Recent years have seen a growing interest in the relationship between second language (L2) writing development and the ways we can help growing populations of L2 writers successfully integrate within academic communities. Much of this interest stems from increasingly diverse local populations and the continued internationalization of higher education. This dissertation explored the implications for curriculum resulting from this growing presence of L2 writers in academic content areas. To achieve this goal, this research reports on an eight-month longitudinal ethnographic case study of five international Japanese undergraduate students at a large Canadian university. Focusing on the central role of writing in university courses as the dominant mode of knowledge construction and dissemination, as well as student assessment, the study documents focal students’ and focal instructors’ perspectives of the various factors affecting their writing in ‘regular’ content courses, with particular attention paid to the impact of feedback practices and their role in both the short-term and long-term development of students’ skills and their investments in different types of writing. Drawing on a language socialization framework, data analysis focused on expectations and practices with respect to feedback, and explored the impact of these practices on conveying both explicit and implicit norms linked to students’ access to, and successful participation in, their chosen content areas. Drawing on both students’ and instructors’ perspectives of this literacy event and discourse analysis of relevant documents, findings offer unique insights into the role of feedback practices not only for students’ writing development but also in indexing complex negotiations of positions, identities, and institutional forces. The dissertation concludes by highlighting the need to play closer attention to the multidimensional functions of feedback practices in order to understand their power to shape the socialization trajectories of L2 writers and universities’ responses to multilingual students who no longer fit traditional profiles. / Education, Faculty of / Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of / Graduate

The overall aim of the present study is to develop knowledge of Swedish students’ writing in English, and how teaching of a specific kind of writing can be designed and enacted. The study focuses on what the students need to discern in order to develop a more differentiated knowledge of how to adapt a message to an unknown receiver—in this case a message for a person at a hotel. The research question addressed is how aspects of text and receiver can be varied and explored by teachers and students jointly in order to expand the students’ capability to adapt a text to an unknown receiver. The study is based on transcribed lesson data from a learning study, which is a research approach where teachers and researchers work together in an iterative process to understand and improve teaching and learning of a specific object of learning. The research question was explored in five cycles with five different groups. Thirty-four Swedish students, 14–16 years of age, from a special school for students with dyslexia and neuropsychiatric disorders, participated in the study. The theoretical framework of the study was variation theory. A basic assumption of variation theory is that, in order to develop a certain piece of knowledge, it is critical to discern some particular aspects of that knowledge. To enable the discernment of such aspects, they must be made discernible by means of variation. The results show that a short message, used as an example, needs to be deconstructed into its aspects. Once the students had discerned the concept of the receiver, they started to contrast ways to express the same content for known and unknown receivers. With the help of the concept of the receiver, the students explored the aspects amount of information, politeness, and formality together with the teachers. Each aspect needed to be focused on separately but within the framing whole of the specific context, that is, writing a message to a hotel. The findings also show that certain aspects on the macro-level were possible to discern when two texts were compared, whereas other aspects on the micro-level, such as modal verbs, had to be varied against the background of an invariant clause in order for the students to discern them.

<p>Although L2W practice has been present in China for a long time, limited existing research has investigated its origin and development. My study aims at reviewing and synthesizing L2W articles published in major linguistic/foreign language journals in the People’s Republic of China in the past seven decades (1949-2018). By collecting and analyzing the 1,340 articles, I identified four developmental periods in China’s L2W history, nine major topics covered in the scholarship. Features in research methods and article contexts are also discussed. I conclude that L2W in China emerged from the pedagogical practices and that its development has been heavily influenced by the country’s social and political movements. After seventy years of development, L2W in China has become a promising field of study with an increased number of journals articles, investigating diverse topics related to L2W, with various research methods, in rich contexts.</p>

This phenomenological study examines Saudi students’ perceptions of writing difficulties in U.S. universities as they have experiencing EFL and ESL contexts. The reason for focusing on Saudi students as participants is to limit linguistic, educational, cultural, and social factors that may affect the findings. The participants are seven Saudi graduate students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIUC). Interview is used as a research instrument to provide a space for each participant to recall as many memories and perceptions as possible in order to manifest comprehensive presentations of their experiences in the Saudi and U.S. contexts. The two research goals are: (1) exploring the similarities and differences between the two contexts based on the participants’ perceptions; and (2) identifying potential effects of these similarities and differences on the participants’ writing during graduate studies in the U.S. Participants’ perceptions focus on the differences between the Saudi and U.S. contexts, rather than similarities, and their comparisons of the two contexts are discussed based on eight key factors: student’s role, students’ expectations, teacher’s role, relationship with instructors, writing process, feedback and grading, off-campus social life, and educational policies. The potential effects of these differences on Saudi students’ writing in the U.S. context are classified into three domains: educational procedures and academic standards; pedagogies; and writing processes. I conclude this study by offering recommendations for U.S. professors and instructors who may teach Saudi students and future Saudi students who plan to come to the U.S. universities.

