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In today's globalized world, mastering foreign languages is essential for effective communication, which often requires defending one's viewpoint and persuading others For instance, a salesperson may need to convince foreign tourists to purchase their goods, or an individual might need to uphold their stance in a scientific debate Argumentation plays a crucial role in achieving these communicative goals, making the production of argumentative texts a vital component in foreign language education This skill is particularly important in French language instruction, as it is a key element in final exams and admission competitions for various jobs and academic programs Consequently, the ability to argue effectively enhances students' integration into contemporary social life by enabling them to express themselves clearly and persuasively in writing.
At the Department of French Language and Civilization at ULEI, UNH, students are required to reach a C1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) by the end of their third year This entails the ability to express themselves clearly and coherently on complex subjects in written form, demonstrating mastery of organizational tools and text cohesion The DALF C1 written production exam includes a section dedicated to argumentative essays, indicating that students should be proficient in this type of writing by their third year However, many students struggle with this task, often making grammatical, lexical, and spelling errors More significantly, their challenges lie in constructing coherent arguments and logically connecting ideas, resulting in essays that lack relevant arguments and textual cohesion Consequently, they fall short of the C1 level standards set by the CEFR.
In response to the need for students to achieve a C1 level in written expression by their third year of university, and recognizing the limited research on writing skills compared to other communicative competencies, we aim to conduct a study titled "Challenges in Producing Argumentative Essays Among Third-Year Students in the Department of French Language and Civilization at the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi."
Notre recherche vise ainsi à répondre aux questions suivantes :
Third-year students in the Department of French Language and Civilization at the University of Languages and International Studies, National University of Hanoi, face various challenges when producing argumentative essays These difficulties may include issues related to structuring their arguments, developing coherent thesis statements, and effectively integrating evidence to support their claims Additionally, students often struggle with language proficiency, which can hinder their ability to express complex ideas clearly and persuasively Understanding these obstacles is crucial for improving their writing skills and academic performance.
2 Quelles sont les causes de ces difficultés ?
Dans la période de préparation de ce travail, nous allons examiner les hypothèses suivantes :
Students often struggle with finding, organizing, and linking ideas in their writing Their texts lack richness in ideas and are deficient in arguments, justifications, and relevant examples Additionally, they face challenges in producing clear and well-structured texts, encountering difficulties in transitioning between paragraphs and effectively using argumentative connectors and punctuation marks.
The challenges faced by students stem from both objective and subjective factors These difficulties are linked to teaching methods and practices, a lack of motivation, insufficient thematic and linguistic knowledge—particularly regarding argumentative connectors—limited skills in composing argumentative essays, and the ability to effectively argue using strategies such as enthymemes, truncated syllogisms, and commonplaces, which are essential for successful argumentation.
Objectif de la recherche
Our research aims to identify the challenges faced by third-year students in the Department of French Language and Civilization at ULEI - UNH when writing argumentative essays We seek to assist these students in achieving a C1 level in written expression upon graduation.
Méthodologie de la recherche
- Texte argumenté : Dans ce mémoire, nous employons indifféremment ce terme et le terme texte argumentatif (voir p.13)
Il s’agit d’une recherche descriptive
To address the research questions and meet the proposed objectives, we will first ask approximately forty third-year students to write an argumentative essay, followed by an analysis of their work to identify the challenges they face.
We will conduct a survey among these students to uncover the reasons behind their challenges and their expectations regarding the taught content, the attitude and quality of the instructor, the teaching methods employed, and the grading process.
Enfin, nous allons proposer des applications pédagogiques et méthodologiques visant une meilleure production des essais argumentés chez les étudiants.
Cadre théorique
Notion d’argumentation
To understand what an argumentative essay is, one must first explore the concept of argumentation While there is no universally accepted definition of argumentation, numerous researchers have attempted to articulate their interpretations This article presents several definitions to provide a general overview of the concept of argumentation.
According to Thyrion and Rosier (2005: 77), argumentation involves the use of language to influence behaviors, attitudes, opinions, and perceptions It is a means of shaping how others conceive ideas about reality and the world around them.
Arguing involves using language to influence another person by providing reasons, with the aim of encouraging them to consider and ideally adopt a particular idea or behavior The goal of the arguer is for the listener to reach the conclusion that it is justified (or not justified) to think, act, or behave in a certain way.
1 on argumente lorsqu’apparaợt une diffộrence de vues ou mờme un conflit dans les manières de penser, de se comporter ou d’agir de personnes ou de groupes et qu’un des partenaires au moins souhaite supprimer, atténuer ou résoudre ce désaccord
One does not argue to defend an obvious fact, such as the whiteness of snow, or a scientifically proven truth, like the boiling point of water, unless there is a desire to challenge that fact or truth, as was the case with Copernicus and Galileo.
3 Lorsqu’on argumente, deux attitudes sont possibles : soit on se situe par rapport à quelqu’un d’autre, soit ce n’est pas le cas On aura donc deux manières différentes de mener une affirmation : soit pour affirmer et défendre un point de vue, soit pour s’opposer à quelqu’un d’autre ằ
Thyrion and Rosier discussed the cause, means, and purpose of argumentation Specifically, argumentation arises in situations of conflict among individuals, where language is employed to assert and defend a viewpoint or to oppose another Consequently, there is always an audience that the arguer aims to persuade.
