The Stereotypes Jordanian Students have about France and French People

Abstract

This paper aims at studying the utilization of stereotypes in classes that teach French as a foreign language, particularly in Jordan. The paper begins by defining the concept of stereotypes, especially in relation to its diminishing, yet still prominent, role in teaching students about a culture different from their own. Against the backdrop of these observations, the paper analyzes the answers of two questions about the types of stereotypes that students in the Department of French at the University of Jordan have about the French people and France. The two questions of the study, administered before and after the students had taken a course on French civilization, showed that most students maintained some stereotypes that are considered to be very strong since they have been ingrained from a young age about French people, but they also added new impressions .