Learning objectives
The course aims to provide students with a theoretical and practical knowledge of textual simplification. Students will acquire the main methods and tools for adapting and rewriting texts according to linguistic accessibility criteria, as well as critical autonomy for analyzing intralinguistic translations.
Knowledge and understanding:
At the end of the course, students will be familiar with the main theoretical and practical issues in the scientific field of textual simplification. Students will also consolidate their French language skills at level C1++ of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Applying knowledge and understanding:
Students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired to analyze a wide variety of authentic texts in French (informative, literary, procedural texts). Students will be able to identify the simplification methods present in adapted texts and apply the most appropriate simplification techniques to produce texts in a language that is easy to read and understand according to the specific needs of the reader.
Making judgments:
Students are able to rework the content learnt in the course, develop independent critical thinking on case studies and motivate their own simplification strategies.
Communication skills:
Students are able to explain the content and present the concepts learned with appropriate language and a C1++ level of French both in writing and orally.
Learning skills:
Students have acquired the methodological tools to further their studies in the field of French linguistic, linguistic simplification, Easy-to-Read Language.
Prerequisites
The course requires a C1 level of French.
Course unit content
The course aims to provide students with the basic theoretical knowledge and practical tools to make different written text types accessible to people with intellectual disabilities or reading difficulties. After a first part dedicated to the notion of text, the course will focus on textual simplification, and in particular on the methods of Plain Language and Easy-to-Read Language in order to highlight their differences.
First, the history of Plain language and Easy-to-Read language in the European context - in particular with reference to the French and Francophone reality - will be presented and then its principles will be examined in detail. This first phase of theoretical presentation will be followed by a practical activity. Through a selection of different texts - informative, literary, procedural texts - students will learn not only to analyse and identify the potential difficulties of the source text but also to deal with the simplification process and its various operations: intralinguistic translation, reformulation, adaptation. During the different phases students will be guided by the lecturer and encouraged to work both individually and in groups, to reinforce sharing and collaboration and acquire teamwork skills. The simplification of texts will always be accompanied by a critical reflection in order to develop a theoretical awareness that will enable students to make proper choices to obtain texts that are easy-to-read and understand for the different special needs of readers.
Students will also be required to attend practical language classes held by language assistants throughout the whole academic year in order to reach a C1++ level of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Bibliography
Alexia Brumagne, Denis Mannaerts, «Littératie en santé: pour une approche globale et émancipatrice visant l’équité», Repères DoRiF, n. 16 – Littératie et intelligibilité : points de vue sur la communication efficace en contexte plurilingue, DoRiF Università, Roma, novembre 2018.
Cindy Diacquenod et France Santi, «La mise en oeuvre du langage facile à lire et à comprendre (FALC): enjeux, défis, perspectives», Revue Suisse De pédagogie spécialisée, n. 8(2), 2018, pp. 29–35, https://ojs.szh.ch/revue/article/view/48
Doriane Gangloff, «Le langage facile à lire et à comprendre», Revue suisse de pédagogie spécialisée, n. 4, 2015, p. 44-50.
Emmanuelle Canut, Juliette Delahaie et Magali Husianycia, «Vous avez dit FALC? Pour une adaptation linguistique des textes destinés aux migrants nouvellement arrivés», Langage et société, n. 171, 2020, p. 171-201.
Jean-Michel Adam, La linguistique textuelle: introduction à l’analyse textuelle des discours, 2008, Armand Colin, Paris 2008.
Julie Ruel, Cécile Allaire, André C. Moreau, Assumpta Ndengeyingoma, «Concevoir une information en santé pour mieux informer les personnes ayant des compétences réduites en littératie», Repères DoRiF, n. 16 – Littératie et intelligibilité: points de vue sur la communication efficace en contexte plurilingue, DoRiF Università, Roma, novembre 2018.
Nuria Gala, François Thomas, Ludvine Javourey‑Drevet, «La simplification de textes, une aide à l’apprentissage de la lecture», Langue française, n. 199, 2018, p. 123-13.
Odile Schneider-Mizony, «Langues faciles à comprendre (FALC): assises linguistiques et promesses sociales», Cahiers du plurilinguisme européen, n. 14, 2022.
Sara Vecchiato, Sonia Gerolimich, «Introduction», Repères DoRiF, n. 16 – Littératie et intelligibilité: points de vue sur la communication efficace en contexte plurilingue, DoRiF Università, Roma, novembre 2018.
A brochure with all materials of the course will be available on the Elly page.
Teaching methods
The course is intended to be interactive. The course will alternate between frontal lessons, during which theoretical concepts will be explained with a focus on class discussion, and workshop lessons, which will require the active involvement of students. During these practical exercises, students, guided by the teacher, will be required to apply, individually or in groups, the contents illustrated in class through the analysis of authentic case studies and the creation of simplified texts.
Students can follow the lectures live or watch them recorded on Teams. Video recordings of the lectures will be available for 15 days on the Elly page.
The slides used to support the lectures will be uploaded weekly on the Elly page and are an integral part of the examination program.
For non-attending students or those enrolling during the academic year, the following will be provided:
- video recordings of lectures available for the duration of the academic year;
- dedicated online receptions during the lecture period (Online Group Meetings).
The students are also required to attend practical language lessons given by French language assistants during both semesters, aimed at consolidating language skills at a C1 level. The practical language lessons prepare students for the language proficiency test, which students must pass to gain access to the oral examination.
Assessment methods and criteria
For attending students, assessment will be based on:
- two mid-term tests consisting of an oral presentation of a simplification project and a written comment based on a comparison between the original text and the simplified text;
- an oral exam will verify the acquisition of the contents of the lectures and reference bibliography.
For non-attending students, assessment will be based on:
- a written test which assesses language skills corresponding to a C1++ French level;
- a submission of a written work that consists in an exercise of textual simplification which must follow the instructions available on the Elly page (analysis of the source text; rewriting of the text according to Easy-to-Read principles and taking into account the characteristics of the target audience; description and explanation of the simplification strategies). Students must submit their work at least ten days before the oral exam;
- an oral exam will verify the acquisition of the contents of the lectures and reference bibliography
The final mark for the entire course is calculated as the weighted average of the marks obtained in the three evaluations assessments as follows:
for attending students: oral test (60%), mid-term tests (40%).
for non-attending students: oral test (60%), written works (40%).
Grading scale
A final grade of insufficient is determined by the lack, demonstrated by the student during the oral examination, of knowledge of the minimum course content, by the inability to use concepts and terms effectively and appropriately to the topic and corresponding to French language level C1++, as well as by the lack of autonomous preparation and by the inability to formulate autonomous judgments.
A sufficient mark (18-23/30) is determined by the demonstration that the candidate meets the minimum level required and a minimal command of the requested skills and competences, by the ability to communicate in sufficiently appropriate French to the topic, showing partial characteristics of the C1++ level, as well as by a sufficient level of autonomous preparation and ability to make autonomous judgments. The medium marks (24-27/30) are awarded to the student who demonstrates a more than sufficient (24-25/30) or good (26-27/30) level of the assessment indicators listed above. High marks (28-30/30 and honors) show a very broad, complete and in-depth content knowledge, and excellent command of exposition and level of the assessment indicators listed above.
