Lesen abseits des Lehrwerks. Die Lektüren des Prix des lycéens allemands auf dem Prüfstand

Abstract

Implementing authentic fictional texts in the foreign language classroom is a challenging task for educators because it demands an advanced language level, highly motivated students, a lot of time and material resources. The present article focuses on the student competition Prix des lycéens allemands which addresses students with an advanced language proficiency in French and invites them to discuss and select the most popular book among three contemporary young adult novels. But what kind of young adult fiction is chosen for the competition? Can the novels offer an alternative to the books typically included in the curricula? What kind of tasks are proposed for teaching and discussing the novels in the French foreign language classroom? The article discusses three questions by analyzing a section of the Prix in the years in the years 2020/21: Aigre-doux by Wilfried N´Sondé, Direct du cœur by Florence Medina and Même pas en rêve by Vivien Bessières.