The primary objective of this research was to examine the relationship between the employment of metacognitive writing strategies and the argumentative writing performance of Vietnamese students learning French. A sample of 81 students from the University of Foreign Languages, University of Da Nang, Vietnam, participated in the study. Data collection involved the use of the French Writing Strategies Questionnaire developed by Petrić & Czárl (2003) and a B2-level French argumentative writing test. Statistical analyses, performed using SPSS software, revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between the overall use of metacognitive writing strategies and writing performance. The intervention, grounded in the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) model, proved effective in enhancing students’ strategy use, elevating their levels from moderate to frequent. This increase in strategy application corresponded to improved post-test scores across all evaluation criteria, including content and language performance. Among the strategies, planning and revision were found to have the strongest relationship with students’ writing achievement. These findings align with prior research emphasising the benefits of strategy instruction in improving writing quality. However, the study also found that the correlation between strategy use and writing performance, while significant, was moderate. This suggests that strategy use, though influential, is not the sole determinant of success. Other factors, such as learner self-efficacy, motivation, and perceptions of strategy use, likely play a role in writing outcomes. Given these findings, the study recommends incorporating writing strategy instruction more extensively into language curricula. Flexible instructional models, such as the CALLA model, can provide opportunities for learners to revisit and apply strategies across various contexts, enhancing their effectiveness.

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