According to Anscombre and Ducrot (1983), to argue is to attempt to change the opinions of others by presenting a series of propositions that logically lead to a transformation of those opinions This logical sequence establishes connections between the presented propositions and the audience's opinion change, based on a certain consensus within the community.
On constate que selon ces deux auteurs, l’argumentation cherche toujours à faire changer d’avis à autrui
The CEGOS training group emphasizes that arguing is not about proving oneself right at all costs Instead, it involves the ability to identify the right ideas and present them in a way that engages and convinces the audience.
C'est aussi l'art de réfuter avec pertinence, en restant ouvert au dialogue L'argumentation repose à la fois sur des techniques et sur une éthique de la communication ằ
The design of this group closely resembles that of Thyrion and Rosier, who agree that argumentation aims to persuade others and refute opposing views The CEGOS training group emphasizes that effective argumentation requires both techniques and ethical communication Thus, argumentation is a form of communication that involves an enunciator and a recipient, facilitated through language, aligning with Thyrion and Rosier's concept of dialogue.
Cette conception de l’argumentation se concrétise clairement par Meyer qui donne son avis sur la question comme suit : ô a Toute argumentation est une tentative visant à influencer son interlocuteur
The primary goal of argumentation is to persuade others, aiming to change their opinions or, at the very least, attempt to do so A noticeable shift in someone's viewpoint serves as a clear indicator of the effectiveness of the argument presented Furthermore, it is essential to recognize that all forms of argumentation involve a dialogue.
[ ] L’argumentation est liée à la notion de dialogue, ce qui suggère au moins deux remarques
This relationship fundamentally revolves around the concepts of freedom and subjectivity It emphasizes the freedom to think and express one's thoughts, while also highlighting the subjectivity involved, as the speaker selects their own tools—ideas and examples—that may or may not resonate with the listener's subjective perspective.
Additionally, with a focus on immediate effectiveness in crafting argumentative texts, the concept of dialogue highlights the presence of two opposing theses, where one seeks to dominate the other This dynamic leads to two significant consequences.
- d’une part, argumenter ne consistera pas seulement à justifier sa thèse, mais aussi à prendre en compte la ou les thèses adverses [ ]
On the other hand, one thesis may be implicit, either not mentioned in the subject statement or obscured by the communication context Therefore, it is essential to reconstruct any potentially absent thesis Additionally, all argumentation serves as both justification and explanation.
Subjectivity means that argumentation is not a mathematical demonstration; it cannot impose its viewpoint through a rigid sequence of ideas To convince others, it must present multiple pieces of evidence and employ specific expression techniques Therefore, beginners must learn to manage the presentation and organization of their ideas, ensuring that their reasoning is driven by a clear intention and directed toward a specific goal Additionally, they need to master the expression of evidence—such as examples, facts, reported opinions, and anecdotes—along with the effective use of stylistic techniques.
Texte argumenté
Before defining an argumentative text, it is important to note that the term "argumentative text" is more commonly used than "argumentative writing," even though both terms refer to the same concept.
According to the Faculty of Philosophy at Laval University, an argumentative text is one that advocates for a specific position regarding an event, issue, discourse, or doctrine It presents and explains the reasons why a particular aspect should be recognized or considered in a certain way.
The philosophy professors at the Université du Québec à Montréal define an argumentative text as a coherent written work that aims to defend a specific viewpoint, or thesis, by addressing a philosophical or scientific question.
En bref, il n’y a pas de divergence de vues vis-à-vis de la définition du texte argumenté Nous passons ensuite à découvrir les caractéristiques de ce type de texte
According to professors from the Philosophy Faculty at Laval University, an argumentative text is one in which the author advocates for a specific viewpoint in response to a philosophical or scientific question The author defends a central thesis using guiding ideas and arguments aimed at gaining the rational agreement of readers.
Les professeurs du département de philosophie de l’Université du Québec à Montréal, eux, donnent des caractéristiques plus précises de ce type de texte : Le texte argumentatif
- propose un développement structuré, solide, clair, logique, démonstratif, etc.,
- contient une thèse, c'est-à-dire une prise de position qui est défendue et rigoureusement appuyée,
- examine les objections et les réfutations,
- permet le traitement rationnel de l'information,
- s'articule autour d'une question de nature scientifique ou philosophique
A côté de ces caractéristiques, le texte argumenté porte bien sûr celles de l’argumentation comme nous en déjà parlé (voir p.8)
2.3 Genres de texte argumenté et essai argumenté
Certains distinguent six genres de texte argumenté : publicité, critique (de film, de livres, d'œuvres d'art), éditorial, plaidoyer, dissertation, essai
Some believe there are nine distinct types of written works, including essays, legal pleadings, debates, critiques, open letters, advertisements, blog posts, and reader letters This classification highlights the diverse forms of written communication available today.
