The Minister of Education announced this Friday, September 15, the implementation of measures to strengthen written proficiency.
By JW with AFP
© RICHARD BOUHET / AFP
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AWhile his predecessor Pap Ndiaye had made reading his hobby horse, Gabriel Attal places writing at the top of his priorities for this 2023 school year. Abolition of “blank texts”, writing test upon entry into sixth grade, writing competition: the Minister of National Education presented, this Friday, September 15, a battery of measures to improve students’ mastery of writing. A “republican emergency”, according to him.
“I believe in the importance of writing, and I go further, of writing, including creative writing,” declared Gabriel Attal, during a trip to a primary school in Tremblay-les -Villages, near Chartres (Eure-et-Loir), during the beginning of the year assessments in classes.
READ ALSO Reading level at school: Pap Ndiaye’s false satisfactionAt the beginning of September, “I was challenged in a column by artists and intellectuals”, published in the newspaper The world, calling to “restore the written word” to its “letter of nobility”, he recalled during a press briefing. “It was important for me to respond,” he added.
“We must do better”
In a new column, also published in The world, Gabriel Attal said on Friday that he believed “in the forces of the written word”. He proclaims “a duty of rigor and excellence” on this issue, especially as the level falls, according to him: “Nearly one in three students cannot read or write properly when they enter 6e. »
“We must do more and we must do better,” he insisted, before listing a new series of measures that he would like to see developed or put in place in schools, colleges and high schools. It is therefore necessary to “abolish “blank texts” in middle school and college learning,” recommends the minister, specifying that this measure would apply from this year.
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The minister also wants the “national assessments” which concern all students entering 6e include a “writing test”, in addition to reading, to “detect the weaknesses of some and the talents of others”.
Understand before reforming
At the end of August, Gabriel Attal had already indicated that he wanted to “put the emphasis on fundamental knowledge”. To do this, he had already announced that two hours would be devoted to reading each day in CP, and that CM2 students would have to produce “at least one written text” each week.
Questioned by AFP, Guislaine David, general secretary of FSU-SNUipp, the main primary school union, estimated that “before giving injunctions to teachers, we must understand what is an obstacle to writing”. “For six years, the injunctions have focused on decoding in reading, and not on comprehension. And to write, you have to understand,” she continued.
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“Then, we must ask ourselves the question of the teaching conditions which are an obstacle: learning conditions are degraded by busy staff,” observed the union leader.
A “writing competition” for everyone
The Minister of National Education also says he wishes to create “starting this year” a “double major national writing competition”: one for students at the end of primary school and at the end of middle school, the other for… teachers, “whose talent and creativity deserve to be better recognized and shared”.
“I hope that many artists, and in particular those who challenged me in the gallery, will participate in this competition, both to support the students in its preparation and then to participate in the jury,” he underlined. during its movement.
2023-09-15 17:37:19
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