The role of English, learning strategies and motivation as the second language in learning French

Abstract

The object of this paper is to find out answers to such questions as whether students who learn French as their third language (L-3) ever refer to English, which they learned earlier as the second language (L-2); whether they develop learning strategies for French and whether their learning motivation supports their motivation while learning their third language, French. In this context, a questionnaire was administrated to 100 students of Translation & Interpretation in French in Kirikkale University, 71 females and 29 males, who all started this program with at least one foreign language. In the study, the students have been grouped according to the average of the correct answers they gave in the English test in YDS exam (Central Foreign Language Exam for Language Programmes in Turkey). The study shows that there is a constant decrease in the average of the correct answers year by year, as a significant difference between the performances of the 1st-2nd year-students and 3rd-4th year-students in this English test has been found. The study demonstrates that the 3rd and 4th year students, who performed better in YDS, have benefited more from their English, which they learned as a second language while learning French as the third language. However, the study shows that there has'nt been found a significant difference at the developing of learning strategies and at the motivation levels.