The Department of French proudly congratulates Mensimah E. Appiah-Thompson (also known as Mensimah Thompson-Kwaffo) on the successful defense of her doctoral thesis. Mensimah Thompson-Kwaffo is a lecturer and researcher at the Department of Law, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Ashesi University. Her research, titled “Communication Strategies and Oral Productions in French as a Foreign Language (FFL): A Study on Ghanaian University Students,” explores an important area in language learning and teaching.

This study examines the use of communication strategies (CS) by students of French as a foreign language (FFL) at the University of Ghana, with the main objective of understanding how these strategies help learners overcome linguistic obstacles and improve their communicative competence. This work primarily aims to identify the CS employed by these learners in their speech and to determine how these strategies enable them to overcome language barriers. Another objective is to compare the use of these CS across two distinct communication tasks. The theoretical framework is based on the theory of lexical access, proposed by Levelt et al. (1999), enriched by Segalowitz’ s (2010) research on foreign/second languages, to better understand the cognitive processes related to CS use. The methodology relies on Dörnyei's (1995) classification of CS and combines quantitative and qualitative approaches, drawing on questionnaires, task observations, and retrospective interviews. The results show that, despite linguistic challenges, students sustain communication by primarily using pauses, self-correction, literal translation, and repetition. Recommendations, along with a teaching guide to integrate CS into FFL instruction in Ghana, are proposed, highlighting the potential of these strategies to encourage autonomous and effective learning. This study underscores the importance of CS for FFL learning in Ghana and opens perspectives for future research, particularly exploring CS in diverse multilingual contexts.

Mensimah’s hard work, dedication, and deep interest in language education are truly commendable. Her success in defending her thesis is a proud moment for her, her supervisors, and the entire department. We believe that her research will have a lasting impact on how French is taught and learned in Ghana and beyond.

Once again, congratulations, Mensimah! We wish you all the best in your future academic and professional journey.