R. Sanaoui et S. Lapkin, A CASE-STUDY OF AN FSL SENIOR SECONDARY COURSE INTEGRATING COMPUTER NETWORKING, Canadian modern language review, 48(3), 1992, pp. 525-552
Considerable empirical research has suggested that students learning a
second language (L2) in classroom settings need more opportunities th
an they usually receive for extended spoken and written interactions w
ith native speakers of the target language; otherwise their L2 develop
ment may reach, and not move beyond, a certain "plateau" level of prof
iciency. The present paper describes a research project which attempte
d to address this curriculum problem through innovative uses of comput
er networking to link a small number of grade 12, Anglophone students
of French in Toronto with native French- speaking peers at a school in
Montreal. The focus of the course was on the development of French wr
iting skills using topics of cultural relevance and interest to the pa
rticipating students.