QUAND LA COMPÉTENCE LINGUISTIQUE NE SUFFIT PLUS : IMPACTS DE L’ILLUSION D’INCOMPÉTENCE SUR LA PERFORMANCE ORALE EN CLASSE DU FLE EN ALGÉRIE
WHEN LANGUAGE SKILLS ARE NO LONGER ENOUGH: THE IMPACT OF THE ILLUSION OF INCOMPETENCE ON ORAL PERFORMANCE IN FLE CLASSROOMS IN ALGERIA

Summary/Abstract: Traditionally, oral language performance has often been explained in terms of learners’ linguistic competence and the areas of weakness associated with it. However, such an interpretation appears inadequate when applied to learners who possess satisfactory language proficiency, yet remain reluctant to engage in oral communication. From this perspective, examining learners’ attitudes toward their own linguistic competence may provide a more relevant explanation for their engagement or disengagement in oral language practices, particularly in situations where conventional didactic approaches fail to account for observed difficulties. Drawing on psychological foundations, this study argues that weaknesses in oral production can be understood beyond the sole framework of linguistic competence, a dimension that remains largely underexplored in traditional approaches to oral language teaching and learning.Situated within the field of applied linguistics, this research is based on a survey conducted among Algerian university students majoring in French and enrolled in undergraduate and master’s programs. The Participants were selected on the basis of their high academic achievement and demonstrated linguistic competence. Data were collected through a questionnaire and analysed using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The analysis focused on perceptions of oral competence, self-confidence, attitudes toward error and social comparison.The findings indicate that the learners’ difficulties in oral production are not attributed primarily to deficiencies in linguistic competence. Rather, they are closely associated with the underestimation of one’s actual capabilities, lack of self-confidence, communication anxiety, fear of making mistakes and sensitivity to others’ judgments. These psychological factors significantly inhibit learners’ willingness to participate in oral interactions, even when the necessary linguistic resources are available. The study highlights the importance of integrating psychological dimensions into the understanding and development of oral language competence.

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