Perceived Problems Associated with French Language Learning Among Secondary School Student in Nigeria

Learning a new language comes with its own set of problems. Even the brightest of students can find the new language to be difficult and hard to understand. This study adopted descriptive survey design in studying the problems associated with French language learning among secondary school students. Three hundred and fourteen (314) students were randomly selected and agreed to participate in this study. These students were made up of 146 males and 168 females. Their ages range from 12-17years with mean of 14.24 and standard deviation of 6.18. Two hundred and eighteen (218) were in junior secondary Ill while ninety six (96) were in senior secondary school. All of them had French as one of their subjects in school. The respondents indicated six problems associated with French language acquisitio

L’ACQUISITION DU VOCABULAIRE DU FRANÇAIS LANGUE ÉTRANGÈRE DANS LES UNIVERSITÉS NIGÉRIANES

Vocabulary acquisition and use are major aspects of foreign language learning. The growth of a learner’s vocabulary depends on his/her ability to acquire new words and phrases. The size of a lexical repertoire thus varies from one individual to another. This study, therefore, examined strategies of vocabulary acquisition among undergraduates learning French as a foreign language in Nigerian universities. A survey descriptive design was adopted for this study. The sample size is made up of 239 students and 25 lecturers randomly selected from a sample frame obtained from the French Language Village, an inter-university centre at Badagry, Lagos State and some universities in Nigeria. Three instruments were used in data collection: Vocabulary Acquisition Strategies Rating Scales (VASRS), Cloze test (vocabulary test) and an interview guide. Items on VASRS were based on Gu and Johnson’s (2003) strategies. Cloze test was used to measure learners’ knowledge of words in different contexts. Four research questions were raised and answered. The findings revealed that six strategies are adopted by learners in acquiring French vocabulary in Nigerian universities. Learners use two or more strategies at the same time. The inferencing/guessing strategies were used by 94.2% of the informants, note-taking strategies by 72.9%, dictionary strategies by 68.4%, activation strategies by 65.8%, retrieval/rehearsal strategies by 64.9% and encoding strategies by 55.6% of the informants. The findings equally revealed that teachers’ attitude and rewards in the form of praise, etc motivate students to acquire French language vocabulary. Among the factors facilitating the acquisition of French vocabulary by students were teachers’ prior knowledge of students’ level of vocabulary before teaching, which was reported by 244 (98.78%) of the informants, keeping glossaries/lists of words indicated by 236 (95.54%) of the participants. 212 (85.82%) informants indicated the ability of the students to discuss vocabulary acquisition outside classroom activities. 208 (84.21%) of the participants cited ability of students to guess the meaning of French vocabulary as a factor facilitating vocabulary acquisition. Students’ drive to communicate in French was indicated by 216 (87.45%) as a factor that facilitates acquisition of French vocabulary; other factors identified were willingness to make mistakes indicated by 188 (76.11%) and using any opportunity to acquire vocabulary indicated by 168 (68.02%). The findings revealed a significant difference between students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the problems students confront in the acquisition of French vocabulary in Nigerian universities. While students cited the learning of grammar and lack of French speakers on campus as well as in the community at large with whom to communicate as problems, lecturers cited crowded timetable and the scarcity of opportunities for students to interact with other French speakers outside the classroom. It was concluded that supporting students in their attempt to acquire French vocabulary should be an important instructional goal throughout the curriculum. It was recommended among others that immersion of students should be done in either French-speaking countries in Africa or in France supplemented by frequent visits/excursions and other short programmes. The government, it is suggested, should also be responsible for part of the expense

Effects of Print Access and Print Exposure on French Vocabulary Acquisition by Secondary School Students

