The teaching and learning of spoken interaction in the French L2 Classroom : perceptions and action

Abstract

This study sets out to analyse the difficulties that teachers face when teaching the oral component of French as a foreign language. While giving an overview of both foreign and local literature related to this topic, the investigation is based on three research questions and uses a mixed-methods research design. An online anonymous questionnaire is distributed to teachers of French in state, church and independent schools, while a focus group interview is held with a group of five teachers, to further discuss challenges that arise when teaching the oral component. Action research is moreover carried out with a group of year 9 students in a state college. This is based on five oral activities revolving around one unit of the learning outcomes framework, and witnesses an increase in interest, confidence and fluency in learners' performance. Through careful analysis and merging of results through triangulation, several factors emerge as the main challenges when teachers practice the oral component during French lessons. Among such challenges one finds lack of time and lack of motivation and confidence from the students' part. Finally, this research gives a tentative answer to each research question: results indicate that in spite of policies favouring modern and differentiated teaching methodologies, a lack of oral activities and practice in the French classroom persists. Teachers insist that they find impending challenges when teaching the oral component of the French language. A significant number of teachers ask for more guidance regarding the teaching of the oral component.