The level of French students in spelling has been falling for 30 years and nearly a quarter of 6th graders do not have the required knowledge in this discipline. Faced with this disturbing phenomenon, Pap Ndiaye decided to set up a spelling plan based in particular on daily dictation in CM1 and CM2 and the reading of two long texts per week.
The finding is alarming. According to Ministry of Education, CM2 students assessed as part of a dictation have lower spelling results than those assessed in 1987, 2007 and 2015. of results concerns all pupils, regardless of their gender and age, but remains closely linked to the social environment. It is grammatical spelling (rules of agreement between the subject and the verb, agreements in the nominal group, agreements of the past participle) which is the main source of difficulties.
Difficulties recognized by the Minister of National Education himself. “27% of students do not have the required level in French (at the entrance to 6th grade)” had explained, this January 4, Pap Ndiaye on BFM-TV. In question according to him,write time is probably too low“, especially in CM1 and CM2. To redress this falling level, the Minister of National Education has decided to introduce new measures around the dictation, writing and reading. which should be announced to the rectors and teachers of the classes concerned after having been, according to Le Monde, published in the Official Bulletin of January 12, 2023.
A daily dictation in CM1 and CM2
The Ministry of National Education will initially encourage CM1 and CM2 teachers to offer a daily dictation to their students. The latter should allow children to “understand and respect the rules of grammar and spelling“discussed several weeks earlier according to an internal memo consulted by France info. This dictation allowing to revise the acquired notions was already recommended by the predecessors of Pap Ndiaye, Najat Vallaud Belkacem and Jean-Michel Blanquer.
Reading two long texts per week
Pap Ndiaye also wants CM1 and CM2 students to be able to write and read for at least two hours a day. In order to achieve this goal, they will have to read at least “two long texts”, of at least 1,000 words each, every week. According to information from Figaro, handwriting should also be practiced daily to achieve “firm, regular and legible handwriting“. The Ministry of National Education also recommends avoiding “closing texts”.
Strengthening decoding
The Minister of National Education also wants strengthen “decoding” and therefore develop students’ ability to read and understand quickly. In CM1, students “who cannot read a text with fluidity and expressiveness, at a speed of about 90 words per minute” may be entitled to a “specific daily practice, for at least four weeks“. In CM2, they will have to read 120 words per minute with ease.
In order to facilitate the transition to sixth grade, Pap Ndiaye also announced last week, the creation of a weekly hour of support or deepening in French or mathematics in sixth grade, from the start of the 2023 school year. Ideally, students will be divided into small groups and according to their level, determined by their grades in CM2 and national assessments taken at the start of the school year.