Paradigmatic options for the teaching/learning of speaking comprehension and production in french for international relations and diplomacy

Abstract

The aim of this study is to find out whether or not the action paradigm enables the teaching/learning of speaking comprehension and production in a context of French for International Relations and Diplomacy. Within this scope, on the one hand, we confronted the theories at stake (communication paradigm and action paradigm), and, on the other hand, we developed French for International Relations and Diplomacy Programs, the first being a communicative paradigm and the second an action paradigm, respectively. Likewise, two distinct questionnaires were built for a corpus of sixty individuals. Thus, we conducted Pre-tests for the communication approach and the action approach. Post-tests were conducted after providing training in communication or action according to the cases. The results were as follows: the action paradigm enables the teaching of speaking comprehension, since Pre and Post-tests recorded a progression at the order of 6.6% (93.4% to 100%) against a regression of 23.3% (96.7% to 73.4%) for the communication paradigm in this skill. With regard to speaking production, pre- and post- action paradigm tests recorded a progression at the order of 3% (93.7 % to 96.7%) against 6.7 % (90.1% to 96.7%) for the communication paradigm. These results show that the action paradigm enables the learning of comprehension and production of speaking for specific purposes.