Selon J.-L Dumortier, il existe huit genres de ce type de texte : éditorial, publicité, critique, plaidoirie, harangue, ô lettre ouverte ằ, (traditionnelle) dissertation, essai
A notre avis, on peut regrouper carte blanche et courrier de lecteur dans le groupe de l’essai et ce sont différentes formes de l’essai
Ainsi, nous divisons le texte argumenté en éditorial, critique, message publicitaire, plaidoirie, essai et dissertation
Nous allons ensuite de définir chacun d’eux
An editorial is a substantive article that presents a commentary, which may be attributed to a journalist or reflect the views of the media outlet's management or editorial team It conveys opinions on current events and relevant topics, providing insight and perspective on issues of public interest.
A critique is a concise text intended to persuade or dissuade the reader from engaging in the exploration of a work It is a composite piece that includes both an informative section, which provides material details about the context of dissemination and a brief summary or description of the content, and an argumentative section that offers a reasoned personal evaluation of various aspects of the work.
is designed as an argument that includes three essential elements: a cognitive or informative argument that informs the consumer about the product and its benefits; an emotional component that stimulates the consumer's interest and attraction; and a conative stage that encourages action, inviting the consumer to purchase the product, call a phone number, or visit stores.
A plea differs from an essay in that it expresses a reasoned opinion on a broader question, while an essay focuses on validating a statement Despite this distinction, a plea shares similarities with an essay in terms of development structure, argumentation, organization, language level, volume, and writing style.
- Essai : Cette notion révèle aussi un mot très difficile à définir et constitue un sujet de plusieurs débats
In the French manual "Thèmes et textes," an essay is defined as a text that explores a subject with a degree of freedom, without claiming to fully address it This definition refers specifically to the literary genre of the essay, which serves as a personal response to a given issue The goal of the essay is to take a stance in relation to the thoughts of others, aligning with similar definitions found in various dictionaries.
Comme le mot essai possède plusieurs sens, dans cette partie, nous allons citer la définition de l’essai en tant que texte selon différents dictionnaires
- Essai n.m Livre, long article qui traite très librement d’une question, sans prộtendre ộpuiser le sujet (Dictionnaire du franỗais contemporain, 1980 : 467)
An essay is a literary work in prose that explores a subject in a free-form manner, often without exhaustive treatment, and can consist of various articles Notable examples include Montaigne's "Essais," which covers philosophical, historical, and political themes, and Diderot's "Essay on Painting."
Petit Robert de la langue franỗaise, 2006 : 949)
- Essai n.m Ouvrage en prose rassemblant des réflexions diverses ou traitant un sujet d’intérêt général sans prétendre l’épuiser ni arriver à des conclusions fermes ou définitives (Dictionnaire Le Petit Larousse illustré, 2000 : 398)
- Essai, nom masculin Ouvrage littéraire présentant quelques idées sans que son auteur prétende épuiser le sujet [Littérature] Synonyme : ouvrage Anglais essay (Dictionnaire L’Internaute en ligne)
The essay is primarily recognized as a literary genre that does not exhaustively explore a subject, meaning it does not delve deeply into the topic Over time, the definition of an essay has expanded to encompass not only a literary form but also a composition through which the author expresses their opinion on a given subject In this research work, we will address the essay in its broader sense.
All definitions agree that the essay, as a literary genre, is characterized by a relatively free structure and incomplete content This can lead to misunderstandings among inexperienced writers regarding the essay as a writing genre and its role in academic production, particularly in the DALF C1 exam They might misinterpret this freedom as a lack of attention to form and content, resulting in a disorganized text that lacks logical progression, where they write whatever comes to mind without sufficient reflection.
- L’essai argumenté et la dissertation
A dissertation is a structured text that presents a collection of ideas, opinions, and reflections on a specific topic It requires adherence to factual accuracy, precision, and honesty, as it involves defending a particular stance The dissertation can take various forms, allowing for flexibility in expression while maintaining a coherent argument.
- applique plusieurs types de plan
- est structurée, solide, démonstrative, logique, etc
The article presents a thesis that advocates a specific viewpoint, which is strongly supported throughout It employs various writing styles to effectively describe, examine, and compare facts in a coherent manner.
Les modèles du processus rédactionnel
In this chapter, we will introduce various models of written text production, which will serve as the theoretical foundation for the writing process and the teaching of writing skills Generally, there are two main types of production models: linear models and non-linear models.
The most renowned linear model was proposed by Rohmer in 1965, focusing on the writing process of native English speakers This model outlines three key stages: prewriting, writing, and rewriting During the prewriting phase, the writer develops a plan and generates ideas for the text In the writing stage, these ideas are organized and articulated according to the established plan to create a draft The final phase, rewriting, involves refining the text by making corrections to both its structure and content.
According to this model, the order of the three steps is fixed, which is why it is considered linear or unidirectional; one cannot proceed to the next step until the previous one is complete, leaving no room for revisiting prior activities However, the writing process is more complex than Rohmer's analysis suggests Inexperienced writers tend to follow this model by producing a text in one go, neglecting the cognitive activities necessary for revising their work For instance, they often fail to consider whether their expressions effectively convey the ideas generated during the brainstorming phase In contrast, skilled writers pay close attention to this cognitive aspect, recognizing that the writing process is not linear, leading to the development of non-linear models proposed in subsequent years.
