The changing role of the teacher of French vis-à-vis the learning outcomes approach

Abstract

It is widely recognised that the success of a curriculum change hinges on a variety of key factors such as the teacher’s beliefs, perceptions and attitudes towards said change. The aim of this study is to investigate and understand the extent to which teachers of French in the local Church schools are prepared for an imminent curriculum change, the latter being based on the concept of learning outcomes. This study has two main objectives: to explore the need of a clear redefinition of the role of the teacher of French as that of an agent of reform and flexibility, and to identify the key factors which influence the process of the envisaged curriculum change, which itself is still at its onset. Class observations and semi-structured interviews with teachers of French and Heads of School from the local Church schools have been used for data collection, using the qualitative method.

In an era where numerous curriculu m reforms have been taking place, it is crucial to understand whether teachers of French who work in a particular educational sector have been keeping up with the pace of the local curriculum changes. Taking a close look at the findings, the concept of the learning outcomes is not new in the local context. Furthermore, pas inadequacies such as overlooking bottom-up feedback, lack of timely knowledge and professional development, need to be seriously taken into consideration. Thus, it is hoped that the appropriate support and professional development are provided to teachers of French, in order for them to be able to adapt to the envisaged curriculum change, which is meant to pave the way to a curriculum which is more relevant to today’s labour market.