer den Franzoesischunterricht in der Sekundarstufe Zwei (Materials and Models for Teaching French in Grades 11-13)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frei, Alfons

1978-01-01

Texts available for French courses in the highest grades are listed according to topics, which include: position of women, today's youth, the language of advertising, French colonialism, holidays and tourism, modern city living, criminality, French politics. Hints for the teacher are included. (Text is in German.) (IFS/WGA)

French from Four to Seven. A Handbook for Teaching French to the Very Young.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kodjak, Barbara Hippel

The handbook is a compilation of ideas, strategies, resources, and suggestions for teaching French to children aged 4-7. It presupposes a school program in which French is taught as a foreign language for a brief period each day, although the ideas are adaptable to immersion instruction. Introductory sections describe the book's format and…

French for "Hotellies": A Recently Instituted Course at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grandjean-Levy, Andree

The Cornell School of Hotel Administration in collaboration with the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics offers a course in French for a small group of students who have had the equivalent of at least two semesters of college French. The course emphasizes oral/aural French with very little class time spent on grammar study. Grammar…

Translation and adaption of the interRAI suite to local requirements in Belgian hospitals

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The interRAI Suite contains comprehensive geriatric assessment tools designed for various healthcare settings. Although each instrument is developed for a particular population, together they form an integrated health evaluation system. The interRAI Acute Care Minimum Data Set (interRAI AC) is tailored for hospitalized older persons. Our aim in this study was to translate and adapt the interRAI AC to the Belgian hospital context, where it can be used together with the interRAI Home Care (HC) and the interRAI Long Term Care Facility (LTCF). Methods A systematic, comprehensive, and rigorous 10-step approach was used to adapt the interRAI AC to local requirements. After linguistic translation by an official translator, five researchers assessed the translation for appropriate hospital jargon. Three researchers double-checked for translation accuracy and proposed additional items. A provisional version was converted into the three official languages of Belgium—Flemish, French, and German. Next, a multidisciplinary panel of nine experts judged item relevance to the Belgian care context and advised which country-specific items should be added. After these suggestions were incorporated into the interRAI AC, hospital staff from nine Flemish hospitals field-tested the tool in their practice. After evaluating field-test results, we compared the interRAI AC with Belgian versions of the interRAI HC and interRAI LTCF. Next, the Flemish, French, and German versions of the Belgian interRAI portfolio were harmonized. Finally, we submitted the Belgian interRAI AC to the interRAI organization for ratification. Results Eighteen administrative items of the interRAI AC were adapted to the Belgian healthcare context (e.g., usual residence, formal community services prior to admission). Fourteen items assessing the ‘informal caregiver’, and 17 items, including country-specific items, were added (e.g., advanced directive for euthanasia). Conclusions The interRAI AC was adapted to local requirements using a meticulous and recursive 10-step approach. As use of the interRAI Suite continues to grow worldwide and as it continues to expand to other care settings and populations, this procedure can guide future translations. This procedure might also be used by others facing similar challenges of complex translation and adaptation situations, where multidimensional instruments are used across multiple care settings in multiple languages. PMID:22958520

Cross-Language Distributions of High Frequency and Phonetically Similar Cognates

PubMed Central

Schepens, Job; Dijkstra, Ton; Grootjen, Franc; van Heuven, Walter J. B.

2013-01-01

The coinciding form and meaning similarity of cognates, e.g. ‘flamme’ (French), ‘Flamme’ (German), ‘vlam’ (Dutch), meaning ‘flame’ in English, facilitates learning of additional languages. The cross-language frequency and similarity distributions of cognates vary according to evolutionary change and language contact. We compare frequency and orthographic (O), phonetic (P), and semantic similarity of cognates, automatically identified in semi-complete lexicons of six widely spoken languages. Comparisons of P and O similarity reveal inconsistent mappings in language pairs with deep orthographies. The frequency distributions show that cognate frequency is reduced in less closely related language pairs as compared to more closely related languages (e.g., French-English vs. German-English). These frequency and similarity patterns may support a better understanding of cognate processing in natural and experimental settings. The automatically identified cognates are available in the supplementary materials, including the frequency and similarity measurements. PMID:23675449

[Assessment of sociocognitive functions in neurological patients Presentation of a French adaptation of two tools and implementation in frontal dementia].

PubMed

Ehrlé, Nathalie; Henry, Audrey; Pesa, Audrey; Bakchine, Serge

2011-03-01

This paper presents a French battery designed to assess emotional and sociocognitive abilities in neurological patients in clinical practice. The first part of this battery includes subtests assessing emotions: a recognition task of primary facial emotions, a discrimination task of facial emotions, a task of expressive intensity judgment, a task of gender identification, a recognition task of musical emotions. The second part intends to assess some sociocognitive abilities, that is mainly theory of mind (attribution tasks of mental states to others: false believe tasks of first and second order, faux-pas task) and social norms (moral/conventional distinction task, social situations task) but also abstract language and humour. We present a general description of the battery with special attention to specific methodological constraints for the assessment of neurological patients. After a brief introduction to moral and conventional judgments (definition and current theoretical basis), the French version of the social norm task from RJR Blair (Blair and Cipolotti, 2000) is developed. The relevance of these tasks in frontal variant of frontotemporal dementia (fvFTD is illustrated by the report of the results of a study conducted in 18 patients by the Cambridge group and by the personal study of a patient with early stage of vfFTD. The relevance of the diagnostic of sociocognitive impairment in neurological patients is discussed.

Neuropsychological Profile on the WISC-IV of French Children with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Clercq-Quaegebeur, Maryse; Casalis, Severine; Lemaitre, Marie-Pierre; Bourgois, Beatrice; Getto, Marie; Vallee, Louis

2010-01-01

This study examined the pattern of results on the "Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children" (WISC-IV; French version) for 60 French children with dyslexia, from 8 to 16 years of age. Although use of WISC-III failed to clearly identify typical profiles and cognitive deficits in dyslexia, WISC-IV offers an opportunity to reach these…

Psychometric Properties of the French Version of the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gana, Kamel; Daigre, Stephanie; Ledrich, Julie

2013-01-01

In this article, we present a French adaptation and validation of the Adult Dispositional Hope Scale (ADHS). The sample was composed of 310 French adults. We found that the ADHS scores demonstrated good reliability as well as adequate temporal stability. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported a bifactorial structure of the scale. The two…

The Canadian minimum dataset for chronic low back pain research: a cross-cultural adaptation of the National Institutes of Health Task Force Research Standards

PubMed Central

Lacasse, Anaïs; Roy, Jean-Sébastien; Parent, Alexandre J.; Noushi, Nioushah; Odenigbo, Chúk; Pagé, Gabrielle; Beaudet, Nicolas; Choinière, Manon; Stone, Laura S.; Ware, Mark A.

