Writing as Language Learning

Abstract

How and why writing in an additional language (L2) can represent a site for language learning has been the focus of an important body of theoretical and empirical research. These studies have investigated the language‐learning potential that may result from the act of writing itself (in individual and collaborative conditions), as well as from the processing of written corrective feedback on one's own writing. They have also addressed these potential learning outcomes mainly in terms of (1) L2 writers' engagement in language learning processes, and (2) the expansion and consolidation of L2 knowledge. Finally, these studies have allowed for a number of implications to be extracted that can inform pedagogical decision making in TESOL settings.

The Effect of Unfocused Direct and Indirect Written Corrective Feedback on Rewritten Texts and New Texts: Looking into Feedback for Accuracy and Feedback for Acquisition

“…In any case, we would like to argue that research in this domain that pursues ecological validity has to be able to accommodate the outcomes of conducting research in real classrooms (which is where we would ultimately be interested to know more about any language-learning potential that may derive from writing and WCF) as compared to the strictures and controls required and expected in more experimentally controlled conditions of laboratory-type studies. This is, in effect, one of the more evident outcomes of the most recent disciplinary debate in this domain (Manchón, 2020).…”

“…All participants managed to produce a text within the word limits indicated. Additionally, this 50‐minute period allowed time both for data collection and for the participants’ task involvement and resulting problem‐solving behavior while composing in a real classroom environment, a time condition that has been posited to be closely linked to potential language‐learning outcomes of L2 writing and feedback processing (Bitchener & Storch, ; Manchón & Cerezo, ).…”

“…THIS ARTICLE SEEKS TO CONTRIBUTE TO the growing theoretical and empirical work on the manner in which writing and written corrective feedback (WCF) processing may contribute to improving writing skills and to language learning (see Bitchener & Storch, ; Manchón & Cerezo, , for overviews). This potential contribution is closely linked to two features of the study: its ecological validity and its focus on the efficacy of unfocused WCF on overall measures of accuracy as well as on distinct error types.…”