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French vocabulary breadth among learners in the British school and university system: comparing knowledge over time

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 November 2008

JAMES MILTON
JAMES MILTON*
Affiliation:
Swansea University
*
Address for correspondence: James Milton, School of Arts, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, Wales, UK e-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

This paper investigates the scale of vocabulary learning that appears to be common among British foreign language learners of French up to university graduation. These results are compared with historical data and the knowledge learners possessed in previous generations. This is done by comparing current students' vocabulary knowledge with students who studied more than 20 years ago. These comparisons provide very powerful evidence in support of claims made to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority of a progressive decline in the knowledge of learners and the standard of school examinations over a period of decades.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of French Language Studies , Volume 18 , Special Issue 3: Knowledge and use of the lexicon in French as a second language , November 2008 , pp. 333 - 348
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

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