Coopérer pour apprendre la syntaxe écrite : recherche-action sur la phrase subordonnée relative en troisième secondaire
This research aims to document the learning of grade-nine students in writing situation following the testing of a didactic sequence based on cooperation. Given the large number of syntactic errors in the texts of secondary students as reported by the MELS (2012), our series of courses targets a syntactic structure, the relative clause. In addition to causing problems for learners of French regarding the choice of the relative pronoun in particular, the relative clause is a dense teaching object known for posing many challenges to French teachers according to the work of Groupe de recherche pour l’analyse du français enseigné (e.g. Dolz et Schneuwly, 2009a, 2009b). After describing the writing situation and the relative clause conceptually, we extricate principles from the fields of grammar didactics and writing didactics deemed relevant to foster the learning of the relative clause and the mobilization of grammatical knowledge in writing situation. An innovative principle for teaching is integrated, one based on cooperation. Developed in the field of cooperative learning, cooperation is an educational approach aimed at structuring work in small groups to establish a dynamic of positive interdependence (Johnson and Johnson, 2009) so as to induce the unfolding of verbal interactions between students shown to be more fruitful in terms of learning than those prevailing in the absence of cooperative framework (e.g. Krol et al., 2004). Following an action research approach conducted jointly with a teacher, the series of courses is designed and tested with 55 students from three grade-nine students classes of Montreal (Canada) in order to actualize the didactic principles extricated. Two instruments are used to document students’ learning. The text aims to document the evolution in the production of subordinate clauses, while metagraphic interviews are aiming at metalinguistic skills related to these relative clauses. The analysis of texts collected at pretest and post test (n = 107) shows a significant decrease of mistakes in the use of relative pronoun in the texts, and a significant increase in use of complex relative pronouns such as "dont" (whose) and "auquel" (which). Analysis of metagraphic interviews at pretest and post test (n = 34) shows that students rely more on syntactic criteria to explain their use of the relative pronoun, and they use significantly more metalanguage in their explanations. The results of this research highlight the interest of implementing in French class didactic principles used, and more specifically the innovative cooperation one in order to reduce the syntactic errors in the texts and to develop students’metalinguistic skills.
Grammar instruction Relative clause Written syntax Writing instruction Cooperation Secondary education Action research