In this section, we aim to focus on two prominent non-linear models: the Hayes and Flower model (1980) and the revised model proposed by Hayes approximately fifteen years later These models are particularly significant as they are widely recognized and applied in both writing instruction and the teaching/learning of writing skills.
Le modèle de Hayes et Flower
In the early 1980s, researchers began to analyze the writing process, drawing on findings from psychology In 1980, Hayes and Flower introduced a nonlinear model that outlines the various processes involved in writing Their research methodology involved having adult English speakers think aloud, verbalizing their writing actions This model suggests that the writing process is not linear but rather complex, involving revisions and cognitive activities, as illustrated in Figure 1.
Ce modèle est divisé en trois grandes composantes :
Figure 1 : Le modèle de Hayes et Flower (1980)
1 L’environnement de la tâche comprend toutes les caractéristiques liées à la tâche elle-même, c’est-à-dire les thématiques abordées, le destinataire, la motivation qu'elle suscite auprès du scripteur Elle comprend également le texte déjà produit en ce sens que ce dernier devient, dès qu'il est créé, objet extérieur au processus lui-même
2 La mémoire à long terme qui regroupe, elle, toutes les connaissances déclaratives et procédurales du sujet (le lexique, les règles de grammaire et d'orthographe…), les métaconnaissances susceptibles d'intervenir dans le contexte de la tâche (du type "Je sais que je suis faible en orthographe donc il faut que je me relise attentivement"…), des informations relatives au destinataire, des plans d'écriture (comment faire une description ou un texte argumenté…) et finalement tous les souvenirs d'expériences antérieures qui
TACHE ASSIGNEE Thème Destinataire Enjeux
Connaissances du thème Connaissances du destinataire Plans d’écriture stockés
CONTROLE peuvent être réactualisés ou dans lesquels le sujet peut trouver un intérêt à puiser de l'information
3 Le processus d'écriture (qui se charge en mémoire de travail) qui comprend les quatre processus, à savoir : la planification, la textualisation, la révision et le contrôle o La planification : ce processus consiste à élaborer des buts et un plan d’écriture à partir des informations issues de la mémoire à long terme et de l’environnement de la tâche Ce processus d’élaboration conceptuelle comprendrait trois sous-processus:
la génération d’idées (activation et sélection en mémoire des idées pertinentes par rapport au thème, au destinataire et au type de texte)
leur organisation (structurer les informations récupérées en un plan d’écriture organisé de manière chronologique ou hiérarchisé)
Goal assignment involves defining objectives, plans, and criteria to align the text with the intended goals and situational constraints The text creation process transforms conceptual message fragments from planning into statements through text formulation, which includes selecting lexical units and constructing syntactic structures Revision plays a crucial role in enhancing the quality of the written text, occurring both after completion and during the ongoing mental work, and consists of two phases.
Le processus de lecture permet de repérer les violations du langage, d'évaluer la conformité de ce qui est écrit avec les buts fixés lors de la planification
Editing allows for the correction of errors and modifications, encompassing a range of revision activities from letters to paragraphs There are four types of revisions: substitutions, movements, additions, and deletions Additionally, the control process oversees the execution of these writing processes, managing the flow of activities by activating or interrupting them as needed, thereby facilitating the interaction and recursion among the three writing processes.
The Hayes and Flower model emphasizes the recursive nature of the three writing processes, which are influenced by rules of sequencing and prioritization This means that these operations are interdependent, although certain tasks, like planning, may take precedence at specific stages of the writing process Ultimately, it is the control instance that necessitates the integration of these three operations.
Additionally, this model emphasizes the conceptual aspects of writing production, including knowledge of the topic, the organization of information in memory, and the ability to mobilize this knowledge according to the writing's purpose and context.
This model has faced criticism from various authors for being an expert-driven approach that fails to depict the gradual development of writing skills and the fundamental phases of written production It has also been pointed out that it inadequately considers the emotional and social dimensions, as well as the cognitive processes involved in writing Furthermore, the model does not clarify the functioning of long-term memory and its role in processing dynamics, while the role of working memory is completely overlooked These critiques have been addressed in more recent work by Hayes (1996).
The Hayes and Flower model has faced criticism from Claudine Garcia-Debanc and Michel Fayol for its focus primarily on essay writing and argumentative texts, neglecting the unique aspects of different writing tasks They argue that the writing processes for crafting a justification and composing a poetic text may not be identical However, this limitation of the Hayes and Flower model is advantageous for our research, as it specifically addresses the writing of argumentative essays.
Figure 2 : Le modèle de Hayes (1996)
Ce nouveau modèle présenté par Hayes comporte deux composants majeurs : l’environnement de la tâche et l’individu
Without delving into the specifics of each process within this model, we will focus on its new elements The primary advantage of this updated model lies in its more detailed consideration of the individual and the role of working memory.
Buts Prédispositions Croyance, Attitude Estimations cỏts/bénéfices
Réflexion Production de texte Interprétation de texte
Mémoire phonologique Bloc-notes visio-spatial Mémoire sémantique
Schémas de tâche Connaissance du thème Connaissance du destinataire Connaissance linguistique Connaissance du genre
Destinataires Collaborateurs Autres textes à disposition
Texte déjà écrit Médium d’écriture a) l’environnement de la tâche se décompose en deux éléments:
Analyse et interprétation des données
Présentation du terrain
Last year, our French department implemented significant changes to the French language curriculum According to the new program, third-year students now have twelve French sessions per week, with two dedicated to written expression Aiming to help these students reach a C1 level, we closely followed the DALF C1 model for this communicative skill We decided to divide the writing classes into two parts corresponding to the two semesters.
