Effets de l’écriture de textes identitaires, soutenue par des ateliers d’expression théâtrale plurilingues, sur le rapport à l’écrit d’élèves immigrants allophones en situation de grand retard scolaire
This study explores the effects of the writing of multilingual identity texts, supported by multilingual drama expression workshops, on the relationship with writing of French as a second language (FSL) learners. Additionally, we compare these effects with traditional teaching practices for writing. The participants were recent immigrants with limited prior schooling educated at the secondary school level. This multiple case study was performed with both an experimental group and a control group. Participant observations and semi-directed interviews were conducted with each of the eight participants in order to describe their relationship with writing. The main contribution of this research project is that the researcher links a key concept in second language teaching, students’ literacy engagement, to their relationship with writing. Thus a new notion is proposed: the FSL students’ relationship with writing enhanced by literacy engagement (designated with the abbreviation “RÉ+” in French). Results confirm the relevance of this innovative approach which has an influence on the four dimensions of RÉ+: affective, praxeological, conceptual and axiological. The benefits of this approach are that students associate writing with positive feelings. Moreover, they adopt an analytical point of view on language learning, which leads to the development of metacognitive abilities. In essence, the effects on RÉ+ are different from those of traditional writing teaching practices, which, in comparison, seem unable to fully engage students emotionally and cognitively in writing tasks.
French as a second language Immigrant students with limited prior schooling High school Relationship with writing Literacy engagement Multilingual drama expression workshops Identity texts