MERLOT Resource Evaluation

MERLOT Resource Page

Le Point du FLE. Apprendre le français

Here is my evaluation of this Foreign Language Education Portal:

Quality of Content:

The resource I looked at in MERLOT was “Le Point de FLE” which is a Foreign Language Education learning portal for the French language. It is a website that provides an extensive collection of links to French language activities, grammar explanations, exercises, audio, video, civilization activities, and songs among many other valuable resources for French educators and students. The content within this site provides valid and significant concepts, models, and skills for French language learning. As an educator, it would be wise for educators to keep the main link for the website and give students specific links for specific tasks so it is not overwhelming and the educator can pinpoint the best use for any given lesson or skill.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching-Learning Tool:

These resources can be used at any point during the learning process or at any level of language learning. Even if an activity is above a student’s particular ability level, the resources can be modified to fit the students. This resource is a huge collection of resources that is truly beneficial to the instructor. It will be important that the instructor choose the best activities to use in the classroom or use to enhance any given lesson. Students will be able to use the resources to practice skills outside of the classroom, reinforce what is being taught, and interact in the target language by applying their skills in different activities. It also takes a subject where communication is key, not only in reading, writing, and speaking, but brings in a technology aspect as we enter the 21^st century where they communicate digitally and interact via the web with activities, video, or audio, among other things.

Ease of Use:

As the teacher, I feel that the site is user friendly and it is easy to navigate. However, for a student just starting to learn a foreign language (French), this site would be extremely confusing and difficult to navigate, as it is totally written in the target language. It is for this reason, why the teacher would need to select the best links or activities for the students and only share those as it fits best with the lesson or activity at the time. The activities and various links allow for expanded teaching and learning, feedback, and a new way to interact with material via technology. I think it is and will be a valuable tool in my classroom because it presents information in a new way and the students can interact with the material in a variety of different contexts.