In this analytical research paper, the notions of second language acquisition and group dynamics are discussed in order to assess whether the latter is lacking in today’s Swedish upper-secondary schools’ French classes. In its theoretical section, this paper focuses on the foreign language didactics taught to students of foreign language education programs in Sweden and, most particularly, on their approach to the advantages and the benefits of group work and group dynamics. The didactic models of Lundahl (2012) and Tornberg (2015) are presented as well as the notions of primary and secondary groups found in Thornberg’s (2006) work. In its analytical section, this paper presents a written interview, built on Lundahl and Skärvad’s (1999) model, which was sent to ten upper-secondary school French teachers. This paper then provides an analysis of their answers based on Georgi’s model, as presented by Dimenäs (2007), and compares the main points to the theory. It emerges from the teacher’s answers that they tend to prefer middle sized groups, as they believe them to be best suited for a good work atmosphere and quality group dynamics. However, and contrary to the working hypothesis of this paper, most of the teachers seem not to think that small groups are an issue. In fact, it appears from their answers that they prefer to work with smaller rather than larger groups, which they find difficult to maneuver.

La rencontre permanente des langues et des identités culturelles est une évolution incontournable qui fait suite à l’accroissement de la mobilité des populations au cours de ces dernières années. Elle entraîne une évolution de la composition des sociétés qui implique une éducation linguistique adaptée aux nouveaux besoins de communication plurielle des individus. Les alliances interlinguistiques et l’intercompréhension de plusieurs langues sont des stratégies favorisant le plurilinguisme et permettant de gérer les conflits éventuels dus aux chocs interculturels et interlinguistiques. Les compétences métacognitives transversales et les capacités intellectuelles polyvalentes que ces stratégies plurilingues développent semblent parfaitement adaptées aux besoins de notre société mondialisée qui demande des capacités de réflexion stratégique pour faciliter la résolution des problèmes interculturels. / The permanent contact between languages and cultural identities is an incontrovertible evolution that results from the last few years’ increase in the population mobility. It brings an evolution in the composition of societies that involves a linguistic education which is adapted in the people’s need for plural communication. Interlinguistic alliances and intercomprehension of several languages are strategies that promote pluringuism and permit to settle the disputes resulting from intercultural and interlinguistic shocks. Metacognitive transversal skills and the polyvalent intellectual abilities developed by these plurilingual strategies seem to be perfectly adapted in the needs of our globalized society which demands abilities of strategic reflection in order to facilitate solving intercultural problems.