difficulty

Learning vocabulary constitutes a crucial step in language learning. Amongst different word categories, compound words have failed to attract the attention they deserve. This led us to conduct a study trying to pinpoint the difficulties learning these words and to suggest some techniques facilitating their acquisition. To that effect, a questionnaire as well as a vocabu-lary test were given to two groups of FFL (French as a Foreign Language) learners. Carried out from a descriptive and analytical point of view, this study was based on a real corpus and led to the following results: Firstly, learners showed little tendency towards making use of compound words, both in writing and in speaking. Secondly, teachers can contribute to a better learning by providing learners with convenient strategies. Thirdly, familiarity with Greco-Latin roots enormously help learners to guess the meaning of an unknown word.

This study aimed at evaluating PISA-like reading test developed by teachers participating in the teacher training for teaching PISA-like reading. To serve the purpose, an experimental test was administered to 107 students aged 15-16 using a set of text and questions constructed according to the criteria of PISA Reading test Level 1. Item analysis was performed following the sampling using Rasch Measurement, deemed essential for determining the ideal index of test items relative to students’ ability in making correct response. The component of the calculation comprises reliability, separation, dan standard error. The Rasch model was constructed manually using Microsoft Excel to obtain the result of the calculation, and a Wright Map was also made manually to illustrate the result of the calculation. The results of the item analysis indicated that the test and the items the teachers constructed have met good criteria. The results revealed an even distribution of test item difficulty at the targeted level. The samples’ ability to make correct answers, however, was decentralized towards the test items of moderate level of difficulty. Only a limited number of students have showed good ability in their response to test items of higher difficulty.