Assessing Spoken English Performance and Self-Efficacy Beliefs in the Classroom: Some Considerations on the Value of an Interdisciplinary Embodied Methodology for French Learners of English
Résumé
The present paper was triggered by a twofold line of thought. The initial perspective draws on the authors’ teaching experience, both at university and secondary levels, and therefore falls within the scope of applied and situated research. The second perspective stems from cognitive (embodied) theoretical traditions in linguistics and psychology. We first provide the theoretical context
and goals of the study that motivated the research project. We then present the PICL! project (Phonologie Incarnée de l’anglais au Collège Labitrie!), an ongoing longitudinal investigation in a French secondary school, from its collaborative roots to its implementation (first and second years of our study, 2019-2021). We examine some salient interdisciplinary outcomes within PICL!, from the conception of educational modules to the measurement of the learners’ production and perception in English phonology. Finally, we discuss some transitional results of this four-year longitudinal study, specifically in terms of the assessment of self-efficacy, motivation and phonetic performance of learners.