Notre préoccupation centrale dans ce travail était d’étudier le développement de la compétence sociolinguistique d’apprenants de français en lien avec la sociabilité établie lors d’un séjour d’étude à l’étranger. Ce contexte est particulièrement propice à l'étude de la relation entre environnement langagier et acquisition. Le cadre social et langagier dans lequel les apprenants évoluent durant une année offre un terrain singulier où il est possible d'observer la sociabilité des apprenants et son évolution. Néanmoins, les études cherchant à déterminer les contacts sociaux et langagiers s’établissant dans ce contexte tout en les reliant aux acquisitions sont à l’heure actuelle peu nombreuses. Lors de notre étude longitudinale sur neuf mois, nous nous sommes intéressée aux usages sociolinguistiques et aux réseaux personnels de 29 étudiants de deux nationalités différentes : des apprenants chinois et américains. Notre analyse fait émerger des modes de socialisation distincts avec des différences nettes entre les deux nationalités de notre étude. Plus particulièrement, nous avons observé cinq types de réseaux personnels : des réseaux denses, étendus, concentrés, dissociés et éclectiques. Nous avons démontré que la structure et la composition des réseaux personnels pouvaient être mises en relation avec les modifications d’usage des apprenants au cours du séjour. Nous avons observé qu’une augmentation de l’interconnexion du réseau au fil du séjour ainsi qu’une évolution vers un plus grand nombre de personnes issues du même pays que les apprenants étaient liées à une évolution vers des usages standard du français. En revanche, plus les réseaux des apprenants se tournent vers des locuteurs francophones au cours du séjour, plus leurs usages des variantes standard du français diminuent. / Our major concern in this thesis was to study social networking among American and Chinese students during a study abroad and to relate the social networking patterns of participants to their sociolinguistic competence in French.Study abroad contexts seem at first glance particularly suitable to the acquisition of a second language given the social and linguistic context in which the learners evolve during a year abroad. Nevertheless, studies that seek to observe social and language contacts in this context, while relating them to acquisitions, are currently scarce. Moreover, when other researchers attempted to analyse the relation between social contacts during study abroad and acquisition, they carried out studies on a limited scale.In this nine-month longitudinal study, we focused on the use of two sociolinguistic variables in French and on the development of personal networks of 29 students of two different nationalities: Chinese and American learners. Our analysis reveals distinct patterns of socialization with clear differences between the two nationalities of our study. More specifically, we observed five types of personal networks: dense, extensive, concentrated, dissociated and eclectic networks. We have demonstrated that the structure and composition of personal networks can be related to changes in second language use of learners during the stay. On the one hand, we observed that an increase in network interconnection and in the number of network members of the same nationality was linked to an evolution towards standard use of French. On the other hand, the more learners' networks turn to francophone speakers during their stay, the more their use of standard French variants decrease.

From 2006-2008, both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia proposed changes to their French second language (FSL) policies and programs. In observing the cases, it becomes clear that government officials made use of policy instruments to both implement policy and navigated the policy process. This work builds off existing literature that seeks to understand the instrument selection process, as well as the impact of policy tools on the policy-making process and more specifically, on the actors involved directly and indirectly in it. Using a framework that incorporates components of Contextual Interaction Theory and elements of procedural policy instrument scholarship, the project endeavours to identify what instruments were used to develop and implement FSL policy in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as to comprehend why the tools were selected. The dissertation relies on document analysis and semi-structured interviews conducted with government officials and stakeholders to determine that instrument selection is based on the actors’ cognitions, motivations, and available/accessible resources. Furthermore, legitimacy plays an integral role in the selection of instruments. Government policymakers are faced with varying degrees of legitimacy, as expressed by actors indirectly involved in the policy process. Inevitably, these actors react to policy content and the policy process, which leads to sometimes contentious interactions. The current research expands on the educational policy literature by using a lens that accounts for the role of instruments in the policy process and provides a nuanced understanding of how the actors’ interactions shape and influence policy-making. It makes an original contribution to the policy instruments literature by developing a framework that accounts for the selection criteria used by both policymakers and stakeholders when choosing policy tools and resources. This dissertation contributes to the discipline of public administration and the field of public policy primarily by expounding the explanatory value of policy instruments regarding what they can tell us about the policy process, policy-making and policy outcomes. It does this by looking at how it is actors both directly and indirectly involved in the policy process interpret policy instruments and shows how government’s policy-making capacity is constrained not only by the resources available to it but by the resources accessible to actors indirectly involved in the policy process. Looking at the reciprocal nature of tool selection and tool implementation helps to explain policy-making and outcomes, as well as accounts for the roles of actors both proximately and peripherally involved in the process.

