A qualitative analysis of perceptions of fluency in second language French

Yvonne Préfontaine · Judit Kormos

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EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning Phonetics and Phonology Research French Language Learning Methods

Abstract

Abstract In the field of second language (L2) fluency, there is a common adherence to quantitative methods to examine characteristics and features of speech. This study extends the field by reporting on an investigation that analyzed native-speaker listeners’ perceptions of L2 fluency in French from a qualitative perspective. Three untrained judges rated students’ performance on speech tasks varying in cognitive demand and provided justifications for their perceptions of fluency. The goal of the research was to examine the factors that affect raters’ evaluations of fluency in response to three oral performances from 40 adult learners of French of varying proficiency. Qualitative analysis revealed that the main speech features that influenced native listeners’ perceptions of L2 fluency were speed, rhythm, pause phenomena, self-correction and efficiency/effortlessness in word choice, but also in target-like rhythm and prosody. The results of using such qualitative methodology highlights the important role that rhythm plays in fluency judgements in syllable-timed languages such as French, a factor which has not always been given much prominence in previous L2 fluency quantitative research.

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References

2002Using uh and um in spontaneous speaking 1990Investigating Fluency in EFL: A Quantitative Approach*2014Two puzzles for linguistic theory: nativelike selection and nativelike fluency 2004Exploring measures and perceptions of fluency in the speech of second language learners 1995On the Teachability of Communication Strategies 2004CONTEXT OF LEARNING AND SECOND LANGUAGE FLUENCY IN FRENCH: Comparing Regular Classroom, Study Abroad, and Intensive Domestic Immersion Programs 1996The Development of Fluency in Advanced Learners of French 1992Psychological Mechanisms Underlying Second Language Fluency

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2020Computer-assisted assessment of phonetic fluency in a second language: a longitudinal study of Japanese learners of French 2021The effects of task types on L2 oral production and learner engagement 2020Making fluency research accessible to second language teachers: The impact of a training intervention

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