L'efficacité du programme de l'année à l'étranger pour les étudiants de français au Ghana: perspectives des professeurs et des étudiants

Abstract

The growing interest in learning French in Ghana has become markedly noticeable. This increase can be attributed to a strategic emphasis placed on French education by the Ghanaian government, driven by the country's close proximity to francophone neighbors like Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, and Togo. Additionally, in April 2019, the Ghanaian government announced plans to adopt French as one of the nation's official languages, further bolstering this initiative. This study investigates the effectiveness of a Year-Abroad program in enhancing French language proficiency among students at Ghanaian universities. With a focus on oral competence, the research assesses linguistic improvements by comparing students' proficiency levels before and after their participation, utilizing the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). The interest of this research lies in providing a comprehensive evaluation of the program's impact on students' academic and linguistic capabilities. Additionally, it collects evaluations from French professors to gauge the program’s effectiveness and explores the necessity of ongoing program evaluation to ensure continuous improvement. The findings aim to guide stakeholders, including educational institutions and the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, in refining the program to maximize benefits for students. This study not only influences educational policy and planning within Ghana but also offers insights for other English-speaking West African countries interested in similar language learning strategies. The ultimate goal is to determine the tangible benefits of immersive language experiences and to substantiate the allocation of resources towards such educational initiatives. Keywords: Year Abroad, French language proficiency, Language immersion, Linguistic skills, Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), French as a Foreign language (FLE).