2017-01-01

Background: To better standardize clinical and epidemiological studies about the prevalence, risk factors, prognosis, impact and treatment of chronic low back pain, a minimum data set was developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Task Force on Research Standards for Chronic Low Back Pain. The aim of the present study was to develop a culturally adapted questionnaire that could be used for chronic low back pain research among French-speaking populations in Canada. Methods: The adaptation of the French Canadian version of the minimum data set was achieved according to guidelines for the cross-cultural adaptation of self-reported measures (double forward-backward translation, expert committee, pretest among 35 patients with pain in the low back region). Minor cultural adaptations were also incorporated into the English version by the expert committee (e.g., items about race/ethnicity, education level). Results: This cross-cultural adaptation provides an equivalent French-Canadian version of the minimal data set questionnaire and a culturally adapted English-Canadian version. Modifications made to the original NIH minimum data set were minimized to facilitate comparison between the Canadian and American versions. Interpretation: The present study is a first step toward the use of a culturally adapted instrument for phenotyping French- and English-speaking low back pain patients in Canada. Clinicians and researchers will recognize the importance of this standardized tool and are encouraged to incorporate it into future research studies on chronic low back pain. PMID:28401140

Interdependence Revisited: Mathematics Achievement in an Intensified French Immersion Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bournot-Trites, Monique; Reeder, Kenneth

2001-01-01

Examines the effect of teaching mathematics in French on mathematics achievement evaluated in English. Analyzes the effect of increased intensity of bilingual education on mathematics achievement and the effects of language of testing in the context of French immersion at the intermediate level. (Author/VWL)

Metropolitan French: Familiarization & Short-Term Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iszkowski, Marie-Charlotte

The U.S. Department of State's Foreign Service Institute French Familiarization and Short-Term (FAST) course for personnel working and living in France consists of 10 weeks of French language instruction combined with practical and cultural information. An introductory section outlines FAST course objectives and sample teaching techniques in…

Cross-Language Transfer of Orthographic Processing Skills: A Study of French Children Who Learn English at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commissaire, Eva; Duncan, Lynne G.; Casalis, Severine

2011-01-01

This study explores the nature of orthographic processing skills among French-speaking children in Grades 6 and 8 who are learning English at school as a second language (L2). Two aspects of orthographic processing skills are thought to form a convergent construct in monolingual beginning readers: word-specific knowledge (e.g. "rain-rane") and…

La formation des enseignants en FLS: Le parent pauvre d'un riche patrimoine (The Training of Teachers of French as a Second Language: The Poor Parent of a Rich Heritage).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calve, Pierre

1983-01-01

Teacher training for French instructors is criticized as incomplete, consisting only of some formulas for immediate classroom application. A plan for a more comprehensive curriculum consisting of theoretical and practical components in the areas of language, culture, learning, communication, and instruction is proposed. (MSE)

Task-Based Language Teaching for Beginner-Level Learners of L2 French: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Erlam, Rosemary; Ellis, Rod

2018-01-01

This study investigated the effect of input-based tasks on the acquisition of vocabulary and grammar by beginner-level learners of L2 French and reported the introduction of task-based teaching as an innovation in a state secondary school. The experimental group (n = 19) completed a series of focused input-based language tasks, taught by their…

Intermediate Traces and Intermediate Learners: Evidence for the Use of Intermediate Structure during Sentence Processing in Second Language French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, A. Kate

2015-01-01

This study reports on a sentence processing experiment in second language (L2) French that looks for evidence of trace reactivation at clause edge and in the canonical object position in indirect object cleft sentences with complex embedding and cyclic movement. Reaction time (RT) asymmetries were examined among low (n = 20) and high (n = 20)…

Word Reading and Word Spelling in French Adult Literacy Students: The Relationship with Oral Language Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eme, Elsa; Lambert, Eric; Alamargot, Denis

2014-01-01

We analysed word reading and spelling in French adults with low levels of literacy (A-IL). As well as examining phonological and lexical processes, we explored the relationship between literacy and oral language skills. Fifty-two adult literacy students were compared with reading level-matched pupils in Years 1-3 of primary school on reading tasks…

Prompting All Students to Learn: Examining Dynamic Assessment of Special Needs and Typical Students in a Prekindergarten Inclusive French Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Regalla, Michele; Peker, Hilal

2017-01-01

This study examined a teacher's prompting strategies and the use of dynamic assessment (DA) in an inclusive prekindergarten French program. Prior research has shown that DA is an effective method to assess both foreign language learning and first language development for typically developing students and for students with special needs, as well as…

Does the Commercial French Syllabus Reflect the Situation in France? A Re-Evaluation and Suggestions for Course Design.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whelan, Raymond E.

The ideal foreign language business course would be a cooperative effort between the business school and the foreign language department, prepare students for any of the five proficiency levels in the French Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris test, be designed for the American working in France, and have a balanced international trade…

Native language shapes automatic neural processing of speech.

PubMed

Intartaglia, Bastien; White-Schwoch, Travis; Meunier, Christine; Roman, Stéphane; Kraus, Nina; Schön, Daniele

2016-08-01

The development of the phoneme inventory is driven by the acoustic-phonetic properties of one's native language. Neural representation of speech is known to be shaped by language experience, as indexed by cortical responses, and recent studies suggest that subcortical processing also exhibits this attunement to native language. However, most work to date has focused on the differences between tonal and non-tonal languages that use pitch variations to convey phonemic categories. The aim of this cross-language study is to determine whether subcortical encoding of speech sounds is sensitive to language experience by comparing native speakers of two non-tonal languages (French and English). We hypothesized that neural representations would be more robust and fine-grained for speech sounds that belong to the native phonemic inventory of the listener, and especially for the dimensions that are phonetically relevant to the listener such as high frequency components. We recorded neural responses of American English and French native speakers, listening to natural syllables of both languages. Results showed that, independently of the stimulus, American participants exhibited greater neural representation of the fundamental frequency compared to French participants, consistent with the importance of the fundamental frequency to convey stress patterns in English. Furthermore, participants showed more robust encoding and more precise spectral representations of the first formant when listening to the syllable of their native language as compared to non-native language. These results align with the hypothesis that language experience shapes sensory processing of speech and that this plasticity occurs as a function of what is meaningful to a listener. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Foreign Language Teachers' Language Proficiency and Their Language Teaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richards, Heather; Conway, Clare; Roskvist, Annelies; Harvey, Sharon

2013-01-01

Teachers' subject knowledge is recognized as an essential component of effective teaching. In the foreign language context, teachers' subject knowledge includes language proficiency. In New Zealand high schools, foreign languages (e.g. Chinese, French, German, Japanese and Spanish) have recently been offered to learners earlier in their schooling,…

Psychometric properties of the French version of the short form of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory among adolescents and young adults.