Au premier semestre, les étudiants apprennent la technique de résumé et de compte-rendu
In the second semester, students are expected to synthesize information and write argumentative essays However, due to time constraints, we were unable to follow the initial curriculum set at the beginning of the school year As a result, we only trained the students in synthesis, leaving them without the opportunity to write argumentative essays This was a significant loss for both the students and the teachers.
Cadre méthodologique de la recherche
Our research population consists of third-year students from the K41 cohort (2007-2011 academic years), totaling 125 individuals divided into seven classes, including an excellence class of ten students These students exhibit heterogeneity in their French language learning backgrounds; most have been studying French since high school, while others began in middle school or even elementary school, primarily from bilingual classes Consequently, their French proficiency is relatively high compared to students from regular or optional French classes Additionally, some students have won awards in national French competitions, indicating varied starting points upon entering university After two years of study, it is evident that the proficiency levels among third-year students are not uniform, posing significant challenges for teaching and learning If instruction focuses on weaker students, stronger students may become disengaged, while weaker students may struggle to keep up, leading to boredom As French teachers, we continually seek solutions to address this challenge.
Présentation de l’échantillon de la recherche
We invited both students from the honors class and those from regular classes to write an argumentative essay and complete a questionnaire This included ten students from class F1 and seventy-eight students from classes F2, F3, F4, and F6 We collected 40 essays and 40 questionnaire responses, representing 32% of the population, making the sample statistically significant However, a larger corpus would have been preferable, as obtaining student submissions is challenging due to the time-consuming nature of writing an argumentative essay, which is not part of their assigned coursework.
A few days before the class, we instructed the teachers responsible for written expression in F1, F2, F3, F4, and F6 to collect essays from students The assignment required students to write a minimum of 300 words on the topic: "What role does a woman play in her child's education?" Learners were given a week to complete the essay at home and were encouraged to consult additional resources for ideas.
To gather responses for our questionnaire, we distributed it to students who had previously written argumentative essays for us We collected a total of forty essays, which corresponded to the number of questionnaires distributed Given that our questionnaire consists mainly of nine multiple-choice questions, we handed them out during break hours and requested the writers to complete them immediately As a result, we successfully collected all the distributed questionnaires.
This study analyzes a corpus of forty student essays to identify challenges in crafting argumentative essays The focus is on assessing students' argumentative skills, coherence, and cohesion, while excluding lexical competence and grammatical accuracy, which are not central to argumentative writing We will utilize a self-created list of potential difficulties that highlights issues related to adherence to guidelines, argumentative ability, coherence, and cohesion These components align with the key criteria evaluated by the DALF C1 for the written expression test Our emphasis will be particularly on coherence and cohesion.
We will analyze the student survey by examining the collected information one by one to uncover their issues, identify solutions to address them, and understand their expectations.
Analyse du corpus
Avant d’analyser le corpus, nous présentons d’abord la liste des difficultés possibles dans les essais argumentés des étudiants en se basant sur le critère d’évaluation du DALF C1
Liste des difficultés possibles dans les essais argumentés Respect de la consigne
1 Irrespect de la situation et du type de production demandée
2 Irrespect de la longueur indiquée
5 Prise en compte insuffisante ou non-prise en compte du destinataire
6 Arguments peu précis et peu pertinents
11 Absence de l’introduction, l’introduction trop longue ou l’introduction non centrée sur le sujet, sur le propos
13 Faible recours aux connecteurs (trop de ruptures ou l’emploi erroné des connecteurs)
14 Absence de la conclusion ou conclusion peu pertinente
15 Mauvaise utilisation (ou non-utilisation) de l’alinéa et du retour à la ligne
16 Mauvaise utilisation des signes de ponctuation
18 Vocabulaire utilisộ de faỗon inadộquate et imprộcise
19 Mélange de registres de langue
21 Répétition fréquentes des termes clés (faible recours aux synonymes)
24 Abus des auxiliaires (être, avoir, pouvoir, devoir…) des termes passe- partout (comme le verbe faire) ou de l’impersonnel (il faut, il est évident que, il est nécessaire, il s’agit…) qui donne au texte un ton général et parfois même pédant
25 Faute grammaticale (mauvais accords, conjugaison, préposition, article incorrects)
This study aims to identify the challenges students face in producing argumentative essays, focusing on their ability to argue effectively, as well as the coherence and cohesion of their work Additionally, we will touch upon their adherence to instructions, lexical competence, spelling accuracy, and grammatical proficiency.
