Emploi Des Morphogrammes en Francais Langue Entrangere. Le Cas des Apprenants D'Achimota Shs, de Presec-Legon et D'Áccra Girls SHS

Abstract

The purpose of this study has been to provide information on the correct use of morphograms by learners of French in some selected schools in the Accra Metropolis. The problem for investigation is to state to what extent lack of knowledge of the correct use of morphograms has impeded the written production of learners of French and the impact on their use of French in communication as a whole. The study was conducted in three schools namely: Achimota SHS, PRESEC- Legon and Accra Girls SHS with total number of 75students (38 boys and 37 girls) and 14 teachers. Data was collected, mainly, through written productions, thus, dictation and composition administered to learners coupled with interview and questionnaire administered to teachers. The data collected was analyzed and the major findings of the study were that learners, mostly, had difficulty in writing French morphogram based words. Thus, they either omitted or confused derivatives and flexions, or use them wrongly thereby compromising their written production and communication in French as a whole. As a result, their overall competency in the use of the French language was highly impeded. The causes of these difficulties in the correct use of morphograms was diagnosed to be closely related to the difficult nature of the French language, linguistic transfer coupled with the lack of effective and appropriate teaching techniques on the part of French teachers and the absence of orthographic works in our teaching programmes. Having diagnosed and found out the causes of students inability to correctly use morphograms, the study did not only recommend, among others that orthographic works be incorporated in the teaching syllabus but it also prescribed some teaching techniques of morphograms that if adopted could help rectify the poor use of morphograms. These include using the inductive approach in teaching agreement “accord” of all kinds in French, in the case derivational words, the teacher is expected to let students see all the various forms of the word in their pragmatic context. Thus, letting students see the word in question in its nominal form, its adjectival form, its verbal form and its other forms if possible. This would help students identify and understand the word in its entirety and hence use the correct form as and when necessary.