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Ho Chi-ho. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 150-155). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.i / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / Chapter CHAPTER 1: --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Introduction of the Process Approach: An Innovation in Writing Instruction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Introduction of Peer Response: A Crucial Element of the Process Approach --- p.4 / Chapter CHAPTER 2: --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- Benefits of Peer Response --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Problems of Peer Response --- p.10 / Chapter 2.3 --- Teachers' and/or Students' Perceptions of Peer Response --- p.11 / Chapter 2.4 --- Comparison of Teacher Response with Peer Response --- p.14 / Chapter 2.5 --- """Product"" of Peer Response: Its Effectiveness on Students' Revisions of Their Drafts" --- p.16 / Chapter 2.6 --- """Process"" of Peer Response: The Implementation Process" --- p.17 / Chapter 2.7 --- Other Aspects of Peer Response --- p.18 / Chapter CHAPTER 3: --- METHODOLOGY --- p.21 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research Questions --- p.21 / Chapter 3.2 --- Research Approach --- p.21 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research Participants --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Profile of the Participants --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Knowledge and Experience of Process Writing and Peer Response of the Participants --- p.25 / Chapter 3.4 --- Research Instruments --- p.26 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Semi-structured Interviews (With the Participating Teachers) --- p.27 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Classroom Observations --- p.27 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Researcher-teacher Meetings --- p.28 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Questionnaire Survey (With the Participating Students) --- p.29 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Researcher-student Meetings --- p.29 / Chapter 3.5 --- Research Procedures --- p.30 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Stage 1: Teacher Training --- p.31 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Stage 2: Student Training --- p.32 / Chapter 3.5.3 --- Stage 3: Data Collection --- p.32 / Chapter 3.6 --- The English Lessons and Writing Classes --- p.33 / Chapter CHAPTER 4: --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS --- p.35 / Chapter 4.1 --- Challenges Faced by the Participating Teachers throughout the Implementation of Peer Response --- p.36 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Challenges Faced by All the Teachers (Common Challenges) --- p.36 / Chapter 4.1.1.1 --- A Lack of Time to Implement Peer Response in Class --- p.36 / Chapter 4.1.1.2 --- An Increase in Workload Due to Preparation and Follow-up Work --- p.44 / Chapter 4.1.1.3 --- A Heavy Demand on Students --- p.50 / Chapter 4.1.1.4 --- A Lack of Confidence to Implement Peer Response --- p.53 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Challenges Faced by Individual Teachers (Individual Challenges) --- p.55 / Chapter 4.1.2.1 --- Impact of the Traditional Writing Instruction and Assessment Method --- p.56 / Chapter 4.1.2.2 --- Students' Low English Proficiency --- p.58 / Chapter 4.1.2.3 --- Students' Tendency to Focus on Language throughout the Process --- p.60 / Chapter 4.2 --- Challenges Faced by the Participating Students throughout the Experience of Peer Response --- p.67 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Challenges Faced by the Majority of Students (Common Challenges) --- p.67 / Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- A Lack of Time to Complete the Peer Response Tasks --- p.67 / Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- A Lack of Opportunities to Discuss Responses with Peers --- p.72 / Chapter 4.2.1.3 --- A Lack of Confidence in Giving Responses and Incorporating Peers' Responses --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Challenges Faced by Individual or Individual Groups of Students (Individual Challenges) --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- Impact of the Traditional Writing Instruction and Assessment Method --- p.80 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Impact of Traditional Chinese Culture --- p.82 / Chapter 4.3 --- Attitudes of the Participating Teachers toward Peer Response before and after the Implementation --- p.84 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Attitudes toward the Preparation of Peer Response --- p.85 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Attitudes toward the Preparation of Peer Response Materials and Tasks --- p.85 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- Attitudes toward Student Training --- p.90 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Attitudes