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Les patterns interactifs et le rôle de la langue cible - Une étude qualitative d’une classe de français langue étrangère au lycée en Suède

Interactive patterns and the role of the target language - a qualitative study of a French L2 class in Swedish upper secondary school

Author

  • Sofia Helgesson

Summary, in English

In order to acquire new languages, we need to be exposed to large amounts of target language (TL) input. However, studying French as a foreign language in Sweden includes few opportunities to encounter the language outside the classroom. This means that the teacher plays a decisive role as an input provider in the French L2 teaching setting. Moreover, the Swedish syllabus for modern languages, including French, comprises a communicative approach to language teaching, which stresses that teaching should essentially be conducted in the TL. Nonetheless, previous research shows limited use of the TL within the Nordic L2 teaching context of modern languages.
In order to study teacher TL use and its influence on students’ interaction in the TL, the aim of this study is to examine the influence of teacher output on students’ interactive patterns in a French L2 class in a Swedish upper secondary school. We want to study the interactive sequences between the teacher and the students in the classroom and the role played by the TL, French, in this interaction. A second aim is to explore the participating students’ attitudes concerning oral communication as well as TL use in the classroom. To this end, we conducted classroom observations during two lessons followed by a questionnaire sent to the students. In order to find different interactional patterns between the teacher and the students, the amounts and types of turn-taking are counted for each of the activities during the two lessons. In addition, content analysis is used as a means to distinguish dominant patterns in the students’ responses to the questionnaire. Results show that the teacher’s input in French has a positive influence on the students’ use of the TL, with the students responding in French to a majority of the interactions initiated by the teacher in French. Regarding the students’ attitudes to oral communication in the classroom, the results show that the students’ find 1) the teachers use of the TL to have a positive influence on their own use of French and 2) that they generally receive a large exposure to the TL in class. When it comes to their own TL use, the majority of the students prefer speaking in groups, although the results show that the majority of the students’ French turn-taking takes place when interacting with the teacher. The study emphasizes the importance of using the TL in L2 teaching. To this end, the educational activities performed in class must be designed in order to enhance both teachers’ and students’ TL use.

Summary, in English

In order to acquire new languages, we need to be exposed to large amounts of target language (TL) input. However, studying French as a foreign language in Sweden includes few opportunities to encounter the language outside the classroom. This means that the teacher plays a decisive role as an input provider in the French L2 teaching setting. Moreover, the Swedish syllabus for modern languages, including French, comprises a communicative approach to language teaching, which stresses that teaching should essentially be conducted in the TL. Nonetheless, previous research shows limited use of the TL within the Nordic L2 teaching context of modern languages.
In order to study teacher TL use and its influence on students’ interaction in the TL, the aim of this study is to examine the influence of teacher output on students’ interactive patterns in a French L2 class in a Swedish upper secondary school. We want to study the interactive sequences between the teacher and the students in the classroom and the role played by the TL, French, in this interaction. A second aim is to explore the participating students’ attitudes concerning oral communication as well as TL use in the classroom. To this end, we conducted classroom observations during two lessons followed by a questionnaire sent to the students. In order to find different interactional patterns between the teacher and the students, the amounts and types of turn-taking are counted for each of the activities during the two lessons. In addition, content analysis is used as a means to distinguish dominant patterns in the students’ responses to the questionnaire. Results show that the teacher’s input in French has a positive influence on the students’ use of the TL, with the students responding in French to a majority of the interactions initiated by the teacher in French. Regarding the students’ attitudes to oral communication in the classroom, the results show that the students’ find 1) the teachers use of the TL to have a positive influence on their own use of French and 2) that they generally receive a large exposure to the TL in class. When it comes to their own TL use, the majority of the students prefer speaking in groups, although the results show that the majority of the students’ French turn-taking takes place when interacting with the teacher. The study emphasizes the importance of using the TL in L2 teaching. To this end, the educational activities performed in class must be designed in order to enhance both teachers’ and students’ TL use.

Department/s

Publishing year

2023

Language

French

Document type

Student publication for Master's degree (two years)

Topic

  • Languages and Literatures

Keywords

  • Input
  • French L2 teaching
  • interactional patterns
  • target language use

Supervisor

  • Malin Ågren