Difficulté 1 : Irrespect de la situation et du type de production demandée
Aucun étudiant ne commet cette erreur Toutes les copies sont des essais argumentés Cela signifie que les étudiants prennent tous conscience de l’argumentation et du raisonnement
Difficulté 2 : Irrespect de la longueur indiquée
Our research aims to assist students in achieving a C1 level in argumentative essay writing We tasked third-year students with composing a text of at least 300 words, while the DALF C1 written expression exam requires approximately 250 words The distinction between our requirement and that of the DALF C1 lies in the nature of the exercise; this is not merely a student assignment, and writing such a text demands time and effort Students often lack motivation, leading them to underperform in their writing By setting a minimum word count of 300, we encourage students to expand their texts, ensuring they reach around 250 words This approach allows us to assess their ability to meet the DALF C1 length requirement effectively.
Pourtant, malgré notre prévision de cette psychologie des étudiants, deux copies sont écrites en environ 230 mots et sept copies en 200 mots (textes 8, 11, 30, 31, 32, 33,
38) Par rapport à la demande du DALF C1, les deux copies de 230 mots sont acceptables mais les sept autres seront punies avec 0,5 points/12 de moins
Difficulté 3 et 4 : Hors-sujet ou déformation du sujet
Ces deux difficultés sont assez rares chez nos scripteurs Elles apparaissent pourtant dans les textes 2, 4, 10, 19, 20, 22, 38, soit 17,5%
The second text distorts the subject by focusing solely on the woman's role during the early years of a child's life, a point that is clearly emphasized from the very beginning.
Text 19 is typically off-topic and lacks any relevant arguments Furthermore, the writer often presents their viewpoint without justification, creating an impression of discussing unrelated matters Overall, the text appears disconnected from the writing prompt.
Difficulté 5 : Prise en compte insuffisante ou non-prise en compte du destinataire
Most writers consider their audience, except for the author of text 24, who uses the informal personal pronouns "tu" and "te," which are inappropriate in an argumentative essay aimed at a general audience In the introduction, the writer states, "If someone asks you to choose between men and women who play a more important role in children's education, I believe you will vote for female candidates." This reflects a lapse in attention and stems from the habitual use of informal address among friends.
Difficulté 6 : Les arguments sont peu précis et peu pertinents
One of the most common challenges faced by novice writers is the lack of relevant arguments in their texts An analysis of forty texts, containing nearly 120 arguments, reveals that only ten arguments, or 8.3%, are pertinent Relevant arguments are found in texts 4, 5, 8, 9, 12, 18, 34, and 37 While texts 15 and 21 effectively illustrate the mother's role in shaping a child's character, the writers fail to present a relevant argument This issue is prevalent across multiple texts, including text 1, where the author generates good ideas but struggles with the clarity and precision of their arguments This difficulty often stems from a lack of writing techniques for constructing a coherent argumentative essay.
Cette lacune est assez fréquente dans notre corpus Beaucoup d’entre nos étudiants donnent leur point de vue mais ils ne le justifient pas Prenons quelques exemples
In text 6, the author states that the mother serves as a model for children's behavior and plays a crucial role in shaping their confidence in life However, the paragraph concludes without providing further justification for this assertion.
A mother takes on numerous responsibilities, such as giving birth, nurturing, caring for a sick child, assisting with schoolwork, and offering guidance during difficult times These actions are all expressions of love, which profoundly impact and influence the child However, the author merely enumerates the mother's tasks without addressing why these duties fall solely on her.
Bref, les difficultés 5 et 6 se trouvent partout dans les textes rédigés par nos étudiants En tant qu’enseignants, nous trouvons que cette réalité est très alarmante
Students often struggle to include examples in their writing, making it challenging to find them in their work While they can use alternative methods to support their arguments, concrete examples remain a highly effective tool for persuasion It is important to acknowledge the value of examples in enhancing argumentative clarity and impact.
1 Nous citons les essais des étudiants tels quels
Cette erreur est absente dans notre corpus
Many students make a common mistake by using definite articles like "le," "la," and "les" to generalize roles, such as "les femmes" or "les hommes," without recognizing that these roles are not universal or obvious For instance, in a family context, the text states that the woman's role is essential, primarily focusing on child-rearing, while the father works to provide financial stability and engage in social activities This perspective implies that child care is solely the woman's responsibility, neglecting the shared accountability in this matter.
Difficulté 11 : Absence de l’introduction, introduction trop longue ou introduction non centrée sur le sujet, sur le propos
Cette déficience arrive assez fréquemment dans les textes produits par nos étudiants
The analysis reveals that some texts lack an introduction altogether, such as text 38, which immediately delves into the main content Conversely, other texts, like text 25, feature overly lengthy introductions, while texts 11, 22, and 31 fail to clearly present the central theme and overarching issue Additionally, some introductions do not connect with their respective developments, as seen in texts 8, 13, 17, 26, and 27, where the introduction discusses one topic but the development addresses a different aspect.
Difficulté 12 : Peu de progression logique
There is a noticeable difficulty in the textual and transphrastic coherence of our students' writing, characterized by a lack of logical progression and thematic continuity between paragraphs and sentences This issue is prevalent in nearly all of the texts produced by the students, with only a few exceptions.
37, 38, soit 35%, ne commettent pas cette erreur
Pour illustrer l’absence de progression logique dans les essais des étudiants, on peut prendre quelques exemples des textes 3 et 29
In the text, the author presents three arguments highlighting the crucial role of women in child education While he effectively uses enumeration connectors such as "first," "next," and "finally," a closer reading reveals a lack of thematic progression His arguments are supported by modern discoveries in sociology and psychology, which emphasize that women have a natural role as educators.