toward the Implementation of Peer Response in the Classroom --- p.94 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Attitudes toward Language Use --- p.94 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Attitudes toward Time Management --- p.97 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Attitudes toward the Follow-up Work of Peer Response --- p.100 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Attitudes toward Peer Response As a Whole --- p.102 / Chapter 4.3.4.1 --- Attitudes toward the Idea of Peer Response --- p.103 / Chapter 4.3.4.2 --- Attitudes toward the Applicability of Peer Response --- p.105 / Chapter 4.4 --- Attitudes of the Participating Students toward Peer Response after Their First Experience and after They Have Experienced It for One and a Half School Terms --- p.115 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Attitudes toward Reading Peers' Compositions --- p.115 / Chapter 4.4.1.1 --- Attitudes toward the Degree of Enjoyment When Reading Peers' Compositions --- p.115 / Chapter 4.4.1.2 --- Attitudes toward the Degree of Understanding of Peers' Compositions --- p.118 / Chapter 4.4.1.3 --- Attitudes toward the Benefits of Reading Peers' Compositions --- p.120 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Attitudes toward Giving Responses to Peers' Compositions --- p.121 / Chapter 4.4.2.1 --- Attitudes toward the Degree of Enjoyment When Giving Responses to Peers' Compositions --- p.122 / Chapter 4.4.2.2 --- Attitudes toward the Degree of Comfort and Confidence When Giving Responses to Peers' Compositions --- p.123 / Chapter 4.4.2.3 --- Attitudes toward the Benefits of Giving Responses to Peers' Compositions --- p.125 / Chapter 4.4.3 --- Attitudes toward Reading Peers' Responses --- p.126 / Chapter 4.4.3.1 --- Attitudes toward the Degree of Enjoyment When Reading Peers' Responses --- p.127 / Chapter 4.4.3.2 --- Attitudes toward the Degree of Understanding of Peers' Responses --- p.127 / Chapter 4.4.3.3 --- Attitudes toward the Reliability of Peers' Responses --- p.128 / Chapter 4.4.4 --- Attitudes toward Peer Response As a Whole --- p.131 / Chapter 4.4.4.1 --- Attitudes toward Their Seriousness throughout the Peer Response Process --- p.131 / Chapter 4.4.4.2 --- Attitudes toward the Benefits of Peer Response --- p.132 / Chapter 4.4.4.3 --- Attitudes toward Their Willingness to Have Peer Responsein Future --- p.133 / Chapter CHAPTER 5: --- CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS --- p.136 / Chapter 5.1 --- Conclusions --- p.136 / Chapter 5.2 --- Implications --- p.137 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Pedagogical Implications --- p.138 / Chapter 5.2.1.1 --- Maintain a Balance between Theoretical and Practical Emphases during Teacher Training and Student Training --- p.138 / Chapter 5.2.1.2 --- Provide Students with Specific Instructions and Demonstrations --- p.139 / Chapter 5.2.1.3 --- Establish a Strong Linkage between Peer Response and Prewriting Activities --- p.140 / Chapter 5.2.1.4 --- Implement Peer Response Flexibly --- p.141 / Chapter 5.2.1.5 --- Consider the Multiple and Long-term Benefits of Peer Response --- p.144 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Research Implications --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.2.1 --- Limitations of This Study --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.2.1.1 --- Uneven Input Received by the Three Teachers from the Researcher --- p.145 / Chapter 5.2.2.1.2 --- Slightly Short Data Collection Period --- p.146 / Chapter 5.2.2.1.3 --- Lack of a Pilot Study --- p.146 / Chapter 5.2.2.1.4 --- Similar/Identical Teaching Context of the Participating Teachers --- p.147 / Chapter 5.2.2.2 --- Suggestions for Future Research --- p.147 / REFERENCES --- p.150 / APPENDICES / Appendix A: Questions for Pre-study Interviews with Teachers --- p.156 / Appendix B: Classroom Observation Guide --- p.157 / Appendix C: Questions for Researcher-teacher Meetings --- p.160 / Appendix D1: Questionnaire (How do you feel after your first experience of peer response?) --- p.162 / Appendix D2: Questionnaire (How do you feel after experiencing peer response for one and a half school terms?) --- p.165 / Appendix E: Questions for Researcher-student Meetings --- p.168 / Appendix F: Guidelines concerning the Time Allocation of the Teaching of Each Composition (Provided by the English Department of the school) --- p.170 / Appendix G1: Sample Peer Response Sheet (For Composition 1) --- p.171 / Appendix G2: Sample Peer Response Sheet (For Composition 2) --- p.172 / Appendix G3: Sample Peer Response Sheet (For Composition 3) --- p.173

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Bibliography: leaves 146-159. / xviii, 165 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Studies the potential problems of off-line recognition of Persian and Arabic handwritten texts. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1997

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