Compared to other aspects of teaching language, second language writing is a relatively new field. However, it is one with still many unsettled issues. Of all the dilemmas in L2 writing pedagogy, perhaps the most important and most problematic is the issue of how we can facilitate improvement in our students writing ability (CPC p.94). Feedback is a key part of teaching second language writing with instructors spending an enormous amount of time and energy on providing written error feedback on EFL learners’ compositions. The value of providing error correction feedback is often not highly thought of, even though the practice is quiet widely practiced. Researcher Lee (2009) cites many researchers who view written response as frustrating (Ferris, et al.1997), gruelling and anxiety ridden (Stern and Solomon 2006) and tedious and unrewarding (Hyland 1990). Most teachers would not begrudge the effort if they feel that it helps improve students’ compency in writing. Due to the nature of written error correction it is a very labour intensive endeavour, which consumes a great deal of the teacher and student’s time and energy in and outside of the class. However, does written corrective feedback of L2 students’ compositions help develop their ability to improve writing and to develop in to autonomous self-editors of their own writing? The purpose of this literature review is to look at the cost-benefit of teacher response to errors in grammar in second language writing and come to a conclusion on the best approach.
Cost-benefit analysis is more commonly used in business circles, but I believe is appropriate in the analysis that follows. Teachers and learners alike are faced with many tough decisions in regard to the allocation of classr...
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...undefinability of these standards preclude the possibility of simply agreeing on a definition of good writing and teaching it once and for all, as we might follow a cake recipe.” (p.40 Leki) I whole heartily agree with Lei’s suggestion that we explicitly as possible explain what good writing is, but understand there is still so much that remains which is implicit and therefore difficult for students to use.
Also there is a need to consider that improvements in writing might be the result of other variables, for example in the students’ grammar class, or as a result of extensive/ intensive reading. As one researcher states their studies are critized for being to short term and if they take a longitudinal approach they are blamed for lack of control. It is generally agreed researching the effect of written error feedback on future writing assignment is problematic.
As the first semester of my sophomore year wraps up, I begin to realize that I have learned a lot in all of my classes. The class that I learned the most from has definitely been my English 111 course. This class have given me so many opportunities to improve my writing skills. With all of the success I’ve had in this class, I believe I will do just fine with writing later in my life.
However, their critical analysis of FYW and strong points for other teaching methods, one’s takeaway from the article is the question, “why even teach FYW”? It’s evident that content and context are the key points in academic writing, so why then do we even make the FYW a mandatory class? A student doesn’t need a semester to understand what content is, for some they already understand what it is, and for those who don’t they should still be able to learn it, in a week. The misconception of writing being universal is very true, but for a student to improve on one’s writing, the easiest solution is to have him or she participate in that discipline. In a realistic world, the more probable solution to most of the problems Down and Wardle bring up is eliminate the course and replace it with a class that allows a student to see and understand the writing in their field without the repercussion of grades. Thus students get more experience within their field and get to learn firsthand what academic writing in their discipline consist
I am more knowledgeable about invention, arrangement, style, and delivery, all in which create a masterful piece of text. A few examples, I have learned to organize and construct my thoughts and ideas clearer. I have been taught to use stronger transitions and focus more on the delivery and content of the body element of essays. Further, the instructions and advice I have received throughout this term have influenced my understanding of the purpose of writing. My outlook on writing has been modified by shifting my perception of writing from, writing to prove I am a good writer by perceiving it as using “fluffy” or BIG words to impress my audience. I grew to understanding that good writing’s purpose is to engage the writer by mind-striking ideas and arguments, which therefore will prove and title me as a “good writer”.
‘Helping students meet the challenges of academic writing’ by Fernsten and Reda is an interesting study how reflective writing practices can be useful for marginalized students, who are struggling with “negative writer self-identity. The possible causes according to Fernsten & Reda are, “issues such as race, class and gender that are marginalized factors for many basic writers”, in addition to the expectations of the dominant academic culture. However, even though Fernsten & Reda illuminated the ‘potential conflicts’ within the academic world, they have failed to provide conclusive evidence that supports their argument regarding their solution. Their reliance on dated research that provides a one sided historical perspective, may no longer accurately reflect current socio/economic issues. In addition, education has been evolving to an inclusive curriculum approach, as immigrated children enter the school system in record numbers. “Persons obtaining legal permanent status in the U.S from the year 2000-2010 are roughly eleven million” (Homeland Security,pg.10/2010). Fernsten & Reda’s confidence of their own limited teaching practices without legitimate comparables from an empirical study leads to their underlying assumptions about the true effectiveness of reflective writing strategies and the causes they believe are associated to a student’s socio/economic background.