Ensuite, à cause des mutations de l’école, l’enfant a un certain nombre de besoins comme le besoin de sécurité affective, d’exprimer personnelle et de prendre soi-même à bon escient des initiatives […]
Enfin, toute éducation a une dimension sociale par le simple fait que les enfants auront à prendre un jour leur place dans la sociộtộ […] ằ
Typically, an effective argument should follow a coherent structure with related points, particularly when discussing the significant role of women in child education However, in this text, the themes shift frequently after the enumeration connectors The first point addresses modern discoveries in sociology and psychology, the second focuses on the child, and the final point discusses education This inconsistency creates a sense of illogical flow within the text.
Analyse de l’enquête auprès des apprenants
The aim of our survey is to assess students' proficiency in French, their process of writing argumentative essays, the challenges they face during writing, the underlying causes of these difficulties, and their expectations regarding the content taught, the teaching methods, and the correction process Although we had a French version, we distributed the questionnaire in Vietnamese to prevent misunderstandings, save time in responses, and encourage students to express themselves more freely.
We distributed the questionnaire to forty students who wrote an argumentative essay at our request during recess Here are the results of the survey.
1 Vous apprenez le franỗais dès votre enfance 0 0
Dès l’école primaire 9 22,5 à partir du collège 4 10 seulement au lycée 27 67,5
2 Vous venez des classes de franỗais à option 10 25 des classes bilingues 18 45 des classes normales 12 30
3 Classez les quatre compétences communicatives dans l’ordre du plus importante au moins importante selon vous (dans l’ordre descendant du degré d’importance selon vous)
1 2 3 4 a Compréhension orale 13 2 16 4 7 b Expression orale 21 12 6 1 c Compréhension écrite 2 6 21 11 d Expression écrite 4 6 9 21
2 Treize personnes pensent que la comprehension orale est la competence communicative la plus importante
4 Classez les quatre compétences communicatives selon le degré de préférence descendant
1 2 3 4 a Compréhension orale 4 11 8 17 b Expression orale 17 12 8 3 c Compréhension écrite 7 11 17 5 d Expression écrite 12 6 7 15
5 Que faites-vous quand vous ộcrivez un essai argumentộ en franỗais ?
(pers.) (%) a J’écris tout de suite 10 25 b Je construis un plan 29 72,5 c Je cherche les documents concernant le sujet d’écriture 16 40 d Je relis mon texte 23 57,5
Si oui, je relis - après la rédaction de chaque phrase 17 42,5
- après la rédaction de chaque paragraphe 11 27,5
- après avoir fini le texte 23 57,5
Pendant la rédaction, il arrive des fois que je dois apporter des corrections
- sur la construction de la phrase 37 92,5
- sur la cohérence du texte (l’ordre des idées) 27 67,5
- sur la cohộsion du texte (l’enchaợnement entre les idées)
- en réécrivant tout le texte 8 20 e J’exploite le correcteur orthographique et grammatical de votre ordinateur
10 25 f Je vérifie l’emploi d’un mot à chaque fois que je n’en suis pas sûr(e) 26 65
Si oui, je le vérifie en - consultant le dictionnaire 30 75
- le recherchant dans les textes sur les sites web fiables
2 Consulter le dictionnaire, puis chercher l’emploi du mot, si on trouve que le mot est convenable, on l’utilise, sinon, on demande à l’enseignant
3 Consulter les documents qu’on a dans la main
6 Quelles sont vos difficultộs en production des essais argumentộs en franỗais ?
Déformation du sujet, hors-sujet 9 22,5
Non-prise en compte du destinataire 3 7,5
Manque d’arguments ou arguments peu pertinents 24 60
Difficulté dans la justification des arguments 20 50
Difficulté dans la formulation des idées 23 57,5
Difficulté dans l’organisation des idées 15 37,5
Difficultộ dans l’enchaợnement des idộes 14 35
Difficulté dans le choix des connecteurs et opérateurs argumentatifs 6 15 Difficulté dans l’utilisation des signes de ponctuation 1 2,5
Mélange de registres de langue 18 45
7 Vos difficultộs en production des essais argumentộs en franỗais sont dues
The challenges in writing an argumentative essay stem from various factors: 70% of individuals struggle due to the influence of the Vietnamese language, while 75% lack thematic knowledge Additionally, 50% cite insufficient practice as a barrier, and 15% express a lack of motivation to write Furthermore, 32.5% face difficulties due to an ignorance of essay writing techniques, and 5% struggle with understanding the writing topic Lastly, 30% experience challenges related to linguistic knowledge, particularly concerning connectors and argumentative operators.
25 62,5 à la capacité limitée à argumenter (à utiliser des stratégies argumentatives, des enthymèmes ou le syllogisme tronqué ainsi que des lieux communs)
8 Vous entraợnez-vous en production des essais argumentộs en franỗais à la maison ?
If so, what do you do? I write on interesting topics, read argumentative essays in French from print or electronic media, outline the essays I've already read, and practice grammar exercises focusing on connectors and argumentative operators.