PubMed

Potard, Catherine; Amoura, Camille; Kubiszewski, Violaine; Le Samedy, Mathieu; Moltrecht, Brigitte; Courtois, Robert

2015-06-01

We examined the psychometric qualities of the Short Form of the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SF-CSEI) in a large sample of French adolescents and young adults. A 25-item French version was administered to 1,362 participants (561 aged below 16 years and 801 aged 16-25 years). Participants also completed other scales to measure construct validity (e.g., Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and General Health Questionnaire). Factorial analysis yielded evidence for a structure with three first-order factors for the SF-CSEI: personal, social, and family-derived self-esteem. The internal consistency of the questionnaire's different dimensions was satisfactory (Cronbach's α = .68-.77). Pearson's correlation coefficients showed that the SF-CSEI had moderate to high correlations with convergent measures (r = .19-.73) and constructs related to self-esteem (r = -.23-.65). Psychiatric patients (n = 67) scored significantly lower than a control group. Test-retest reliability was good for some of the factors, especially at 5 weeks and 1 year (r = .29-.79). The French version of the SF-CSEI appears to be a useful instrument, with a cross-culturally stable factorial structure. © The Author(s) 2015.

The French version of the Nottingham Health Profile. A comparison of items weights with those of the source version.

PubMed

Bucquet, D; Condon, S; Ritchie, K

1990-01-01

The efficient and reliable assessment of general community health requires the development of comprehensive and parsimonious measures of proven validity. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) has been demonstrated to be a reliable indicator of common expressions of discomfort and stress in the general population. The present paper describes its linguistic adaptation into French, the derivation of item weights by Thurstone's method of paired comparisons and the comparison of item weights across various sociodemographic groups. There is more similarity than variation on the valuation of the state of health explored by the NHP between the French and the British population as little inter-cultural or inter-linguistic variations were found. The differences in judgement of severity elicited across sociodemographic groups in the French sample cast some doubts on the relevance of general weights for use in population surveys.

Linguistic Pluralism in France.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laroche, Jacques M.

This paper suggests that a discussion of linguistic pluralism in France begins by chronicling the emergence of French as the primary language in early French history and the role of linguistic minorities at various periods in French history. It then focuses on growing linguistic activism in the second half of the twentieth century, when the…

Quand Berlin chante en francais: Une experience de promotion linguistique (When Berlin Sings in French: An Experiment in Linguistic Promotion).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pilhion, Roger; And Others

1984-01-01

A six-month French language promotion program in West Berlin revolving around French song and including interclass competitions, a teaching seminar, recitals, conferences, film showings, and an exposition is described, and participant and observer reactions are presented. (MSE)

The Spelling Skills of French-Speaking Dyslexic Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plisson, Anne; Daigle, Daniel; Montesinos-Gelet, Isabelle

2013-01-01

Learning to spell is very difficult for dyslexic children, a phenomenon explained by a deficit in processing phonological information. However, to spell correctly in an alphabetic language such as French, phonological knowledge is not enough. Indeed, the French written system requires the speller to acquire visuo-orthographical and morphological…

Illustrated French Idioms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ainsa, Serge M.

Designed to promote an awareness of the everyday French language, this supplementary textbook was developed to enable students of French to use idiomatic expressions from the early learning stages to the more advanced levels. The units are arranged as follows according to the verb component of the expression: "avoir,""etre,""faire," the three…

From Life in a French Town to the Artificial Heart: An Approach to the Teaching of Scientific French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Margaret E.

1988-01-01

Describes the experiences of one instructor in designing and implementing a short course in scientific French for upper level students majoring in applied biology at Glasgow College. Materials used and aspects of scientific language chosen are briefly discussed. (LMO)

Teaching Culture through Advertising.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stock, Janet C.

Some of the literature on the role of teaching culture in second language instruction is reviewed, with some emphasis on the work of Ortunio and the Kluckholn model of French culture. One instructor's use of French print and television advertising to teach French culture is described. Values such as intellectuality, traditionalism, and patriotism…

Left Dislocation in Near-Native French

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donaldson, Bryan

2011-01-01

The present study is concerned with the upper limits of SLA--specifically, mastery of the syntax-discourse interface in successful endstate learners of second-language (L2) French (near-native speakers). Left dislocation (LD) is a syntactic means of structuring spoken French discourse by marking topic. Its use requires speakers to coordinate…

Techniques of Teaching Business Correspondence in French.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrate, Jayne

A framework for using the material contained in French high school business correspondence manuals to teach business correspondence in French as a second language is presented. The intent is to introduce the function of various letter formats and to facilitate deciphering the content of the letters. Exercises promote situational analysis of…

French for Business: A Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullough, Brenda

The paper discusses the development and evolution of the French for Business undergraduate language course at Oregon State University, focusing on: (1) instructor preparation; (2) course structure; (3) course content; (4) the business student as teacher and mentor; (5) cultural exchanges with French-speaking business students; (6) oral and written…

21 CFR 801.16 - Medical devices; Spanish-language version of certain required statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Medical devices; Spanish-language version of....16 Medical devices; Spanish-language version of certain required statements. If devices restricted to... Spanish is the predominant language, such labeling is authorized under § 801.15(c). ...

Linguistic Effects of Globalization: A Case Study of French for Specific Purposes (FSP) in Kenyan Vocational Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulenda, Mubalama

2013-01-01

The study of French for Specific Purposes (FSP) is a topical subject in this era of globalization. Kenya requires people who can communicate in French in the various specialized areas. It has become crucial in Kenya to respond to the French language needs of students learning tourism and hospitality among other domains which have already shown an…

Grammar as a Feature of Text Construction: Time and Rhetorical Function in French Journal Articles in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liddicoat, Anthony J.

