Progress in learning French vocabulary in a one-year advanced course at school

This article reports on vocabulary learning in French during Year 12 by 150 Pupils in 15 English comprehensive schools. Vocabulary progress over two school terms was investigated in the context of learner strategy training that targeted listening and writing. This intervention was carried Out in eleven schools and results compared with a comparison group of four schools. Recognition vocabulary and writing vocabulary measures taken during the Students' course are compared with listening and writing scores, and examination results. Results suggest that interventions which target listening and writing skills do not lead to significant gains ill vocabulary through incidental learning and the deployment of vocabulary in writing tasks. However, it also appears that extra time and effort devoted to developing listening and writing is not at the expense of vocabulary learning.