Research on reading awareness in French L2 learners

Abstract

The study compares the way in which French L2 learners and English L1 learners establish the coherence of a specific text. The aim of the investigation is to explore the extent of LA awareness in French L2 learners and to examine the factors which enter into their recognition of meaning and their understanding of a written communication. Questionnaires were designed in order to establish the contextual factors which contribute to the learners’ choice of texts and the strategies adopted to solve their linguistic difficulties, as well as the learners’ degree of reading interest and the way in which they conduct such reading. The results indicate that when L2 learners approach a text, criteria of familiarity, expectation of meaning, and the teaching context are important factors. The results also confirm that the more awareness of the codes and structures of the L2 language the learners have, the more able they are to make enlightened choices to read efficiently. At a more practical level, the results of the investigation provide evidence that a critical reading strategy in L2 teaching can help learners to enhance their understanding of the coherence of a text.