2004-01-01

This article investigates one aspect of scientific style in French: the use of tenses. It investigates the claims made in the literature that the verb system of scientific French is a temporal. The frequency of tensed finite forms in 10 French language journal articles on biological sciences is examined. The rhetorical function of past and future…

Short-term Second Language and Music Training Induces Lasting Functional Brain Changes in Early Childhood

PubMed Central

Moreno, Sylvain; Lee, Yunjo

2014-01-01

Immediate and lasting effects of music or second-language training were examined in early childhood using event-related potentials (ERPs). ERPs were recorded for French vowels and musical notes in a passive oddball paradigm in 36 four- to six-year-old children who received either French or music training. Following training, both groups showed enhanced late discriminative negativity (LDN) in their trained condition (music group–musical notes; French group–French vowels) and reduced LDN in the untrained condition. These changes reflect improved processing of relevant (trained) sounds, and an increased capacity to suppress irrelevant (untrained) sounds. After one year, training-induced brain changes persisted and new hemispheric changes appeared. Such results provide evidence for the lasting benefit of early intervention in young children. PMID:25346534

Evaluation and comparison of epidural analgesia in labour related information on French and English-speaking websites.

PubMed

Espitalier, Fabien; De Lamer, Sabine; Barbaz, Mathilde; Laffon, Marc; Remérand, Francis

2018-01-31

The medical information on the Internet is better in English than in other languages. The information about Epidural Analgesia In Labour (EAIL) available on French-speaking websites is of poor quality. The quality of the information about EAIL should be better in English, but there is no comparison available. This study has assessed and compared the quality of the information about EAIL available on French and English-speaking websites. Keywords "epidural", "épidurale" and/or "péridurale" were used in the French, Canadian and American Google ® and Yahoo ® search engines. Two independent assessors assessed the 20 first websites for each engine search. They used an evaluation form created from French, Canadian and American recommendations. This form assessed the structure quality (Structure Score/25) and the medical information quality (Medical Information Score/30) of the websites. The addition of both scores gives the Global Score (/55). Seventy-one websites were assessed, 39 French-speaking and 32 English-speaking websites. Structure, Medical Information and Global Scores (expressed as mean (SD)) were respectively 11 (4), 13 (5), 24 (8) for the French-speaking websites and 11 (4), 12 (4), 23 (7) for the English-speaking websites. There was no statistical significant difference between both languages. Information about EAIL available on French and English-speaking websites is of poor quality and there is no difference in the information quality, whatever the language. A consideration on Internet medical information improvement is needed. A high quality dedicated website should be created and broadcasted. Copyright © 2018 Société française d'anesthésie et de réanimation (Sfar). Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Foreign Language Feature Film and Language Teaching Activities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chappell, Martin

1986-01-01

Analysis of foreign language films, featuring consideration of film sequence, image and film analysis, and literary adaptation, is an effective teaching activity with foreign language students. An example illustrates film analysis activities in a first-year French class. (CB)

Effects of Age and Language on Co-Speech Gesture Production: An Investigation of French, American, and Italian Children's Narratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colletta, Jean-Marc; Guidetti, Michele; Capirci, Olga; Cristilli, Carla; Demir, Ozlem Ece; Kunene-Nicolas, Ramona N.; Levine, Susan

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper is to compare speech and co-speech gestures observed during a narrative retelling task in five- and ten-year-old children from three different linguistic groups, French, American, and Italian, in order to better understand the role of age and language in the development of multimodal monologue discourse abilities. We asked 98…

New Tools in an Old Trade: Teachers Talk About Use of the Internet in the Teaching of French as a Second or Foreign Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Elizabeth

2002-01-01

Presents findings of a study of teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning French as a second or foreign language using the Internet. An international, online discussion list and an open-ended questionnaire provided an opportunity for teachers to talk about their experiences with the new tools of the Internet. Challenges related to the teaching…

Fiches Pratiques: Mots...a croiser; Profitons du cinema; Le discours rapporte; Cent ans (Practical Ideas: Words...to Cross; Let's Take Advantage of the Movies; Relating Others' Discourse; One Hundred Years).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vever, Daniel; And Others

1991-01-01

Four class activities for French language instruction are described, including a crossword puzzle exercise emphasizing French culture, use of films for developing a variety of language skills, techniques for helping students discuss others' ideas, and an exercise promoting discussion through photographs of older adults engaged in various…

Do Students Share the Same Experience in an Online Language Exchange Programme?--The Chinese-French eTandem Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szilas, Jue Wang; Zhang, Ling; Berger, Claudia

2013-01-01

This article presents the findings of an eTandem Chinese-French exchange course during two academic years, the year 2010-2011 when the course was not credited, and the year 2011-2012 when the course was credited in one university but not in the other. It focuses on the students' perspective about the language exchange experience. The participants…

Perfectionnement des enseignants des ecoles de langue francaise: Identification et evaluation des besoins (The Improvement of Teachers in French-Language Schools: Identification and Evaluation of Needs).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poirier, Pierre; And Others

A research project was undertaken to make an inventory of the needs in the training and professional development of directors, assistant directors, and teachers in elementary and secondary French-language schools in Ontario. The report is divided into three sections and a conclusion. The first chapter reviews the literature on the evaluation of…

When Context Matters More than Language: Verb or Noun in French and Turkish Caregiver Speech

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altinkamis, N. Feyza; Kern, Sophie; Sofu, Hatice

2014-01-01

The main goal of this article is to study the respective role of language typology and context on the noun to verb asymmetry in caregiver speech. The speech of 20 French- and 20 Turkish-speaking mothers addressed to their children in two different situations (book-reading and toy-play) were analysed in terms of noun to verb ratio as well as in…

Fiche pratique: Concours TV5; Le Bresil, c'est quoi?; Simple...le futur et le passe; La phonetique...en chantant (Practical Ideas: TV 5 Contest; Brazil, That's What?; Simple...the Future and the Past; Phonetics in Song).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lippi, Sabine; And Others

1996-01-01

Four French-language classroom activities are described, including some winning exercises in a French-language teachers' contest, a reading exercise on Brazil, an activity for practicing verb tenses, and the use of songs to teach difficult pronunciation to students. (MSE)

Le langage des gestes (Body Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunet, Jean-Paul

1985-01-01

Body language is inseparable from spoken language, and may reflect universal behavior or be culture-specific. Photographs and videotape recordings can help the French instructor illustrate the richness of facial and body mannerisms. (MSE)

21 CFR 201.16 - Drugs; Spanish-language version of certain required statements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Drugs; Spanish-language version of certain...; Spanish-language version of certain required statements. An increasing number of medications restricted to... where Spanish is the predominant language. Such labeling is authorized under § 201.15(c). One required...