A number of studies have shown that second and foreign language learners acquire vocabulary th rough reading, but only relatively small amounts. However, most of these studies used on1y short texts, and measured only the acquisition of meaning, and did not credit partial learning of words. This study investigates whether an extensive reading program can enhance lexical knowledge In t his descriptive study, a survey of 133 students from selected secondary schools was carried out. The find ings revealed that there was a positive relationship between number of books, print access, minutes engaged in reading per day by students and vocabulary acquisition. It was recommended that in spite of the present scarcity of French books, French teachers can make do with what is available and still achieve positive results. There could also be an aggressive recruitment of French teachers for the Senior Secondary School level to join the few ones on the jpb. The Government should also evolve a policy of book~writing through the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC). Books should also be produced cheaply. French should be given greater attent ion by the Government, while departments of French should constantly engage in sensitization programmes. Also, parents should give their children adequate encouragement to study Frenc

A mítosz mint ősi és közös nyelv

Néhány mítoszértelmezés tárgyalása után a tanulmány a mítosz irodalmi művekben való megjelenésének bizonyos elveivel foglalkozik. A mítosz valódi tartalma különböző megközelítésekben jelenhet meg egyegy művész szándékának, illetve értelmezésének megfelelően. Az allegorikus interpretációk rövid áttekintése után két mítosz (Orpheus-Eurydiké, világkorszakok) néhány változatának taglalása következik. A Vergilius műveiben szereplő aranykormítosz kapcsán az a kérdés áll a középpontban, hogy Vergilius vajon új mítoszt teremtett, vagy újraformálta a mítoszt. Ennek értelmezésében az orosz formalisták sujet és fable közti megkülönböztetése nyújt segítséget. Arra a kérdésre, hogy a mítosz művészi megjelenési formája kifejezhető-e szavakkal, Rilke és Hölderlin szavait idézve keres választ az írás

Le Locuteur Haoussa Et L'Acquisition De La Structure Des Subordonnees Francaises

La langue franr;aise a deja rer;u beaucoup d'attention du point de vue des recherches linguistiques. Mais le haoussa, langue dominante de communication au nord du Nigeria a encore un bout de chemin a faire. On est alors appele a affronter un tel travail. Cette etude tente de faire Ia lumiere sur les difficultes que rencontre le haoussaphone francisant dans /'acquisition de Ia structure des subordonnees franr;aises. D 'oit proviennent ces difficultes et comment les resoudre

A Comprehensive Analysis of Perceptions of Teachers on Challenges of Teaching Translation at Nigerian Universties

The aim of translation teaching is for students to acquire comprehensive abilities in a foreign language and the mother tongue/first language (including listening, speaking, reading and writing) and even a comprehensive understanding. It equips students not only with practical bilingual ability, but also to encourage the attitudes that will allow them to do the best possible translation work after graduation. In this descriptive study, a survey of25 translation teachers from four selected universities in South West Nigeria was carried out with 10 males and 15 females. Their ages range from 24 - 48 years with mean of36 years and standard deviation of 2.18. Four research questions were raised and answered. The findings revealed that the challenges facing translation teaching include linguistic and cultural untranslatability in the source language, contextualized intuition, knowledge, skills, training, cultural background, expertise, as well as the mood of teachers and students. The level of linguistic competence and relationship between previous knowledge and new knowledge of learners are often mitigating or promoting translation teaching. It was recommended that teachers must have a sound linguistic knowledge of both the Source Language (SL) and the Target Language (TL).lt was concluded that neither knowing languages nor being efficiently bilingual is enough to become a translator but students should have access to appropriate tools and strategies to the teaching of translation

Identification of molecular markers for an efficient leaf rust resistance gene (Lr29) in wheat

The aim of this study was to find molecular markers (RAPD and SCAR) for the wheat leaf rust resistance gene Lr29. Among 81 RAPD primers tested, only one (OPYIO) detected an additional band in the resistant NIL of Lr29. The genetic linkage of this molecular marker to Lr29 was tested on a segregating F2 population derived from a cross between the leaf rust resistant line and the susceptible parent GK Délibáb. This marker was closely linked to the Lr29 gene. The polymorphic band was cloned and sequenced. Specific primers (SCAR) were synthesized and after amplification only resistant lines showed an amplified product. A second SCAR primer for another Lr29 RAPD fragment (UBC219, Procunier et al., 1995) was also designed and tested