Learning French in China : a study of a self-directed mobile-assisted learner’s experience

Abstract

 This diary study explores the author’s three-month self-directed mobile-assisted French learning experience in China based on her learner diary. The study addresses a research gap in self-directed mobile-assisted French learning in China and language learning strategy use in the context of self-directed mobile-assisted language learning. It aims at identifying the language learning strategies the author used, the difficulties she encountered, and her learning progress throughout the experience. The results show that she employed language learning metastrategies and strategies in five domains: in the cognitive domain to process language information; in the motivational domain to regulate motivation; in the affective domain to regulate emotions; in the social domain to interact with others and with social contexts; and in the technological domain to use mobile devices and applications. She encountered eight difficulties related to: understanding authentic videos (listening), a lack of opportunities for synchronous oral conversations (speaking), understanding some French messages sent by native French speakers (reading), clearly expressing her thoughts (writing), memorisation of unfamiliar words in Memorising Words in French (vocabulary), the distraction caused by playing games in French (vocabulary), understanding or memorising complex grammar rules (grammar), and obtaining useful feedback on her pronunciation from others (phonetics). The study also identifies her perceived learning progress in French vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, and cultural knowledge.