- J’écris selon les thèmes probablement donnés à l’examen
- Je lis des blogs des Franỗais natifs pour connaợtre l’emploi du vocabulaire et la faỗon d’ộcriture à la franỗaise
- Je fais des exercices à la maison, sur Internet, dans les livres de référence
9 Vous souhaiterez que votre professeur responsable du cours de production écrite
(pers.) (%) Enseigne les techniques d’écrire un essai argumenté 28 70
Enseigne l’élaboration du plan 27 67,5 fournisse des textes sources 21 52,5 fournisse le vocabulaire 21 52,5
Teach argumentative connectors and operators to enhance classroom discussions Encourage students to share ideas collaboratively, fostering a dynamic learning environment Provide engaging and practical writing topics to stimulate creativity Carefully correct all errors and mistakes to ensure a thorough understanding Vary correction methods, incorporating direct instruction, self-correction, and peer review for a comprehensive approach to learning.
31 77,5 corrige en commun un paragraphe d’un texte rédigé par un étudiant 13 32,5 corrige en commun un texte rédigé par un étudiant 14 35 ne corrige pas en commun 3 7,5
Autres souhaits à préciser : Corriger toutes les copies 1 2,5
A travers le bilan du résultat de l’enquête, nous pouvons tirer des conclusions comme suit :
1 A propos du niveau de franỗais des ộtudiants
The analysis of responses to questions 1 and 2 reveals a heterogeneous level of French proficiency among students A significant majority, 67.5%, have studied French for three years prior to university Additionally, most of these students (18 out of 40) have worked in French option classes Only nine students have been learning French since primary school, while ten students have participated in bilingual classes.
2 A propos de l’importance et l’intérêt accordés à l’expression écrite
According to students, oral expression is the most important skill, followed by listening comprehension and reading comprehension A majority of them (21 out of 40) do not appreciate the significance of written expression, with only twelve students ranking it as their favorite skill, after oral expression, which is favored by seventeen students Generally, students tend to enjoy subjects they find easier or excel in The survey results suggest that they perceive written expression as easy and of little importance, leading to a lack of practice in written production This, to some extent, explains the poor quality of their written assignments.
Question 5 addresses the writing process of argumentative essays, revealing concerning trends among students Notably, 25% of students begin writing immediately without creating an outline or researching the topic While 72.5% do prepare an outline, only 40% engage in relevant documentation This lack of thorough preparation likely contributes to the superficiality of the essays produced, despite being given a week to write and the freedom to consult various resources.
Only 57.5% of students report that they proofread their texts, with all of them doing so only after completing the entire piece Meanwhile, just 42.5% revise after each sentence, and 27.5% do so after finishing each paragraph According to Hayes and Flowers, revision is one of the four key operations in the writing process, encompassing revisions from letters to paragraphs and involving four types: substitutions, movements, additions, and deletions This critical step enhances the quality of the written work, yet students often overlook it Many are unaware of the importance of proofreading each sentence or paragraph, tending instead to review only the completed text, with some not revising at all In-class assignments may limit time for revision, while at-home tasks often suffer from students' negligence and lack of motivation Many feel a sense of relief upon finishing an assignment, believing that completion is sufficient, which hinders their progress Therefore, it is essential for educators to emphasize the significance of the revision process.
Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that 92.5% of students engage in the revision process without realizing that making corrections to sentence structure is part of sentence-level revision It is encouraging that around 66% of students make modifications to enhance the logic and coherence of their texts, often adding more ideas than they remove Additionally, 20% of students rewrite their entire text, which is a positive indication of their seriousness and desire to improve.
4 A propos des difficultộs en production des essais argumentộs en franỗais chez les étudiants et des causes de ces difficultés
The use of improper words ranks highest among the challenges faced by our students, with 65% reporting this issue However, our findings reveal that the reality is even more concerning, as 100% of students encounter this difficulty While our research does not focus on this aspect, it is important to acknowledge this significant observation.
The challenges related to argumentative skills, coherence, and textual cohesion are significant for students, with 60% citing a lack of relevant arguments as their primary obstacle Our analysis reveals that only 8.3% of the arguments presented by students are pertinent This difficulty is acknowledged by 75% of students, who recognize their insufficient thematic knowledge on writing topics While students are aware of their weaknesses, they struggle to address them without guidance from teachers on effective essay writing techniques Additionally, 32.5% of students report a lack of writing techniques, a deficiency that is evident among the majority of the student population.
Another challenge faced by our students is articulating their ideas effectively They often have thoughts to share but struggle to find the right linguistic tools to express them One individual noted that they frequently rely on overly long sentences.
This issue affects a significant portion of our audience, with 57.5% reporting difficulties This may account for the lack of relevance in their arguments, which is further attributed to insufficient linguistic knowledge, as indicated by 62.5% of respondents Additionally, 72.5% noted a limited ability to effectively argue, including the use of argumentative strategies, enthymemes, and commonplaces.
Half of our students reported difficulties in justifying arguments and providing relevant examples, a finding that aligns with our corpus analysis This challenge may stem from a lack of knowledge regarding writing techniques and the students' limited ability to construct effective arguments.