Thesis Format

Monograph

Seniors, French, and Conversation Groups: An Investigation Into Seniors Who Pursue French As A Leisure Activity

Alan D. Russette, The University of Western OntarioFollow

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Education

Supervisor

Dr. Shelley Taylor

Abstract

The dissertation investigates the motivation to learn French as an additional language later in life and maintain and/or improve one’s proficiency in it through participation in an L2 conversation group in an Anglophone setting. The research study consisted of participation in and observation of weekly French language conversation groups over the course of a 12-month period, a multiple round qualitative interview approach involving twelve participants, and document analysis.

The research study investigates what experiences led these learners to pursue French as a minority language, and why they choose to maintain it though it is not necessary for their daily lives nor is it necessarily connected to their ethnic backgrounds. It also asks how participation in conversation groups contributes to the maintenance of French, and how maintaining it affects their lives. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a fusion of Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self System and Stebbins’ (2007) Serious Leisure Perspective. The participants were not consciously aware of why they connected to FML or why they chose to maintain it. However, themes connected to family, social interaction, and a sense of nostalgia emerged from the interviews as did simple enjoyment using the language. The hybrid Dörnyei-Stebbins framework provided guidance, focus, and clarity into why L2 learners may choose to pursue an L2 as a leisure activity and additionally explained why activities, like conversation groups, are important to the L2 learning experience. This formulation added additional layers of analysis that may have been overlooked if only using one framework.

Though not generalizable to all seniors, this study adds to the body of literature pertaining to lifelong learning.

Summary for Lay Audience

The dissertation investigates the motivations of seniors who chose to learn French as an additional language later in life and maintain and/or improve their proficiency through participation in one of two specific L2 conversation groups in an Anglophone setting. The research study consisted of participation in and observation of two discrete weekly French language conversation groups over the course of a 12-month period. One group was organized through an online social networking site while the second was organized and facilitated by a Francophone seniors’ services organization. In addition, data were collected via a multiple round qualitative interview approach and document analysis.

The research study investigates what experiences led these learners to pursue French as a minority language, and why they have chosen to maintain French when it is not necessary for their daily lives nor is it necessarily connected to their ethnic backgrounds. In addition, it asks how participation in conversation groups contributes to the maintenance of their French. Finally, the study asks how maintaining French has affected the participants’ lives.

Interview transcripts were analyzed using a fusion of Dörnyei’s (2005, 2009) L2 Motivational Self System and Stebbins’ (2007) Serious Leisure Perspective. The participants were not consciously aware of why they connected to French or why they chose to maintain it. However, themes connected to family, social interaction, and a sense of nostalgia emerged from the interviews. Some expressed a sense of loss of familial identity or guilt at not having learned the L2 earlier in life. Others had learned the L2 as a means of connecting with loved ones. Some just had fun learning and using the language.

Recommended Citation

Russette, Alan D., "Seniors, French, and Conversation Groups: An Investigation Into Seniors Who Pursue French As A Leisure Activity" (2020). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 7446.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/7446