Research Techniques

CHAPTER I

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

French has gained a space in many public schools in El Salvador as a foreign language; it is taught and learned along the teaching-learning process. The University of El Salvador has not been the exception; that is why, French I and II has been included in the curriculum of the major of Licenciatura en Idioma Ingles Opción Enseñanza as another foreign language to be taught. Fifth-year English students are immersed in the world of learning this new language. But lately, it has been observed that Fifth-year English students of the Western Multidisciplinary Campus of the University of El Salvador have shown to have deficiencies in the learning process of French I during the year 2012

1.2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM

By means of a preliminary interview, it was found out that six of the fifth-year English students of Licenciatura en Idioma Ingles Opcion: Enseñanza at the Western Multidisciplinary Campus consider the French subject to be the most difficult up to this level. Students in the current year expressed they were not able to succeed in learning the French language; as a result, some of them failed to manage the language and some others even flunked the subject itself. As beginners, students are not efficient enough to manage this new language. During an informal talk, students studying French II during semester II-2009 mentioned that they felt excited about learning a new language. Though, they do not have the same feeling anymore. Instead, students feel frustrated since this new language is not taught the same way English is. When students of Licenciatura en Idioma Ingles Opción Enseñanza are taught English, they go through a process of five stages: Intensive Basic English, Intensive Intermediate English I and II, and Advanced English I and II which are fulfilled in three years throughout the course of the major. On the contrary, French is taught in a shorter period of time, specifically in two terms of four months each. This makes the learning process so difficult for students because they are expected to master French in the same way they master English. As a matter of fact, students of French II expressed during informal talks that they have difficulties in the development of the four basic skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) However, they assured that they have more problems when taking dictation tests.

Besides, during preliminary observation it has been found out that one of the problems of deficiency on dictation tests is the short period of time they have to learn French. Students said during a preliminary interview (Appendix 1) that it is almost impossible for them to fully develop their writing skill in two terms. Besides, they do not apply an organized way to invest their time and do not practice good study habits because they are overloaded at this level with all the subjects they are taking besides French. It was possible to notice by means of the observation

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