Stratégies d’apprentissage et auto-efficacité dans l’enseignement-apprentissage du français langue étrangère : le cas de l’université du Witwatersrand

Abstract

Most university students of French as a foreign language do not continue their studies after the first year. The aim of the current study was to find the causes of this phenomenon; with the recognition that language learning strategies and self-efficacy beliefs are key factors in autonomous, engaged, and active learning. A mixed-methods study was conducted in 2022 with students and lecturers in the French department at the University of the Witwatersrand. This study included questionnaires and interviews to evaluate the students’ use of language learning strategies and levels of self-efficacy beliefs, their motivations to continue their French studies, and their level of active engagement in their French courses. The results of this study showed that while both strategies and self-efficacy beliefs are important factors in the French learning journey at university, autonomous engagement and the intention to continue their French studies are in reality driven by students’ intrinsic motivation.