[Confirmative study of a French version of the Exercise Dependence Scale-revised with a French population].

PubMed

Allegre, B; Therme, P

2008-10-01

Since the first writings on excessive exercise, there has been an increased interest in exercise dependence. One of the major consequences of this increased interest has been the development of several definitions and measures of exercise dependence. The work of Veale [Does primary exercise dependence really exist? In: Annet J, Cripps B, Steinberg H, editors. Exercise addiction: Motivation for participation in sport and exercise.Leicester, UK: Br Psychol Soc; 1995. p. 1-5.] provides an advance for the definition and measure of exercise dependence. These studies have adapted the DSM-IV criteria for substance dependence to measure exercise dependence. The Exercise Dependence Scale-Revised is based on these diagnostic criteria, which are: tolerance; withdrawal effects; intention effect; lack of control; time; reductions in other activities; continuance. Confirmatory factor analyses of EDS-R provided support to present a measurement model (21 items loaded in seven factors) of EDS-R (Comparative Fit Index=0.97; Root mean Square Error of Approximation=0.05; Tucker-Lewis Index=0.96). The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of a French version of the EDS-R [Factorial validity and psychometric examination of the exercise dependence scale-revised. Meas Phys Educ Exerc Sci 2004;8(4):183-201.] to test the stability of the seven-factor model of the original version with a French population. A total of 516 half-marathoners ranged in age from 17 to 74 years old (Mean age=39.02 years, ET=10.64), with 402 men (77.9%) and 114 women (22.1%) participated in the study. The principal component analysis results in a six-factor structure, which accounts for 68.60% of the total variance. Because principal component analysis presents a six-factor structure differing from the original seven-factor structure, two models were tested, using confirmatory factor analysis. The first model is the seven-factor model of the original version of the EDS-R and the second is the model produced by the principal component analysis. The results of confirmatory factor analysis presented the original model (with a seven-factor structure) as a good model and fit indices were good (X(2)/ddl=2.89, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA)=0.061, Expected Cross Validation Index (ECVI)=1.20, Goodness-of-Fit Index (GFI)=0.92, Comparative Fit Index (CFI)=0.94, Standardized Root Mean Square (SRMS)=0.048). These results showed that the French version of EDS-R has an identical factor structure to the original. Therefore, the French version of EDS-R was an acceptable scale to measure exercise dependence and can be used on a French population.

Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis and structural invariance with age of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF)--French version.

PubMed

Fournet, Nathalie; Roulin, Jean-Luc; Monnier, Catherine; Atzeni, Thierry; Cosnefroy, Olivier; Le Gall, Didier; Roy, Arnaud

2015-01-01

The parent and teacher forms of the French version of the Behavioral Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) were used to evaluate executive function in everyday life in a large sample of healthy children (N = 951) aged between 5 and 18. Several psychometric methods were applied, with a view to providing clinicians with tools for score interpretation. The parent and teacher forms of the BRIEF were acceptably reliable. Demographic variables (such as age and gender) were found to influence the BRIEF scores. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to test five competing models of the BRIEF's latent structure. Two of these models (a three-factor model and a two-factor model, both based on a nine-scale structure) had a good fit. However, structural invariance with age was only obtained with the two-factor model. The French version of the BRIEF provides a useful measure of everyday executive function and can be recommended for use in clinical research and practice.

[Contraceptive self efficacy in male and female adolescents: validation of the French version of the Levinson scale].

PubMed

Bilodeau, A; Forget, G; Tétreault, J

1994-01-01

The social learning theory of Bandura leads us to believe that contraceptive self-efficacy supports the adoption and the maintenance of effective contraceptive behaviours during the teenage years. Levinson has developed a validated measure of this concept which consists of an 18-item scale for sexually active girls. However there are no such scales in French or for sexually active boys. The health promotion program, entitled SEXPRIMER, which aims at reducing teenage pregnancy, has incorporated the French version of the Levinson scale, the adapted boy's version and the validity studies. A 15-item scale for girls and a 14-item scale for boys with respective reliability coefficients of .78 and .71 resulted from this program. A logistic regression analysis shows the predictive value of the measures in regard to contraceptive behaviours. According to Levinson's more recent studies, results indicate that new research on the factor matrix of the scale are relevant.

French validation of the compulsive internet use scale (CIUS).

PubMed

Khazaal, Yasser; Chatton, Anne; Horn, Alessandra; Achab, Sophia; Thorens, Gabriel; Zullino, Daniele; Billieux, Joël

2012-12-01

The popularity of using the Internet and related applications has grown in European countries in the last two decades. Despite numerous advantages in terms of optimizing communications among individuals and social systems, the use of the Internet may be associated with excessive use and possible Internet addiction. The goals of the current study were to validate a French version of the compulsive Internet use scale (CIUS) and to assess its links with common psychiatric symptoms such as depression (assessed with the Beck depression inventory: BDI), anxiety (assessed with the trait anxiety inventory: STAI) and alcohol misuse (assessed with the alcohol use disorder identification test: AUDIT). The French versions of the CIUS, BDI, STAI and AUDIT were administered to a sample of Internet users. Exploratory and confirmatory analyses, correlation analysis and logistic regression were performed. As previously found with the original version, a one-factor model of the CIUS had good psychometric properties and fit the data well. Excessive use of the Internet was associated with depressive symptoms.

The contribution of morphological knowledge to French MeSH mapping for information retrieval.

PubMed Central

Zweigenbaum, P.; Darmoni, S. J.; Grabar, N.

