The University of Montana, Missoula, is now the regional center for the French language tests prepared by the French Ministry of Education. The DELF (Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française) and the DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française) are two modern diplomas designed to assess the communicative skills of a candidate in a real situation, using authentic documents. Composed of independent units, the DELF and the DALF evaluate the know how rather than linguistic and formal grammatical knowledge (writing a letter of thanks, asking for information, exchanging opinions, etc.).
Why take the DELF or the DALF? They are official diplomas issued and guaranteed by the French Ministry of Education; they are international in scope and have been adopted by more than fifty countries; they are American diplomas also, in that they have been adopted by American universities and Alliances Francaises, with the help of the Foreign Language Teachers Associations and the American Association of Teachers of French; they allow access to universities in more than fifty countries around the world; they allow you to find a better job because they are two internationally known official references that add credibility to your résumé; they are educational tools that will motivate students as well as teachers.
The DELF and the DALF consist of accruable units, i.e., units can be taken and obtained independently; the candidate can present one or more units at the session; the units can be presented by the candidate in the order that he/she prefers, in the testing center of his/her choice; each unit acquired is permanent with no time limit; the units obtained are recognized by all of the testing centers in France and throughout the world; anyone interested (except French citizens) can register for these diplomas. There are no restrictions concerning the age or the level of candidates--the candidates can take the units as they learn the language; the DELF and the DALF are adapted to every situation, i.e., for high school students, college students, and other members of the community.
The DELF and the DALF will be administered at the University of Montana in Missoula on the following dates:
Saturday, April 9: DELF, A1 and A2
Saturday, April 16: DELF, A3 and A4
Saturday, April 30: DELF, A5 and A6, and Epreuve de contrôle
Saturday, May 7: DALF
For more information, contact Professor Sigyn Minier, University of Montana, Missoula, MT 59812. Tel. (406) 243-4102 (office) or (406) 728-2279 (home).
In order to prepare an article on how various campuses deal with salary inequities, Paul Trout (English, MSU-Bozeman) is asking any faculty member who has had actual experience with campus procedures for hearing complaints about salary inequities to contact him at either 406.994.5197 or 406.587.8406.
It is our intent to publish the spring issue of The Montana Professor during the spring semester. However, when we contacted the printer to schedule this issue, we learned the press was being repaired. A few hours on the phone attempting to make alternative arrangements led to the conclusion there was nothing to do but wait. We apologize for the delay.