Integration of Culture in the Teaching of French as a Foreign Language at the University Level in Uganda

Abstract

The current study explored how culture teaching/learning is integrated in the teaching/learning of French as a foreign language at Makerere University in Uganda. This descriptive-exploratory study was conducted with twenty one students learning French at the advanced level and their four lecturers through purposive sampling. The researcher collected data by means of an open-ended questionnaire, focus-group discussion and interview. The questionnaire and focus-group discussion were used with the students and the interview was used with the lecturers. The results showed that language and culture are closely linked together so culture cannot be taught separately from language. The study also found that the Internet, prescribed texts and authentic documents constitute the main sources of culture teaching materials. The study suggests that the teaching of the French language enables the students to appreciate the French and francophone culture/s as well as the differences existing between the French/francophone culture/s and their own.