Abstract:
Online distance French language learning via Zoom has become essential in
the present day. The research focuses on how French language learning can
be improved when teaching via Zoom. Accordingly, this research aims to
identify the main challenges that students face when learning via Zoom and
find out strategies to improve French language learning. The study was
carried out with twenty Sri Lankan students from the pre-intermediate level
classes at the French language institute of Alliance Française de Kotte. The
data were collected from a questionnaire given at the end of the first term and
an interview conducted at the end of the second term. The method used was
qualitative research, where the data were analyzed thematically. The study's
findings indicated that even though students consider learning via Zoom is
efficient in terms of time and the current situation of the world, students face
several challenges, such as a lack of improvement in speaking and writing
skills. It is found out that these challenges can be overcome by blending with
classroom-based approaches. Feedback loops, fly swatter game and screen
sharing of the students to improve writing and live discussions, use of break
out room, polling feature and online learning platform ‘Apolearn’ for
vocabulary and to improve speaking skills are found to be effective. When
the world is trying to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, the study would
be significant in introducing strategies to teach the French language via Zoom
effectively.
