Second Language Writing

Second language (L2) writing is the act of expressing oneself in written form in a language other than one’s native tongue (L1). Learning to write in a new language is generally considered to be one of the most challenging aspects of second language acquisition (SLA). It may involve learning a new writing system and will certainly necessitate acquiring some grammatical knowledge and a basic vocabulary in the new language. Baseline literacy assumes L2 learners will achieve a minimally functional reading and writing ability in the L2. In today’s communicative environment, the ability to communicate through digital networks is dependent on those skills. However, the extent to which non-native speakers will be writing in formal or professional registers, with an accompanying need for grammatical accuracy and compositional coherence, will vary with individual contexts. The process of writing in a L2 has been a field of study in applied linguistics and in SLA theory since the middle of the 20th century. The focus has been predominantly on L2 writing in academic settings. In recent years, more interest and research has been directed at informal writing, particularly in online contexts. In formal L2 education, communicative language learning methodology long prioritized development of spoken over written modes of communication. That started to change toward the end of the 20th century, especially as digital environments became more prevalent. In terms of pedagogical practices, the emphasis in teaching L2 writing has traditionally been on achieving grammatical accuracy. However, that shifted under the influence of composition studies, with its focus on ideational and structural properties. That was accompanied by a transition from viewing writing as a product to seeing it as a process. An additional development in L2 writing instruction has been the increased use of models and attention paid to attributes of particular written genres. More recent research has analyzed the distinctive character of L2 writing compared to writing in one’s L1, highlighting cultural factors that influence L2 writers. That follows SLA research generally, which has transitioned from a primary focus on cognitive factors to a sociocultural perspective, in which writing is seen not just in the context of acquired language skills and cognitive faculties, but more broadly as a socially situated communicative act involving an intended reader. Most recently, particular attention is being paid to the incorporation of written texts with other media (multimodality), as well as the mixing of languages in online media (translanguaging).