2001-01-01

MeSH-indexed Internet health directories must provide a mapping from natural language queries to MeSH terms so that both health professionals and the general public can query their contents. We describe here the design of lexical knowledge bases for mapping French expressions to MeSH terms, and the initial evaluation of their contribution to Doc'CISMeF, the search tool of a MeSH-indexed directory of French-language medical Internet resources. The observed trend is in favor of the use of morphological knowledge as a moderate (approximately 5%) but effective factor for improving query to term mapping capabilities. PMID:11825295

A comparison of vowel formant frequencies in the babbling of infants exposed to Canadian English and Canadian French

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattock, Karen; Rvachew, Susan; Polka, Linda; Turner, Sara

2005-04-01

It is well established that normally developing infants typically enter the canonical babbling stage of production between 6 and 8 months of age. However, whether the linguistic environment affects babbling, either in terms of the phonetic inventory of vowels produced by infants [Oller & Eiler (1982)] or the acoustics of vowel formants [Boysson-Bardies et al. (1989)] is controversial. The spontaneous speech of 42 Canadian English- and Canadian French-learning infants aged 8 to 11, 12 to 15 and 16 to 18 months of age was recorded and digitized to yield a total of 1253 vowels that were spectrally analyzed and statistically compared for differences in first and second formant frequencies. Language-specific influences on vowel acoustics were hypothesized. Preliminary results reveal changes in formant frequencies as a function of age and language background. There is evidence of decreases over age in the F1 values of French but not English infants vowels, and decreases over age in the F2 values of English but not French infants vowels. The notion of an age-related shift in infants attention to language-specific acoustic features and the implications of this for early vocal development as well as for the production of Canadian English and Canadian French vowels will be discussed.

The decline of official language minorities in Quebec and English Canada.

PubMed

Beaujot, R P

1982-01-01

"This paper considers the evolution of French outside of Quebec and the English in Quebec.... The total historical set of national data on ethnicity, mother tongue, knowledge of official languages and home language [is first presented]. The 120 year stability showing French at around 30 percent of the national total is a function of compensating factors including high French fertility and high English immigration. During the 1960s both of these demographic supports disappeared and thus mobility across linguistic lines has become a particularly sensitive issue. "The picture with regard to French outside of Quebec has changed rather radically in the last thirty-five years. For instance, there was one French child to every nine in 1941 and one to every twenty-one children in 1976. While the English of Quebec were once represented in various parts of the province, their strength is now largely limited to the Montreal metropolitan area which includes 76 percent of the English mother tongue group. Outside of Montreal, the English amounted to 7.9 percent of Quebec's population in 1941 and 5.6 percent in 1976. The paper concludes with a discussion of the social factors that underlie these trends and their relevance to the models of institutional and territorial bilingualism." (summary in FRE) excerpt

New Ways to Learn a Foreign Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Robert A., Jr.

This text focuses on the nature of language learning in the light of modern linguistic analysis. Common linguistic problems encountered by students of eight major languages are examined--Latin, Greek, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, German, and Russian. The text discusses the nature of language, building new language habits, overcoming…

Choosing an Indigenous Official Language for Nigeria.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mann, Charles C.

A discussion of the choice of official languages in Nigeria first gives an overview of the current language situation in Nigeria, particularly of indigenous language usage, sketches the history of English, French, and Anglo-Nigerian Pidgin (ANP) both before and after independence, outlines the main proposals for language planning, and draws some…

A Language-teaching Bibliography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Centre for Information on Language Teaching, London (England).

This annotated bibliography provides a guide to books on the theory and practice of language teaching. Instructional materials for classroom use are not included. Eight sections of materials are contained in the work: (1) language, (2) language teaching, (3) English for speakers of other languages, (4) French, (5) German, (6) Italian, (7) Russian…

A Multidimensional Curriculum Model for Heritage or International Language Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazaruk, Wally

1993-01-01

Describes the Multidimension Curriculum Model for developing a language curriculum and suggests a generic approach to selecting and sequencing learning objectives. Alberta Education used this model to design a new French-as-a-Second-Language program. The experience/communication, culture, language, and general language components at the beginning,…

French Immersion Programs Across Canada: The Influence of Cumulative Amounts of Time, Starting Age and Yearly Time Allotment on the Learning of French. A Review of Evaluations of French Immersion Programs. Research Report 81-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacNab, G. L.

This paper reviews the results of research on various programs for learning French as a second language from kindergarten to grade 11 or 12 in selected Canadian school systems. Generally, it examines the effects of a number of factors on French learning, such as student selection procedures and student ability, starting age, total amount of time…

Natural Language Interactions with Artificial Experts

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

description. Such a belief is revealed when a noun phrase is used in particular con- texts. For example, for Q to ask the question “Which French ...majors failed CIS531 last term?” Q would have to believe that: 1) CIS531 was given last term, 2) there are French majors, and 3) there are French majors...the user’s part and responds accordingly; e.g., User: Which French majors failed CIS531 last term? System: I do not know of any French majors

Troubles du langage (Troubles with Language).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Weck, Genevieve, Ed.

1997-01-01

Articles on communication and language disorder are presented. All but one are in French; the other is in German. They include: "Specificity of Developmental Dysphasia: Implications for Intervention" (Marc Montfort, Adoracion Juarez Sanchez); "Difficulties with Language Development and Discursive Capacity" (Genevieve de Weck); "Language Production…

Linguistic Validation of an Interactive Communication Tool to Help French-Speaking Children Express Their Cancer Symptoms.

PubMed

Tsimicalis, Argerie; Le May, Sylvie; Stinson, Jennifer; Rennick, Janet; Vachon, Marie-France; Louli, Julie; Bérubé, Sarah; Treherne, Stephanie; Yoon, Sunmoo; Nordby Bøe, Trude; Ruland, Cornelia

Sisom is an interactive tool designed to help children communicate their cancer symptoms. Important design issues relevant to other cancer populations remain unexplored. This single-site, descriptive, qualitative study was conducted to linguistically validate Sisom with a group of French-speaking children with cancer, their parents, and health care professionals. The linguistic validation process included 6 steps: (1) forward translation, (2) backward translation, (3) patient testing, (4) production of a Sisom French version, (5) patient testing this version, and (6) production of the final Sisom French prototype. Five health care professionals and 10 children and their parents participated in the study. Health care professionals oversaw the translation process providing clinically meaningful suggestions. Two rounds of patient testing, which included parental participation, resulted in the following themes: (1) comprehension, (2) suggestions for improving the translations, (3) usability, (4) parental engagement, and (5) overall impression. Overall, Sisom was well received by participants who were forthcoming with input and suggestions for improving the French translations. Our proposed methodology may be replicated for the linguistic validation of other e-health tools.

A Successful French Weekend Camp.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baughin, Judith A.

A weekend immersion French language camp was organized by Raymond Walters College of the University of Cincinnati with the cooperation of a group of interested high school French teachers. The extensive planning and the activities of the weekend are described in detail. The most important aspects of the planning process are noted. These were (1)…

French Immersion Experience and Reading Skill Development in At-Risk Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruk, Richard S.; Reynolds, Kristin A. A.

