A Critical Examination of the Beliefs about Learning a Foreign Language at Primary School

Kook Yeong

Kook Yeong says that he started to Ieam French at school in Africa with a
French teacher. He says he also had a French friend and he learned French at
home with a French tutor every day. He thinks he is quite good at French and
he thinks that it is fun especially 'learning how to say the words in French that
you don't know'. Surprisingly K∞k Yeong also answers with a clear 'no' when
asked if he liked speaking French and says that he does not like speaking
French because 'it's a little bit embarrassing'. He says he much prefers reading,
writing, listening to tapes and 'playing time'. However, if the teacher asks him a
question Kook Yeong feels he 'has to go for this answer to get top mark'. He
says he puts his hand up when he is sure about an answer but 'when I don't
know what she's talking about I feel that Γm going to get it wrong so I just really
don't put my hand up'. He says he is happy with French and he wants to carry
on with it. He also says that he and his brother see a French tutor every
Thursday.

Sapna

Sapna says she likes learning how to speak French and 'learning all types of
drinks and food and names and things like that'. She says she likes speaking,
listening, reading and writing and it is all good fun. She says she finds French
sometimes easy, like saying her name, her age or something about herself but
saying some of the words she finds a bit difficult. She does not mind speaking
up in class or making a mistake because 'it's my first go, Γm trying to do
something’. Sapna says she thinks she is 'a little' good at French because she

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