Controversies in Second Language Writing: Dilemmas and Decisions in Second Language Writing

Controversies in Second Language Writing: Dilemmas and Decisions in Second Language Writing
by Christine Pearson Casanave

In my survey, there is a part which investigates teacher’s cognition about EFL writing instruction. The items contain scenarios of writing activities such as students’ grammar practices, multiple-draft writing, and writer-reader interaction. I construct all the questionnaire items from my reading, studying, and teaching experience. This book has confirmed my personal theory about how teacher think about writing. As a postgraduate student, it is necessary to review the literature to conform a sort of theoretical framework proposed by linguists and scholars. I learn to “keep in the track” of research discipline. Coming across this book is my luck that now I can refer to Casanave’s work about how teachers think a ‘good writing’ is.


Here are some parts of the book that I found highly related to my survey.

Beliefs and Practices in Writing Instruction In the context of your own teaching and L2 writing, how do you characterize “improvement” in writing?

Try to define what you believe each of the following improvement consist of, adding your own. Then rank order them from the most important (1) to least important at two different points in a class term, early and late.

Area
a. Importance (early)
b. Importance (later)
These are my answers
1. Increase in fluency = a
2. Increase in grammatical accuracy = b
3. Clearer expression of
personal involvement and voice = b
4. More detail and depth of content = a
5. More effective use of “expert”
writing processes = b
6. More confidence and motivation = a
7. Increased knowledge of genre
conventions of writing= b
8. Better ability to revise in response to teacher’s = a
7. Increased ability to self-edit = b


and my own beliefs

> Increased Awareness of readers’ expectation = b

> More writing for past time = a

> Using online resources to improve one's writing = a

Look at the following list of beliefs. Explain why you agree (A) or disagree (D) with them.

a. Adult (or child) L2 writing students benefit greatly from explicit instruction and feedback from a teacher. (A)

b. Adult (or child) L2 writing students improve primarily through a process of natural development that occurs as a result of practice. (A)

c. Teachers should provide L2 writing students with the kinds of feedback they want even if there is little evidence that it leads to improved writing. (D)

d. A fluency-first approach makes a lot of sense with beginning writers. (A)

e. L2 writing students can and should be taught particular writing processes and strategies. (D)
f. Personal and expressive writing, focusing on fluency and depth of expression, benefits and students, even in academic contexts. (A)
g. In school, L2 writing students should be taught the formal structures and conventions for the kinds of writing they will probably need, including explicit instruction in genre (A); time should not be wasted on other kinds of writing. (D)

h. Students’ writing and images of themselves as writers will improve if students become aware of the complex social nature of writing. (A)

i. Even if it does not reflect the complex realities of writing, L2 students improve most from a pattern-governed, “keep-it-simple” approach. (A)


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