FACULTE DES LETTRES ET SCIENCES HUMAINES DEPARTEMENT DES LETTRES ET CIVILISATION ANGLAISES
Thèse présentée et soutenue pour l’obtention du Diplôme de Docteur en Lettres et Civilisation Anglaises
Orientation: Linguistique Appliquée
Promoteur : Dr. Frank M. BUHENDWA
Par
BANYONGI MANYOLE Odida
Année 2022
ABSTRACT
This thesis is about English materials and language performance in an EFL context. lt is intended to find out students’ actual language performance based on material-boundedness, which has been theorized from the spine of English materials and learner types consisting of various types of learners in terms of materials use, plus the freshly found learner type. All the learner types have been categorized into two groups: material-bound students and material-free students.
The problem has arisen from an indirect or a direct ban on the sale of teachermade materials by many Congolese decision-makers and academic authorities while teachers are claiming that printed materials remain valuable tools in the teaching of second language (L2) and/or foreign language (FL). It has created a real confusion in the mind of the students and their parents. Consequently, students’ English learning process has been put into doubt whereas English language is outstandingly and most importantly gaining ground worldwide by bearing a unique status as compared to other languages.
The mixed method research design has been usedfor data collection, processing and analysis. It has been applied sequentially ranging from qualitative paradigm to quantitative one for a large population (N=33,498 students) whose sample (n=378 students) was stratified and selected proportionally. The data collected were processed and analyzed tech assisted by using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software to generate statistics, tables, charts and graphie representations.
The results presented subsequent to the triangulation of bath qualitative and quantitative findings straightforwardly show that not only students have a positive attitude about learning English with materials (83. 5% against 13. 3%) but also come up with better language performance when they do it with English materials (whose p-value is O. 000, typically considered to be statistically significant). The English materials impact the most on the DRC English teaching/ learning context. Given the low level of English exposure in DRC, the English material is really helpful and qualifies as a necessary, important and relevant tool for Congolese English learners. Jt allows the students to have well organized course notes that they can shuffle, read, review and check ail the time. With the English material, the students are more likely to be exposed to the language they don’t have more chance to hear in their habitual environment which is not an English-speaking one.
The decision-makers, academic authorities and other stakeholders should be aware of the sociolinguistic status of English language and the edge it is taking nowadays in the country as well as in the world in order to promote English materials which can help Congolese students perform better and be at the same level as other learners on international grounds.