The writing process is always taught as a set way of doing things when, in fact, it is a process that requires personal methods that work for each individual person. It is a necessary lesson to teach in school but there should not be so much emphasis on following the exact way that is taught. It is a contrived process that was probably created by a group of scholars who didn’t even follow these exact rules. If anything, they all did variations of the ideas and then met in the middle with what should be taught. I am in no way saying that the guidelines are wrong but they need to be exactly that, guidelines, instead of a rut that students get stuck in.
Being a new teacher of English, I find the assessment of compositions to be a concept I question and struggle with on a regular basis. Having consulted several colleagues, mentors, administrators, and fellow graduate students, I have come to the conclusion that there is no easy answer to this tedious yet ever important question. While there are many inlets and outlets to this dilemma, for the sake of time I will touch on only three. While all three are very different in terms of concepts, rituals, and conducts, they all come together to one common goal - helping students express themselves in terms of writing.
Most students learn effectively through both positive feedback and a boost in academic confidence, or through negative feedback and the chance to fix and improve your literacy mistakes. In my experiences, I have grown into the writer I am today due to both positive and negative feedback through the education system. Positive ways have made my writing skills feel validated in their worth, as well as created a desire to continue in striving for the best. Negative ways have helped my ideas and structure grow stronger, and also encouraged me to do better. Embracing my writing while truly believing it to be superior in fourth grade and accepting my sloppy writing skills while learning how to improve my mediocre papers in
Responding to student writing is rife with potential — potential to help students improve their writing, potential to encourage a writer to continue, and potential to make the student feel like a failure. The written text used to responding to student writing, the end notes, the marginalia, is hugely influential to student writing, but largely ignored. John Swales might identify this kind of text as an “occluded” genres—texts that are produced on a very regular basis in a composition class (including syllabus, assignment prompts, etc), but are largely ignored or viewed as inconsequential. The result of this kind of ignored text is that responses to student writing vary greatly and, when scrutinized, generally demonstrate very little substance and very little direction for the writer. In addition to ostensibly useful feedback such as guidance, praise, and corrections—comments that effectively lead students to improve their writing, the marginal comments also include negative and seemingly useless remarks ranging from non sequiturs to failure, meanness, and cruelty.
Grabe, W. & Kaplan, R.B. (1996) Theory and practice of writing Addison Wesley Longman Limited, Harlow, Essex, England. Martlew, M. (1983) The Psychology of Written Language, Developmental and Educational Perspectives, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, U.K. Protherough, R. (1983)
Before coming into English 1101, I was pretty confident in my grammar abilities. However, during the beginning of the semester, I failed to spot some simple grammar mistakes due to my carelessness which significantly hurt the essay’s legitimacy. I learned to spend more time editing my papers with more cautiousness of these errors. Peer editing other classmates’ paper helped me learn about my own mistakes, because I learned to spend more time on it, providing more insightful feedback. The peer review exhibit demonstrates my growth on finding these errors. After identifying the errors, I gave the author suggestions to how she could improve her
Writing is an important part of everyone’s life, whether we use it in school, in the workplace, as a hobby or in personal communication. It is important to have this skill because it helps us as writers to express feelings and thoughts to other people in a reasonably permanent form. Formal writing forms like essays, research papers, and articles stimulates critically thinking. This helps the writer to learn how to interpret the world around him/her in a meaningful way. In college, professors motivate students to write in a formal, coherent manner, without losing their own voice in the process. Improving your writing skills is important, in every English class that’s the main teaching point; to help students improve their writing skills. Throughout my college experience I have acknowledge that
Scholars from the Institute of Research on Learning at the University of Kansas (Schumacker & Deschler, 2009), writing about the demands of writing for students stated: “according to thei...
As a result, students may write too quickly without revising or considering their words [21][23]. This can lead to errors and less thoughtful writing [24].
Owston, R. D, Murphy, S, & Wideman, H. H, (1992). [pdf]. The Effect of Word Processing on Students’ Writing Quality and Revision Strategies. Research in the teaching of English, 26(3). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40171308
The purpose of writing goes hand in hand with the development of the writing. A student must understand about what he is being asked to write. He must be able to ...