Initial French language teacher education policy in Greece and curriculum evaluation among student teachers of FLE

Abstract

This paper presents initial language teacher education policy adopted in Greece and describes a study which examines student teachers’ of FLE (Français Langue Étrangère) perception of their initial teacher education and its contribution to their future professional life. The sample comprised 67 student teachers in their fourth year of studies for a bachelor degree in the department of French language and literature in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. Data were collected through questionnaires which included both a structured and an open-ended part. The questionnaire’s content was based on the European Profile for Language Teacher Education — a Frame of Reference (Kelly et al 2004), which identifies 40 items as important elements in foreign language teacher education. Prominent among the findings is student teachers’ perception that the current academic curriculum should place more emphasis on teaching practice, on ways of reinforcing communication with other universities and research institutes, and on using the European Language portfolio and the European Portfolio for student teachers of languages (Newby et al. 2007). The paper concludes by proposing ways of improving the existing French language teacher education degree program and actions at national level for restructuring language teacher education policy in Greece.