This study acknowledges the support from the China Scholarship Council's "High-Level University Graduate Program" and expresses gratitude to Professor Lucie Mottier Lopez from the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the University of Geneva and Associate Professor Yu Chunhong from the French Department of Dalian University of Foreign Languages for their guidance and assistance during the research process.

1 Introduction

The chapter discusses the current state of French language programs in Chinese universities, highlighting the importance of improving teaching quality and the challenges faced in foreign language education reform. It references the requirements for evaluation systems outlined in the "Teaching Guidelines for Undergraduate Foreign Language and Literature Programs in Regular Higher Education Institutions" and summarizes the diverse trends in foreign language assessment research in China. The significance of the French Major Band 4 and Band 8 exams and related studies is introduced, while noting the lack of attention given to teachers' experiences and perspectives in exam preparation and teaching practices. Based on the "situated evaluation" theory, this study explores the impact of French proficiency exams on teaching from the perspectives of 30 university French teachers, aiming to provide new insights for foreign language assessment research and address questions about teachers' exam preparation methods, the exams' influence on teaching, and adjustments to teaching strategies.

2 Literature Review

The chapter delves into the ontology of assessment, introducing various evaluation paradigms and emphasizing the "situated evaluation" theory proposed by Mottier Lopez, which highlights the interaction between evaluation and context. It also discusses the implications of summative assessment, including its primary function in certifying student learning outcomes and its potential influence on teaching adjustments. The study notes that summative assessment has both positive effects, such as motivating teachers to refine teaching strategies, and negative effects, such as increasing workload and altering teaching content and methods. Additionally, the chapter examines issues related to summative assessment in basic education across different countries and its impact on high school foreign language teaching in China. Finally, using the "situated evaluation" framework, it analyzes the influence of French proficiency exams on university French teachers and their teaching practices.

3 Research Methodology

The chapter introduces the qualitative research methodology, including participant selection, data collection, and analysis methods. The study involved 30 French teachers from nine universities in northeastern, northern, and southern China, with 80% being female, 77% holding associate professor titles, and 60% having 10–20 years of teaching experience. Most participants had experience guiding students in preparing for the Band 4 or Band 8 exams. Data were collected through one-on-one semi-structured interviews, with a 15-question interview guide focusing on teachers' professional experiences, exam preparation methods, and the exams' impact on teaching. Data analysis was conducted using NVivo software for content analysis, coding interview transcripts into meaning units, categorizing them, and developing a coding table covering core themes such as exam preparation methods and the exams' influence on teaching.

4 Findings

The qualitative research explores the relationship between French proficiency exams and French language teaching. The findings reveal that 25 teachers reported their institutions offering dedicated review courses for the Band 4 and Band 8 exams, mostly mandatory and taught collaboratively by multiple instructors responsible for different exam modules. Classroom activities primarily included practice exercises, past exam papers, test-taking strategies, Q&A sessions, and mock exams. Additionally, all participating teachers consciously integrated exam-related content into their regular courses. Summative foreign language assessments had dual effects—both positive and negative—on teachers and teaching activities, with positive impacts significantly outnumbering negative ones. Positive effects included enhancing teachers' own skills, providing teaching direction, understanding student proficiency, enlivening classroom dynamics, and aiding thesis supervision. Negative effects mainly involved time constraints and a tendency toward exam-oriented teaching. The exams offered opportunities for reflection and teaching improvement, enabling teachers to evaluate their effectiveness based on student performance during preparation and exam results, thereby optimizing teaching strategies. Pass rates also prompted teachers to reconsider and modify their teaching methods. However, not all teachers chose to adjust their teaching based on the exams.

5 Discussion

The study finds that French proficiency exams, as a nationally standardized summative assessment, exert dual influences on the teaching behaviors of French teachers. On one hand, the exams provide clear teaching direction and help enhance teachers' instructional skills; on the other hand, they increase workload, especially during the pre-exam period. Exam pass rates and comparisons with other institutions serve as benchmarks for evaluating institutional reputation. The exams not only certify student learning outcomes but may also function as a mechanism for controlling teaching quality. Teachers' adjustments to their teaching practices under the influence of assessment mechanisms reflect the interplay between external summative evaluation and internal teaching practices. The study validates the multifunctionality of assessment, demonstrating that summative evaluation can serve formative purposes by supporting and adjusting teaching practices. While teachers' exam preparation methods vary, they all take measures to support student preparation, and their perceptions of the exams' primary positive and negative impacts show a degree of consistency.

6 Conclusion

This chapter summarizes the application of the educational "situated evaluation" theory to foreign language teaching research in China, particularly the impact of French proficiency exams on teachers' teaching practices. The findings indicate that French teachers generally view the exams as beneficial for teaching, though negative effects exist, and the application of exam results in teaching adjustments remains insufficient. The study preliminarily demonstrates the applicability and explanatory power of the situated evaluation theory in China's foreign language education assessment practices. Due to the small sample size and dispersed teacher backgrounds, it is difficult to establish clear links between teacher characteristics and their views or behaviors. Future research will expand the sample size to explore how teacher background factors influence the relationship between exams and teaching. This study provides empirical support for understanding the impact of summative assessment on French language teaching and offers theoretical and practical insights for foreign language teaching and assessment reform.