2012-01-01

We tracked the developmental influences of exposure to French on developing English phonological awareness, decoding and reading comprehension of English-speaking at-risk readers from Grade 1 to Grade 3. Teacher-nominated at-risk readers were matched with not-at-risk readers in French immersion and English language programs. Exposure to spoken…

Talking It through: Two French Immersion Learners' Response to Reformulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swain, Merrill; Lapkin, Sharon

2002-01-01

This article documents the importance of collaborative dialogue as part of the process of second language learning. The stimulus for the dialogue we discuss in this article was a reformulation of a story written collaboratively in French by Nina and Dara, two adolescent French immersion students. A sociocultural theoretical perspective informs the…

L'Enseignement de la Prononciation Francaise aux Niveaux Phonemique et Phonetique (The Teaching of French Pronunciation at the Phonemic and Phonetic Levels)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maire, Jean-Francois

1975-01-01

Gives the justification, text, and examples of two recordings illustrating the phonetic oppositions of four French vowels. The tapes were produced and tested at the Universite de Lausanne, and are intended for language laboratory use. (Text is in French.) (MSE)

Learners' Selective Perceptions of Information during Instructed Learning in French: Consequences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drewelow, Isabelle

2011-01-01

The present study examined how American learners of French perceived the influence of instruction on their existing stereotypes about the French people to determine the effects of these stereotypes on their language learning and cultural openness. During a semester, 22 undergraduate students, all native English speakers enrolled in 4 sections of…

Facebook-Induced Motivation Shifts in a French Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aubry, James

2013-01-01

This study explores the effects of instructor's self-disclosure using the Facebook social networking online platform on students' motivation types in an online language course. The participants were 104 beginning French students enrolled in an online French course at a major research university in the southeast U.S. The participants were divided…

Building Bridges of Understanding with the French-Speaking People in Europe.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT. Language Research Center.

This book attempts to provide cultural information that will enable an American to communicate effectively with French-speaking people of Europe. The book discusses differences between American and French culture in such areas as food, laws, customs, religion, language, dress, and basic attitudes. Background information is given on France,…

Linking Languages through a Bilingual Read-Aloud Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyster, Roy; Collins, Laura; Ballinger, Susan

2009-01-01

The present study was carried out in French immersion classrooms in an urban Quebec school board that is increasingly characterised by the heterogeneity of its French-dominant, English-dominant, and French/English bilingual student population. The study explored the extent to which a bilingual read-aloud project would (1) raise teachers' awareness…

French Immersion Research Relevant to Decisions in Ontario. Review and Evaluation Bulletins, Number 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkin, Michael; And Others

Canadian research relevant to French immersion program development in Ontario is reviewed and summarized. The review includes studies on six program or instructional aspects: (1) attitudes and motivation of immersion students and parents; (2) achievement of immersion students in English language arts and other subjects; (3) French proficiency and…

Phonetic Influences on English and French Listeners' Assimilation of Mandarin Tones to Native Prosodic Categories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Connie K.; Best, Catherine T.

2014-01-01

This study examined how native speakers of Australian English and French, nontone languages with different lexical stress properties, perceived Mandarin tones in a sentence environment according to their native sentence intonation categories (i-Categories) in connected speech. Results showed that both English and French speakers categorized…

French and Spanish Communication for Caribbean Professionals: Innovative Foreign Language Course Developments from UTech, Jamaica.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boufoy-Bastick, Beatrice

Economic globalization make it increasingly important for Caribbean professionals to be able to communicate effectively in English, French, and Spanish. Accordingly, the University of Technology in Jamaica is developing French and Spanish courses designed to teach culturally appropriate and successful communication for specific professions. The…

Grammaire francaise pour etudiants americains (French Grammar for American Students): Workbook and Answers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Giauque, Gerald S.

This workbook in French grammar, intended for American college students, provides instruction and practice in French morphology, syntax, vocabulary, punctuation, and language style at the intermediate level. It is also designed to increase or reinforce the students' understanding of English grammar, based on the assumption that American students…

Why Choose French? Boys' and Girls' Attitudes at the Option Stage.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Robert; Littlewood, Peter

1983-01-01

A survey of secondary students' attitudes toward French as a second language in two schools analyzed how students' choice or rejection of the subject was related to career choice, sex, social class, travel in France, and success in French. A secondary intent was to refine attitude study techniques. (MSE)

What is French for déjà vu? Descriptions of déjà vu in native French and English speakers.

PubMed

Fortier, Jonathan; Moulin, Chris J A

2015-11-01

Little is known about how people characterise and classify the experience of déjà vu. The term déjà vu might capture a range of different phenomena and people may use it differently. We examined the description of déjà vu in two languages: French and English, hypothesising that the use of déjà vu would vary between the two languages. In French, the phrase déjà vu can be used to indicate a veridical experience of recognition - as in "I have already seen this face before". However, the same is not true in English. In an online questionnaire, we found equal rates of déjà vu amongst French and English speakers, and key differences in how the experience was described. As expected, the French group described the experience as being more frequent, but there was the unexpected finding that they found it to be more troubling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

21 CFR 290.6 - Spanish-language version of required warning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Spanish-language version of required warning. 290... (CONTINUED) DRUGS: GENERAL CONTROLLED DRUGS General Provisions § 290.6 Spanish-language version of required... of this drug to any person other than the patient for whom it was prescribed.” The Spanish version of...

Using the Evaluative Linguistic Framework for Questionnaires to Assess Comprehensibility of Self-Report Health Questionnaires.

PubMed

Clerehan, Rosemary; Guillemin, Francis; Epstein, Jonathan; Buchbinder, Rachelle

2016-06-01

The Evaluative Linguistic Framework (ELF) was developed to judge the quality of health care texts for patients, based on systemic functional linguistic theory. This approach considers key variables such as context and structure, known to be important for communication. Our objective was to adapt the ELF to evaluate the quality of self-report questionnaires. We reviewed the Health Literacy Questionnaire using the ELF. On the basis of these data, we drafted the preliminary version of the Evaluative Linguistic Framework for Questionnaires (ELF-Q) and applied it to English- and French-language versions of two arthritis self-report questionnaires and to Spanish, Dutch, and Turkish versions of an arthritis questionnaire. The developed ELF-Q was found to be effective for evaluating questionnaires in English and in four other languages. It contains nine items with new descriptions and assessment probes. These include overall organizational or generic structure of the questionnaire, metadiscourse (or text about the text), headings, rhetorical elements (function of each "move" or stage of the text in relation to the reader), the writer-reader relationship, technicality of vocabulary, lexical density (proportion of content words in the text), format, and overall judgment. We added assessment responses on a two- or three-point Likert scale to complement the assessment probes and make the intent and meaning of the probes fully explicit for the questionnaire developer or assessor. The ELF-Q is a framework practical to use for the development or assessment of any type of self-report questionnaire. Its application can identify features of a self-report questionnaire that could be improved to optimize its comprehensibility. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Articulatory settings of French-English bilingual speakers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Ian

