Developing the teaching of reading in modern foreign languages: can instruction in phonics and reading strategies improve students’ progress and motivation in Key Stage 3?

Foreign Language Education: Unlocking Reading ('FLEUR'): an evaluation of two approaches to teaching French reading to beginner learners in Modern Foreign Languages classrooms

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN11400585

Enrollment

1080

Registered

2017-03-07

Start date

2016-10-12

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2021-07-12

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Foreign language reading Not Applicable Foreign language reading

Interventions

French classes at the 36 participating schools are randomly allocated to one of three groups using a minimization procedure (using the free software MinimPy: https://sourceforge.net/projects/minimpy/)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Year 7 student (aged 11-12) 2. Learning French 3. In a State school 4. Who gives voluntary informed assent and parental consent 5. Whose teacher has volunteered to participate in the project

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Native speaker of French 2. Those from a French-speaking family

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
There are three main points of data collection: time 1 = November / December 2016; time 2 = June / July 2017; time 3 (delayed post-test) = November / December 2017. At each time point the outcome variable are as follows: 1. French reading comprehension is measured by two translation tasks and two additional texts with reading comprehension questions 2. French phonological decoding is measured using a pen-and-paper test developed by the researchers 3. French vocabulary knowledge is measured using a version of the widely-used X_Lex self-report instrument 4. Strategic reading behaviour - measured by a strategy self-report checklist (together with think-aloud interviews with a sub-sample of students) 5. Self-efficacy for French reading is measured using a self-report questionnaire	—

Measure

Time frame

There are three main points of data collection: time 1 = November / December 2016; time 2 = June / July 2017; time 3 (delayed post-test) = November / December 2017. At each time point the outcome variable are as follows: 1. French reading comprehension is measured by two translation tasks and two additional texts with reading comprehension questions 2. French phonological decoding is measured using a pen-and-paper test developed by the researchers 3. French vocabulary knowledge is measured using a version of the widely-used X_Lex self-report instrument 4. Strategic reading behaviour - measured by a strategy self-report checklist (together with think-aloud interviews with a sub-sample of students) 5. Self-efficacy for French reading is measured using a self-report questionnaire

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Secondary

Measure	Time frame
1. Teachers' and students' perceptions of the programme of instruction they have followed are assessed using questionnaires designed for the purpose of this study and interviews at time 2 (Nov/Dec 2017) 2. Teachers' perceptions of their engagement in the research study and the relationship between research and classroom practice are assessed using questionnaires designed for the purpose of this study and interviews at time 2 (Nov/Dec 2017)	—

Measure

Time frame

1. Teachers' and students' perceptions of the programme of instruction they have followed are assessed using questionnaires designed for the purpose of this study and interviews at time 2 (Nov/Dec 2017) 2. Teachers' perceptions of their engagement in the research study and the relationship between research and classroom practice are assessed using questionnaires designed for the purpose of this study and interviews at time 2 (Nov/Dec 2017)

—

Countries

United Kingdom

Contacts

Public ContactClare Savory

clare.savory@mod-langs.ox.ac.uk+44 (0)1865 274024

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026