What is the impact of video conferencing on the teaching and learning of a foreign language in primary education?

Under the French national project “1000 video conferencing systems for primary schools”, a growing number of schools are being equipped of video conferencing systems. The assumption underlying this project is that, by putting students in a position to communicate with distant native speakers, it will enable them to improve their oral and socio-cultural skills. Indeed, by giving young learners the possibility to be in direct visual interaction with native speakers, it seems that video conferencing enhances mutual understanding and develops specific skills both on the students' and the teachers' sides. Yet trying to understand to what extent video conferencing affects teaching and learning strategies is not an easy task. This text focuses on video conferencing sessions taking place between young French and English learners as they play a well-known game “Cluedo”. It presents the first results of a study that relies on a collaborative project in which researchers, teacher-trainers and French and English teachers are involved.