Development of 
Second-language Writing

Jill Kerper Mora, Ed.D.
San Diego State University  

7/27/98

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Additional Resources:

Click here for a module with writing frameworks for Guided Writing in L2 Classrooms.

Click here for a step by step lesson procedure for Guided Story Construction for L2 Learners.

 

Examining the Issues in Second-language Writing: Challenges, Questions, Implications

Writing and second-language proficiency

What is the relationship between English language learners’ proficiency in English and their writing abilities in English? What are the constraints on writing imposed by a lack of full English proficiency? Are poor writing skills due to lack of English proficiency? Do students writing abilities improve as their language proficiency improves? At what point does writing proficiency “catch up” with oral language proficiency in English? What are reasonable expectations for writing performance among L2 learners? How should teachers organize instruction to promote development of writing abilities for L2 learners?

Cross-linguistic transfer of writing skills from the L1 to L2

If a student is a proficient writer in his or her native language, will these skills and processes transfer to their writing in English? Doesn’t knowledge of spelling in a student’s native language interfere with his or her ability to spell in English? Don’t students get confused if they are bilingual writers? What happens when the writing system for the student’s native language is simpler than the English system? What happens when the L1 writing system is more complex or vastly different, such as the Chinese writing system that is ideographic or logographic? Do L2 students translate from their L1 as they write?

Cultural rhetorical styles and composition

What are the similarities and differences between monolingual English speakers’ writing and the writing of bilingual learners? Are there global cognitive strategies in writing that L2 writers must learn? Are there peculiarities to English writing that L2 writers must be taught explicitly?  What are the differences in rhetorical style or register in L2 students’ native language that help or hinder their writing in English? Does it require more effort and perseverance for L2 writers to produce in writing? What processes are more difficult for them?

 Assessment of L2 writing

Are there research-based criteria and rubrics for evaluating the writing product of L2 writers? What are the important characteristics or features to look for over time to determine whether L2 students are developing at an appropriate pace in their writing abilities? What can we learn from examining L2 students’ writing about their overall language and literacy development?

Second-Language Writing: A Brief Bibliography

Jill Kerper Mora, Ed.D.

Bernhardt, E.B. (1991). Reading Development in a Second Language. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing.

Bromley, K. (1995, Spring). Buddy journals for the ESL and native-English-speaking students. TESOL Journal, 7-11.

Edelsky, C. (1993). Writing in a bilingual program.: Había una vez. Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Education Department of Western Australia. (1994).  First Steps: Writing Developmental Continuum. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann

Education Department of Western Australia. (1994).  First Steps: Writing Resource Book. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fearn, L. & Farnan, N. (2001). Interactions: Teaching writing and the language arts. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

Ferris, D.  & Hedgecock, J.S. (1998). Teaching ESL composition: Purpose, process, and practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Fitzgerald, J. (1994). Crossing boundaries: What do second-language-learning theories say to reading and writing teachers of English-as-a-second-language learners?  Reading Horizons, 34 (4), 339-355.

Freeman, Y.S., & Freeman, D.E. (1997). Teaching reading and writing in Spanish in the bilingual classroom. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Hudelson, S. (1986). ESL children’s writing: What we’ve learned, what we’re learning. In P. Rigg & S. Enright (Eds.). Children and ESL: Integrating perspectives (pp. 25-54). Washington, D.C.: TESOL.

Jacobs, H.L, Zinkgraf, S.A., Wormuth, D.R., Hartfiel, v.F., & Hughey, J.B. (1981). Testing ESL composition: A practical approach. Rowley, MA: Newbury House.

Koda, K. (1997). Orthographic knowledge in L2 lexical processing: A cross-linguistic perspective. In Coady, J. & T. Huckin (Eds.). Second language vocabulary acquisition (pp. 35-52). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Krashen, S. D. (1984). Writing: Research, theory and applications. Oxford: Pergamon Institute of English.

Kroll, B. (1990). Second language writing: Research insights for the classroom. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Leki, I. (1992). Understanding ESL writers: A guide for teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Peregoy, S.F., & Boyle, O. F. (1997). Reading, writing, and learning in ESL. New York: Longman.

Thonis, E. (1983). The English-Spanish connection. Compton, CA: Santillana.

Tompkins, G. E. (2000). Teaching writing: Balancing process and product. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

Urzua, C. (1987). “You stopped too soon.”: Second language children composing and revising. TESOL Quarterly, 21, 279-304.

This page was last updated on 07/19/07