DALF preparation

WHAT IS DALF? 

A silver laptop with an orange espresso cupDALF is a diploma that officially certifies your level of knowledge of the French language. This certification is key to work and study in France and the Francophone world. It is issued by the French Ministry of Education and as such, it is recognized everywhere in the world, without expiration or time restrictions.

It is designed to assess the communicative skills of a candidate in real situations using authentic documents. The focus will be on the four main language skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing, combined with aspects of local culture.

Whatever your level of French, it is better to follow a DALF exam preparation course than to attempt to study for the DALF exam on your own. This is because each DALF exam has special characteristics and methodologies that can be difficult to discover and understand without help and support. 

HOW MANY LEVELS DOES DALF HAVE?   

The DALF diploma covers the last two levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:  C1 (advanced), C2 (proficiency). The 2 DALF diplomas can be earned and awarded independently of each other, in the same or different country. To check your level, please click here.

DOES SITTING ALONE WITH YOUR TEXTBOOKS TIRE YOU OUT? DON’T KNOW WHERE TO START? 

Wait, it does not have to be that painful! 

My DALF exam preparation course is designed to guide you step by step.

It includes in-depth explanations of the methodology, the specific vocabulary and topics for the exam. You will have the opportunity to develop your grammatical and communicative skills. All 4 language skills will be worked on, as they are all assessed during the exam: oral comprehension, written comprehension, oral expression and written expression.

This DALF preparation course includes mock examinations so that you know what to expect on the day so you can take the DALF examination fully prepared.

During the lesson, we’ll work on the written comprehension, written production and expression production of the different exam parts. For homework, I will give you homework to practice oral and written comprehension. I will prepare and correct your homework. You have to make sure that you can allocate at least 2 hours of homework time for each lesson. This DALF preparation course includes mock examinations so that you know what to expect on the day so you can take the DALF examination fully prepared.

The time needed to prepare for the test depends on your current level of French, how much you intend to study outside of class and your goal. I recommend at least 10 months of preparation at a rate of one lesson per week (+ homework) in order to be ready to pass the exam to the next level. You can reduce the time frame by taking 2 lessons per week.

Once you feel ready to take the exam, you can register directly at the nearest exam centre next to you in France or in our own country and then take the examination. DALF can be taken only 4 times a year (unless you want to travel to another country and take it there, of course). Please note, exam fees are not included in the price of my exam preparation course.

To find the nearest approved exam centre:

  • in France, click here.
  • outside France, click here.

WHAT IS THE EXAM LIKE? 

For DALF C1 or C2, you can choose between two fields: humanities and social studies, science. Exams are marked out of 100. To pass any of the levels, you must score 50/100, with a minimum score of 5/25 in each area.

DALF C1

  • Reading (marked out of 25): comprehension questionnaires dealing with a text of ideas (literary or journalistic), 1,500 to 2,000 words long.
  • Writing (marked out of 25): 2-part test:
        – Summarise several written documents totalling approximately 1,000 words
        – write an essay with supporting arguments on the contents of the document
  • Listening (marked out of 25): comprehension questionnaires dealing with recordings:
        – a long recording (interview, lesson, conference…) approximately eight minutes long (played twice)
        – several short radio broadcasts (newsflashes, surveys, adverts etc) (played once).
    Maximum duration of recordings: 10 mins
  • Speaking (marked out of 25): you have 30 minutes to prepare a well-presented and argued presentation based on a series of written documents, followed by a discussion with the examiners.

DALF C2

Listening and Speaking (marked out of 25):
3- part test:
    – write-up the contents of a recording (played twice)
    – personal development based on the problem given in the recording
    – debate with the examiners.

Comprehension & Writing (marked out of 25):
Writing a structured text (article, editorial, report, speech etc) based on several documents totalling approximately 2,000 words. 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT:

Although I always try to keep up-to-date as best as I can, please check the information I give you with official channels, as rules and requirements can change quickly.

To discuss your needs or course content, please contact me.