Second language (L2) decoding – the sub-lexical process of mapping the graphemes of an alphabetic writing system onto the phonemes they represent – is argued to underpin various aspects of L2 learning, particularly vocabulary acquisition. Recently, second language acquisition research has shown increased interest in decoding, consistently finding evidence for L1-to-L2 transfer effects on learners’ processing mechanisms and outcomes. Correspondingly, studies conducted in Modern Foreign Language (MFL) classrooms in English secondary schools – an under-researched context – have found that beginner learners of French tend to (a) pronounce L2 words according to English decoding conventions and (b) make poor progress in this aspect of L2 learning. Recent official guidance for MFL teachers has addressed this problem by advocating an explicit focus on decoding, but there is a lack of convincing evidence (both in the MFL context and more widely) that explicit L2 decoding instruction can be effective. The current study therefore trialled two programmes of French decoding instruction for beginner MFL learners, delivered in ten- to fifteen-minute segments over around thirty lessons. Three intact secondary school classes followed a phonics-based approach; three classes from another school followed a programme in which learners were encouraged to derive the pronunciations of French graphemes from ‘source words’ in a memorized poem; and six classes in two other schools received no explicit decoding instruction. Participants (N=186) completed pre- and post-tests of French decoding; a sub-sample (N=15) also completed task-based self-report interviews. The two intervention groups made significantly more progress than the comparison group in terms of the number of graphemes pronounced ‘acceptably’, although the magnitude of the difference between the groups was small. Compared to the comparison group, the two intervention groups also appeared to show different and more extensive patterns of change in their realizations of individual graphemes, even where their pronunciations were still not ‘acceptable’. Finally, self-report data generally revealed little change in participants’ strategic reasoning, either in the intervention or comparison group. Together, these findings suggest that explicit instruction can improve beginner learners’ proficiency in decoding L2 French, but that their progress may follow a longer and more complex trajectory than simply moving directly from ‘incorrect’ to ‘correct’ forms. Further research is required to assess the effects (if any) of a given improvement in decoding proficiency on other language-learning outcomes; and to design and evaluate alternative programmes of instruction.

This research explores the potential of image and visual literacy in the postsecondary second language classroom to contribute to learners’ motivation towards the acquisition of the second language. The pedagogical approach used in this project is based on the research on multiliteracy, and the learning model adopted is implied by the activity theory. The intervention took place over a period of six weeks, with 39 students registered in two different first year French courses at the University of Victoria, British Columbia. The research hypothesis was that analysis, interpretation and fabrication of images would engage and motivate the participants towards their second language acquisition (SLA). Data gathered from participants’ comments suggest that more than two thirds of them, that is to say 71%, have supported my hypothesis. A series of comparative analysis indicated that the research experience was more appreciated by the group Fren 195, probably because of specific expectations regarding the nature of their course. Another series of comparative analysis suggested that the sub-group immersion Fren 155 had least appreciated the research experience, due to the conventions on linguistic hybridity, creative process and choices. Finally, since the activity theory is comprised of an ensemble of interactive components, the research also investigated the impact of each component on the participants’ motivation towards SLA.

La présente recherche vise à décrire et comprendre l’enseignement de la distinction entre le passé composé et l’imparfait à partir des connaissances et conceptions des enseignants ainsi qu’à partir de leur matériel didactique. La distinction aspectuelle, plus précisément celle qui concerne le perfectif et l’imperfectif, est une difficulté qui concerne plusieurs langues. La recherche antérieure s’est beaucoup intéressée à cette question, permettant de comprendre les raisons de cette difficulté qui se fonde sur l’hypothèse de l’aspect. À partir de cette hypothèse, les difficultés concernant la distinction entre le passé composé et l’imparfait s’éclaircissent, permettant d’ajuster les explications et la transposition didactique. Or, la recherche antérieure considère que les manuels didactiques fournissent aux apprenants et aux enseignants des explications qui ne permettent pas une réelle compréhension de la distinction entre le passé composé et l’imparfait. La présente recherche cherche à vérifier ces hypothèses. À partir d’entrevues réalisées auprès de neuf enseignants de français langue seconde, les résultats montrent qu’effectivement, les enseignants s’inspirent des manuels didactiques pour expliquer et transposer la distinction entre le passé composé et l’imparfait. De plus, à partir du matériel didactique fourni par les mêmes enseignants, les résultats montrent que malgré une connaissance de la difficulté d’emploi du passé composé et de l’imparfait, les exercices ne sont pas adaptés aux difficultés des étudiants. Enfin, la présente recherche démontre la prédominance de l’intrant typique par rapport à l’intrant atypique. / Second language (L2) acquisition researchers report that acquiring the perfective-imperfective distinction poses significant challenges to L2 learners. Previous research has focused on identifying the causes of this problem as well as investigating the differential effects of teaching methods. This study uncovers teachers’s knowledge and comprehension of the distinction between passé composé and imparfait and analyzes the teaching material they use in their classrooms. The Aspect Hypothesis has already been identified as the principal cause of L2 learners’ reported difficulties. By analysing data obtained from teacher interviews and from their teaching materials, the present study sets out to address these hypotheses. Nine teachers of French as a second language participated in a semi-structured interview and discussed the teaching material they used to teach the passé composé and imparfait distinction. The obtained results show that teachers rely on textbooks to explain and teach the distinction between passé composé and imparfait. Although teachers were aware of the difficulties associated with the acquisition of the target forms, they used exercises that did not facilitate the learners’ task. In fact, the provided exercises barely focused on the meaning and use of the forms in question and heavily focused on their formal properties. An analysis of the input to which the learners were exposed indicates the predominance of typical input.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal.

