DlFFlCl LTES (DESAPPRE:\AYr~ Ex FRAN(AIS. teRIT Ali NIVEAU SHS DANS LA METROPOLE DE TAMALE

ABSTRACT

This study looks at some difficulties of learners in written French at the

SHS level in the Tamale Metropolis. The purpose was to find out the nature of

difficulties students have in French essay writing with regard to the use of

cohesive elements (anaphors and connectives) and syntactic structures.

The data collected as a basis for this study were through three instruments

namely, indepth interview for the teachers, questionnaire and essay writing test

for the students. The target group constituted SHS 3 students of five secondary

schools (Ghana Secondary School, Presbyterian Secondary School, St. Charles

Secondary School, Tamale Secondary School and Tamale Girls' Secondary

School) in the Tamale Metropolis where French is taught as a foreign language.

It was discovered from the study that students really have difficulties in

the areas previously mentioned. It was noticed in their written essays that they

used inappropriate anaphoric expressions and connectives which do not best

depict cohesive texts. As regards the syntactic structures, the study also showed

inadequate and erroneous use of different syntactic constructions which distort the

information structure of sentences. This results in incoherent texts.

It was therefore suggested that some elements of textual grammar should

be introduced in the teaching of essay writing at the SHS level. The concepts of

cohesion and syntax (which lead to thematic progression) should be thoroughly

learnt by students.

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