Second Language Writing

This study examined writers' use of their first language (L1) while writing in their second language (L2). Twenty students each wrote four short argumentative essays in their L1 (Dutch) and four in their L2 (English) under think-aloud conditions. We analysed whether L1 use varied between writers and tasks, and whether it was related to general writing proficiency, L2 proficiency, and L2 text quality. The analysis focused on the occurrence of a number of conceptual activities, including Generating ideas, Planning, and Metacomments. Results indicate that all participants used their L1 while writing in their L2 to some extent, although this varied among conceptual activities. In addition, L2 proficiency was directly related to L2 text quality but was not related to the occurrence of conceptual activities either in L1 or L2. General writing proficiency, on the other hand, has a negative influence on L1 use during L2 writing and a positive effect on L2 use during L2 writing. L1 use during L2 writing is negatively related to L2 text quality, at least for Metacomments. Finally, L2 use appears to be positively related to L2 text quality for Goal setting, Generating ideas, and Structuring, but negatively related to L2 text quality for Self-instructions and Metacomments. The theoretical relevance of these findings is also discussed. # Earlier L2 writing research has shown that L2 writers use their first language (L1) while writing in L2, although the extent to which they do so clearly varies (see for example, . Studies to date have also found that adult writers use their L1 while writing in their L2 for a wide variety of purposes, such as planning (Studies which reported on L1 use, such as those above, were carried out for a number of different reasons and with varying research goals. First of all, some studies focused on comparisons of L1 and L2 writing (e.g., or on the extent to which writers transfer their L1 strategies to L2 writing (e.g., . These studies see L1 use as a strategy which writers employ during L2 writing, mainly in the form of translating from L1 to L2. This view is also shared by other studies, which have focused on the influence of learner characteristics such as writing expertise and L2 proficiency on L2 writing (e.g.

Supplementary materials, whether created by English language instructors themselves or borrowed from other resources, play a significant role in teaching writing to English language learners. In both cases, the development and/or selection process involves certain stages that challenge materials developers at different levels and with varying intensities. Research on writing instruction and SLW has extensively discussed strategies and techniques for materials development, but the difficulties that materials developers face during this process have not been given due consideration. This brief report provides an overview of the challenges and issues faced by material developers in second language writing courses and looks at these processes through the lens of language acquisition theory that adapts teaching strategies to meet the socio-cultural needs of the students. First, the article discusses the phases and stages of materials development. Then it describes the challenges and issues faced in writing materials development and how they manifest themselves in every day teaching and learning. Finally, the report suggests how to develop effective and relevant writing materials as well as strategies to modify them according to student and course needs.

The ability to write a successful conference abstract seems to be one barrier preventing new researchers from disseminating their research work in their particular disciplinary community. However, very few studies on how conference abstracts are structured have been conducted in order to help such novice researchers. This study, thus, aims to examine the rhetorical structure of conference abstracts in two TESOL conferences in Asia with the purpose of informing a particular group of new researchers in Asian settings about the actual practice of writing this particular genre. The findings from the open-ended questions and the move analysis of 137 abstracts indicated that there was a mismatch between these potential conference abstract writers’ knowledge and the actual composition of these conference abstracts. Besides the rhetorical structures of conference abstracts, this paper also provided some pedagogical suggestions on dealing with this mismatch.

With the globalization of technology, the notion of traditional literacy has been transformed into a new literacy practice, known as digital literacy, in which people simultaneously draw on different resources, or modes, to consume and produce information (including textual, visual, audio, and/or gestural modes). In this article, the authors introduce digital storytelling (DST), a form of a digital literacy practice that can empower EFL students to develop the necessary language and literacy skills to successfully communicate with other native and non-native English speakers across digital and non-digital platforms. Although DST seems to be a promising tool, the authors review existing literature to analyze the implications and limitations of DST tasks in the EFL context, and present three examples of DST activities that EFL educators can implement to foster the development of writing, speaking, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. In each task, the authors provide the reader with suggestions of other user-friendly technological tools that students can employ to produce compelling digital stories.