La présente étude vise à identifier et classer les difficultés d’ordre grammatical rencontrées chez les immigrants adultes allophones dans l’apprentissage du français langue seconde. Nous avons d’une part analysé les examens finaux de 98 apprenants inscrits dans les cours de francisation à l’Université de Montréal afin de décrire leurs erreurs grammaticales fréquentes commises. Nous avons décrit les erreurs grammaticales fréquentes produites par les apprenants de chaque niveau de francisation d’une manière précise afin que les apprenants puissent bien éviter l’usage de formes erronées et bien développer des compétences linguistiques en français langue seconde. D’autre part, nous avons collecté les opinions personnelles de cinq professeurs principaux de francisation à l’égard de l’importance de l’enseignement de la grammaire dans les cours de langue seconde, du traitement des erreurs grammaticales, et de la persistance des erreurs à travers différents niveaux, etc. En précisant les points grammaticaux à apprendre de chaque niveau de francisation et en fusionnant les résultats des apprenants et des professeurs, nous pouvons offrir aux apprenants adultes allophones des tableaux simples des points grammaticaux et des erreurs grammaticales correspondantes de chaque niveau. Ces derniers pourraient les exploiter pour favoriser la maîtrise du français langue seconde ainsi leur intégration à la société québécoise. / The current research is to identify and classify grammatical difficulties facing by adult English speaking immigrants in their French as a second language (FSL) study. On one side, we have analyzed exams of 98 students from French learning course in Université de Montréal in order to describe their common grammar mistakes. We have described in detail common grammar mistakes produced by learners of each level of French learning course so that they can effectively prevent themselves from using common errors and develop language skill in studying FSL. On the other side, we have also collected personal opinions of five senior teachers of French as a second language course in terms of the importance of teaching grammar in FSL course, the treatment of grammar errors, and the persistence of errors throughout various level, etc. By specifying grammar points to study in each level of FSL course and merging the results of learners and teachers, we can provide adult English speaking learners simple tables of grammar points and grammar errors corresponding to each level. They could use them to improve their language skills and to better integrate themselves into Quebec society.

