Vocabulary acquisition during intensive French language learning: the effect of a residential course foe middle school pupils

Abstract

The present thesis investigates the evidence for vocabulary development during a period of intensive language work. The research involves a target group of 15 12 year old pupils with 3 .5 years of foreign language learning who participate in a week's intensive French work at an outdoor centre in the Lake District. During the intensive language work, pupils find themselves in a situation where they need to communicate and to make themselves understood in the foreign language. In order to find evidence of vocabulary development a series of tests was drawn up to investigate the pupils' vocabulary knowledge prior to the intensive period, immediately following the experience and some four months later. The treatment procedure consisted of a Spoken Vocabulary Test to measure productive vocabulary and a Yes/No Test for receptive vocabulary. It proved possible to identify different categories of vocabulary knowledge for each pupil prior to the intensive period and then to monitor the changes which took place as a result of the experience. The thesis will present the data produced by the treatment procedures and the conclusions drawn from this evidence which establishes that the vocabulary knowledge of the pupils develops following the intensive period. The thesis will also examine the evidence provided by the data for the status of words which are acquired by pupils during the course of the intensive work, whether they are unknown prior to this period or whether they are words familiar from classroom learning but have not previously been fully activated.