2005-04-01

The idea of a language-specific articulatory setting (AS), an underlying posture of the articulators during speech, has existed for centuries [Laver, Historiogr. Ling. 5 (1978)], but until recently it had eluded direct measurement. In an analysis of x-ray movies of French and English monolingual speakers, Gick et al. [Phonetica (in press)] link AS to inter-speech posture, allowing measurement of AS without interference from segmental targets during speech, and they give quantitative evidence showing AS to be language-specific. In the present study, ultrasound and Optotrak are used to investigate whether bilingual English-French speakers have two ASs, and whether this varies depending on the mode (monolingual or bilingual) these speakers are in. Specifically, for inter-speech posture of the lips, lip aperture and protrusion are measured using Optotrak. For inter-speech posture of the tongue, tongue root retraction, tongue body and tongue tip height are measured using optically-corrected ultrasound. Segmental context is balanced across the two languages ensuring that the sets of sounds before and after an inter-speech posture are consistent across languages. By testing bilingual speakers, vocal tract morphology across languages is controlled for. Results have implications for L2 acquisition, specifically the teaching and acquisition of pronunciation.

The metro area of Montreal.

PubMed

1986-10-01

Montreal, one of the most civilized and cosmopolitan of North American cities, is the 2nd city in Canada in size and the largest French-speaking city. Of the 2.8 million people who lived there at census time in 1981, 45% chose both French and English as their official language, 41% chose French, and 1% used some other language. Fully 68% of Montreal residents said their mother tongue was French, and 68% also said they spoke French at home. The importance of bilingualism to the business culture of Montreal cannot be overemphasized. In the last decade, French-Canadians have taken an increasingly stronger role in business. Upper-middle-class suburbs that as little as 10 years ago had only 10% of their residents who were of French-Canadian descent now have as many as 50-60% of their residents who are French-Canadians. Most residents of Montreal willingly learn 2 languages. US firms should assume that all representatives who are sent to Montreal should be fluent in both French and English. Montreal's 2,828,349 people create a population density of 1004.9 persons per square kilometer. Montreal has 665 census tracts, which are described in the Metropolitan Atlas Series. Nearly 62% of Montreal's population fall between the ages of 20 and 64--the prime working ages. Although Montreal is 79% Catholic, it does not have the high fertility levels often associated with Catholic areas. There were 1,026,920 households in Montreal in 1981 with an average of 2.7 persons per household. 71% of these were census family households. Montreal had 1,026,895 occupied dwellings in 1985 with an average of 5 rooms each. About 71% of the population aged 15 and over that were not in school were in the labor force; 41% of the labor force was female. The largest employment category for men was manufacturing (16%) and the largest for women was clerical work (39%).

Functional limitations and overweight among migrants in the Histoire de Vie study (Insee, 2003).

PubMed

Lert, F; Melchior, M; Ville, I

2007-12-01

In France, epidemiological data on immigrant population are limited since characterization of immigrants is viewed as a sensitive issue. The Histoire de Vie survey has enabled the description of the association of immigration characteristics and two health indicators. Health-related functional limitations and overweight status (BMI> or =25 kg/m(2)) were studied among 18 to 64 years old using indirect age standardization. Immigration status was characterized in four different ways: via the migratory pathways of interviewees and their parents (French born to two French-born parents, second-generation, immigrated at the age of 15 or younger, immigrated at the age of 16 or older), citizenship (French by birth, French by naturalisation, non French), geographical origin (France, Europe, outside Europe) and language(s) spoken at home (French mother tongue, French for persons who do not have French as mother tongue, French and another language, another language). The analyses were conducted separately in men and in women and stratified by occupational status (upper and lower). For functional limitations, the analysis was repeated excluding participants whose limitations occurred before the age of 19, which was the average age of immigration, to assess a possible healthy migrant effect. Compared to French men born to two French parents, an increased rate of functional limitations was observed among men born in Europe and/or who had at least one parent born in Europe (SMR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.06-1.81) and a reduced rate among participants born outside Europe or who had at least one parent born outside Europe (SMR: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.46-0.86); these differences remained when social status was taken into account. Among women, a tendency towards a lower rate of functional limitations was found in lower social status groups among those who immigrated as adults, among non French citizens and among non Europeans. Restricting the analysis to individuals free of limitations at the age of 19 did not suggest a healthier migrant effect. Among men, the risk of being overweight did not differ according to immigration characteristics. Women who immigrated in their adult life (SMR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.18-1.74), who had foreign citizenship (SMR: 1.44; 95% CI: 1.18-1.74) and who still spoke their mother tongue at home (SMR: 1.53; 95%CI: 1.23-1.88) were more likely to be overweight than non migrant women. These results were observed in lower social groups but not in upper social groups. These results demonstrate a heterogeneous relationship between immigration status and health, according to age at immigration, gender and origin while the migrant second-generation appears quite close to the population born French to two French-born parents. Further studies are needed to provide data on a wider range of health indicators. In the future, health surveys should document detailed information to allow for a full characterisation of the migrant population.

L2 vs. L3 Initial State: A Comparative Study of the Acquisition of French DPs by Vietnamese Monolinguals and Cantonese-English Bilinguals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Yan-Kit Ingrid

2005-01-01

This paper compares the initial state of second language acquisition (L2A) and third language acquisition (L3A) from the generative linguistics perspective. We examine the acquisition of the Determiner Phrase (DP) by two groups of beginning French learners: an L2 group (native speakers of Vietnamese who do not speak any English) and an L3 group…

Processing Tense/Aspect-Agreement Violations On-Line in the Second Language: A Self-Paced Reading Study with French and German L2 Learners of English

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Leah; Liszka, Sarah Ann

2013-01-01

In this article, we report the results of a self-paced reading experiment designed to investigate the question of whether or not advanced French and German learners of English as a second language (L2) are sensitive to tense/aspect mismatches between a fronted temporal adverbial and the inflected verb that follows (e.g. *"Last week, James has…