La coexistence des services de francisation au Québec pour les personnes immigrantes adultes a fait l'objet de divers enjeux liés notamment au passage des apprenants d'un lieu de formation à un autre (Québec, MICC, 2011a). Dans le but de répondre à ces enjeux et d’harmoniser l'offre de services gouvernementaux en matière de francisation des adultes, le ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC) a élaboré en collaboration avec le ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS), une innovation pédagogique, soit un référentiel commun québécois composé de deux instruments : l’Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes et le Programme-cadre de français pour les personnes immigrantes adultes au Québec. Le but de notre étude était de mieux comprendre l'implantation du référentiel commun québécois, de faire état des représentations du personnel enseignant en francisation vis-à-vis de cette innovation pédagogique et d’identifier les principaux facteurs qui structurent son implantation. Pour atteindre ces objectifs de recherche, nous avons mené une étude qualitative dans laquelle nous nous sommes appuyée sur le modèle d'implantation de Vince-Whitman (2009) qui identifie douze facteurs facilitant l’implantation d’une politique et d’une pratique. Nous avons accédé aux représentations de douze enseignantes et enseignants en francisation qui œuvrent au MICC et au MELS lors d’entretiens de groupe en leur permettant de s'exprimer sur leurs pratiques pédagogiques et sur leurs impressions du référentiel commun québécois. À l’aide du logiciel QSF NVivo 8, nous avons analysé le contenu des propos de nos participants de recherche. Nos résultats démontrent que le manque appréhendé de ressources – humaines, matérielles et financières, et un manque de temps, de formation et de collaboration professionnelle pourraient représenter des obstacles et nuire à une éventuelle implantation du référentiel commun québécois. À la lumière de ces résultats, nous proposons un cadre de référence composé de sept facteurs d’implantation d’une innovation pédagogique afin de mieux rendre compte d’une réalité spécifique et contemporaine, celle de l'implantation du référentiel commun québécois pour la francisation des immigrants adultes scolarisés. Les écrits scientifiques et nos résultats de recherche démontrent que de diverses formes de soutien, principalement du matériel pédagogique approprié et suffisant, peuvent constituer un facteur-clé dans la réussite de l’implantation d’une innovation pédagogique. / The existence of multiple French second language services in Quebec for adult immigrants has proved to be problematic, especially when students transfer from one institution to another (Québec, MICC, 2011a). In response to this and other similar issues and in order to harmonize government French second language services, the ministère de l'Immigration et des Communautés culturelles (MICC) developed, in collaboration with the ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport (MELS) a pedagogical innovation composed of two tools: the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes and the Programme-cadre de français pour les personnes immigrantes adultes au Québec. This common framework of reference for language is used to describe the achievements of adult immigrant learners in Quebec. This study focuses on the implementation of a pedagogical innovation, in order to gain a greater understanding of the implementation of the Quebec framework of reference, present teacher representations regarding this pedagogical innovation, and identify the key factors that structure its implementation. This qualitative study adopted an implementation model by Vince-Whitman (2009) who identifies twelve implementation factors of a policy and its practice. Our study used as its data collection method group interviews of a total of twelve French second language teachers from the MICC and the MELS. The interviews aimed to collect the comments of these teachers regarding their pedagogical practices and their impressions of the Quebec framework of reference. The software QSF NVivo 8 was used to analyze the content of our participants’ words. Key findings of the study indicate that implementation is challenging due to a number of obstacles, such as the lack of teaching material, human and financial resources, as well as a lack of time, professional training and professional collaborations. In light of these results, we developed a model framework based on seven factors of implementation of a pedagogical innovation in order to account for a specific and contemporary phenomenon, that of the implementation of the Quebec framework of reference for French second language education of adult immigrants. Various studies coupled with our results demonstrate that different types of support, such as appropriate and sufficient pedagogical material, are key elements to consider in ensuring successful implementation of a pedagogical innovation.

La présente étude vise à identifier et classer les difficultés d’ordre grammatical rencontrées chez les immigrants adultes allophones dans l’apprentissage du français langue seconde. Nous avons d’une part analysé les examens finaux de 98 apprenants inscrits dans les cours de francisation à l’Université de Montréal afin de décrire leurs erreurs grammaticales fréquentes commises. Nous avons décrit les erreurs grammaticales fréquentes produites par les apprenants de chaque niveau de francisation d’une manière précise afin que les apprenants puissent bien éviter l’usage de formes erronées et bien développer des compétences linguistiques en français langue seconde. D’autre part, nous avons collecté les opinions personnelles de cinq professeurs principaux de francisation à l’égard de l’importance de l’enseignement de la grammaire dans les cours de langue seconde, du traitement des erreurs grammaticales, et de la persistance des erreurs à travers différents niveaux, etc. En précisant les points grammaticaux à apprendre de chaque niveau de francisation et en fusionnant les résultats des apprenants et des professeurs, nous pouvons offrir aux apprenants adultes allophones des tableaux simples des points grammaticaux et des erreurs grammaticales correspondantes de chaque niveau. Ces derniers pourraient les exploiter pour favoriser la maîtrise du français langue seconde ainsi leur intégration à la société québécoise. / The current research is to identify and classify grammatical difficulties facing by adult English speaking immigrants in their French as a second language (FSL) study. On one side, we have analyzed exams of 98 students from French learning course in Université de Montréal in order to describe their common grammar mistakes. We have described in detail common grammar mistakes produced by learners of each level of French learning course so that they can effectively prevent themselves from using common errors and develop language skill in studying FSL. On the other side, we have also collected personal opinions of five senior teachers of French as a second language course in terms of the importance of teaching grammar in FSL course, the treatment of grammar errors, and the persistence of errors throughout various level, etc. By specifying grammar points to study in each level of FSL course and merging the results of learners and teachers, we can provide adult English speaking learners simple tables of grammar points and grammar errors corresponding to each level. They could use them to improve their language skills and to better integrate themselves into Quebec society.

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal