Frustrations at the French System

I thought i was over the whole culture shock thing, i was feeling good with my frenchy french friends and my collection of european buddies. Everything felt right and in place- until i received the schedule for our exams. Right there in front of my face, on the friday I am leaving for a mini vacation to amsterdam: tests on Friday. See normally I'd plan ahead of all this, but, i don't have any classes on friday! No logic in this. Worse they didn't even tell me there would be these tests.

I immediately sent an email to the secretary and spoke with my professor. My professor informed me that, according to the 'method they follow' they can't give it earlier or later. Sorry. Has to be at that exact time. I asked then if "i missed the exams, what does that mean?" Considering that because of my above A grades, three missed tests would still equal passing.

Nope. More 'regulations and methods'. If i don't take the tests, my entire term will not be validated, meaning, all the tests, all the 1000 euro i spent will equal nothing.  All for regulations.

I looked at trying to change my flight, but it's a non changeable flight.  So my choice is:  miss a weekend to Amsterdam where I already paid for everything, and pass my class... or miss the class and potentially be forced to stay back once again in a below-my-level class.

And so, I've decided.. if they truly won't be lenient on me for this one time, I'm going to Amsterdam and I will have to take the DELF B2 in January separate from the CIEF, hopefully receiving 50/100 and receiving the diploma.  With this I can push up into a level C1; which is more difficult and a challenge.


My mother always said things happen for a reason, but for today I feel especially bitter towards the CIEF program and in general for the culture here.  Too many regulations, too many tests, too many papers.  It's a culture shock I may never get used to.

Now, I gotta go make a pizza.

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Culture Shock: French Grading System

It's that dreaded week in Lyon where all the students are getting back tests that count for 50% of our grades.  These difficult tests that comprise of written and even oral examinations based on information that is supposed to be memorized and regurgitated exactly as said.

The teacher begins by describing how some of us really sucked at the test and failed with a really awful note.  He continues to rant on about the abilities we have to do better, some of us truly shined and many are in the middle.  He is disappointed and he is proud.

In America we sweat it out, and receive it.  The highest note a person can get is 100%; if a test, for example, is worth 20 points, a student could receive 20/20.  Sometimes even more.  This sets up American Expatriates- such as myself- to be shocked at the French system.  It even led a fellow American friend of mine to cry at her 'awful horrible grade'.

The Middle
The middle in the French Grading system is always based on 20- so the middle, AKA passing is 10/20.  There are no letter grade "A" or "B".  Simply a number out of 20.  10/20 means you are passing, but maybe just sliding by.  (C)

Failure
Failure comes in under 10... if you received 9/20 or below.. you have failed.  (F)

Good Grade
Good grade is 10/20 to 15/20.  15 is on the edge of a very good grade- an American equivalent to B to A-.

My poor friend cried when she saw 11/20; she didn't understand the culture and worse she couldn't.  We are so conditioned to our 20/20's that we can't get a 11/20 being a good thing.

Awesome
An AWESOME grade would be anything 16/20 and above.  This is a solid A in American standards.

You Cannot Get 20
No matter how hard you try, you'll never be able to get 20.  It's the whole French paradoxical rating system... they set the bar so high so it will always be a little under.  If you tell a French person you want a 20/20, they will laugh, then say, 'bon chance' and laugh some more.

So.  To sum it up:

9/20 and below:  F
10/20 to 12/20: C
13/20 to 15/20: B
16/20 and up: A

Betcha you're wondering how I did?

I'm averaging 17/20 on my tests.. which is very very good.  Most of this is due to the fact that my level n the CIEF is a little below my tasting.  Either way that makes for lots of French practice and easy As!

Advice: The CIEF Program at Lyon 2

Monday I started my CIEF classes.  CIEF is a program offered by Lyon Lumière II, which specializes in only French classes.

CIEF stands for:  Centre Internationale d'Études Français

It's a program specifically designed for international people (students or not) who want to learn the French language.  There are differing levels, differing intensities and a variety of classes to compliment the basics.

ALSO...

It's a great way to get a student visa, a great way to enter into France (without having to really know French).  I can speak very well, I know a lot of vocabulary and I can live here without a hitch.. but they offer all levels for different types of people.

If you were looking for a way to enter into France to study.. or maybe even prepare to go to university here (it's free) following completion of the CIEF.. it's a wonderful thing.  I inscribed in January, got an acceptance by February... and was able to get my student visa that way, through this program.

You start with a big round of testing, the first is a written test (they give two subjects, you write on it), the second is an oral test (you sit with a professor for about 10 minutes and describe a random subject) and the final a computer test (which is a combination hearing/reading understanding test).  This takes about a week.

I took the tests and got into a B1- which means I rocked something, then screwed up something else.  I find it to be my writing capabilities as well as my grammar... I speak very well, understand great.. but damn those French grammatical rules.  I was aiming for a B2, but I knew that I had weak points in my writing.

The levels of the CIEF look like this:

A1 - You know not one word of french or french structure, you usually say, "bonjour"... that's all.
A2 - You can make simple phrases, maybe use the present tense of verbs, get around France
B1 - You are able to speak to people and be understood, but you mess up in structure or rules
B2 - You are able to speak, understand and maybe your structure rocks- but you need to know some more complicated French verbs
C1 - You can live in France no problem, it's simply a class to improve your linguistic abilities and expand on your current knowledge.
C2 - You probably are looking to become a teacher in French.

After you get your level, you get a schedule.. mine looks like this:

So I have about 3-6 hours total of grammaire/written lessons, about 1.5 hours of oral practice,  1.5 hours of 'familiar french' which is slang, 1.5 hours of business French...

It's about 17 hours a week.. which is pretty intense.. but it's definitely worth it to sit and hear French continuously throughout the day.

I am doing the semi-intensif program, which is about €1020, and 210 hours a term.  The other option is €1300 or so a term and it's about 20 more hours.

My classes are going well so far.. I find them a bit easy- but there are some classes that are very beneficial in this level.. like the slang class or the business class... plus tons and tons of grammar.

I'd recommend it!

Here's the website for more information:  CIEF Website

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