Acquisition of vocabulary in a foreign language classroom: the case of FFL in the minor of French at Qatar University

Abstract

The objective of this research is to highlight the importance of vocabulary acquisition and lexical competence in the development of communicative competence among foreign language learners (FL). To achieve this goal, we have discussed the place occupied by vocabulary in the different methodologies of teaching / learning foreign languages, and we have defined the concept of lexicon and that of vocabulary. We have insisted on lexical competence and the different knowledge associated with it. We then identified our research context and analyzed certain difficulties encountered by our students in acquiring vocabulary in French as a Foreign Language (FFL). We ended up offering a number of activities to develop vocabulary acquisition in FFL classes. This research has therefore allowed us to observe that the acquisition of vocabulary remains a difficult task, especially in exolingual situations where FL is not used outside the classroom.