<div>Since the 1990s, grammatical complexity is a topic that has received considerable attention in various fields of applied linguistics, such as English for academic purposes, second language acquisition, language testing, and second language writing (Bulté & Housen, 2012). Many scholars in applied linguistics have recently argued that grammatical complexity has primarily been represented by clausal features (e.g., subordinate clauses), and it is important to study grammatical complexity as a multidimensional construct based on both clausal features and phrasal features (Biber, Gray & Poonpon, 2011; Norris & Ortega, 2009). Thus, this dissertation is a corpus-based investigation on how the use of noun phrases is influenced by two situational characteristics of a university context: academic level and first- and second-English language background.</div><div><br></div><div>I built my corpus by extracting 200 essays from British Academic Written English Corpus, which represents academic writing of (1) undergraduate and graduate students and (2) L1 and L2 students. Noun phrase complexity was then operationalized to the 11 noun modifiers proposed in the hypothesized developmental index of writing complexity features in Biber, Gray and Poonpon (2011). The 11 noun modifiers were extracted from the corpus and counted for statistical analysis via a set of Python programs. With a Chi-square test followed by a residual analysis, I found that both academic level and first- and second-English language background influenced noun phrase complexity but in distinct ways. The influence of academic level is primarily associated with three phrasal modifiers (i.e., attributive adjectives, premodifying nouns, and appositive NPs) and two clausal modifiers (i.e., relative clauses and noun complement clauses). The undergraduate corpus includes more of the two clausal modifiers, whereas the graduate corpus has more of the three phrasal modifiers. This suggests that, in these 200 essays, graduate students tend to build more compressed NPs than undergraduate students. However, the influence of first- and second-English language background derives from a much broader range of noun modifiers, including eight noun modifiers (e.g., attributive adjectives, relative clauses, infinitive clauses). More diverse NP patterns with different noun modifiers are in the L1 corpus than in the L2 corpus. Surprisingly, the L2 corpus has more phrasal noun modifiers (i.e., attributive adjectives, premodifying nouns), which has been argued to indicate advanced levels of academic writing. A qualitative analysis on selected essays reveals that some cases of attributive adjectives and premodifying nouns are repeatedly used by L2 students to help content development in their writing. Overall, this dissertation adds an additional piece of evidence on the importance of noun phrase complexity in writing research.</div><div><br></div>

<p>Second language (L2) writing teaching and research in China have enjoyed a rich history and have had remarkable achievements. However, the extensive L2 writing literature created in China has not yet been analyzed comprehensively from theoretical, methodological, and philosophical perspectives. This research synthesis provides a metadisciplinary and historical analysis of empirical studies on L2 writing in China that were conducted over the past 40 years by concentrating on the theoretical, methodological, and philosophical aspects of this scholarship. This study was set out to answer three research questions: 1) what major theories have been used in L2 writing research in China, and what changes can be identified regarding theory usage; 2) what major methodologies and methods have been adopted in L2 writing research in China, and what changes can be identified regarding methodology usage; and 3) how do theoretical and methodological changes reflect the changes in the philosophical bases of L2 writing inquiry in China?</p> <p> The data in this study are 660 empirical research articles on L2 writing that were published in 15 top peer-reviewed applied linguistics journals in China from 1978 to 2017. Each article was read carefully by the researcher to identify its theory and methodology and was classified into one of the four categories, <i>Instruction</i>, <i>Writer</i>, <i>Text</i>, and <i>Assessment</i>, based on its primary research focus. Theory identification followed a data-driven thematic approach (Braun & Clarke, 2006), meaning that the researcher drew on exact information provided in each article as much as possible. Methodology identification framework was developed by adapting similar frameworks in the field (Hyland, 2016; Polio & Friedman, 2017). Disciplinary roots of the identified theories and research approaches of the collected studies were also identified and analyzed. All identified information was stored on a spreadsheet for reporting and analysis.</p> <p> Regarding theory usage, the results show that a wide range of theories have been used in empirical L2 writing studies in China. Over 40 theories were identified in each of the following three subject matter categories: <i>Instruction</i>, <i>Writer</i>, and <i>Text</i>; 15 theories were identified in <i>Assessment</i>. In <i>Writer</i> and <i>Assessment</i>, more theories with cognitive orientations were adopted. In <i>Instruction</i>, theories with social orientations outnumbered theories with cognitive and socio-cognitive orientations. In <i>Text</i>, functional orientations were more prominent. With regard to theoretical changes, there were signs indicating increase in socially-oriented and socio-cognitively-oriented theories in <i>Instruction</i> and <i>Writer</i>; however, the majority of the studies were conducted under the process-centered tradition. The methodology identification results reveal that three methodologies were adopted by empirical L2 writing studies in China: Experimentation, Textual Analysis, and Case Study. Experimentation was the most frequently adopted methodology in studies in <i>Instruction</i>, <i>Writer</i>, and <i>Assessment</i>. Textual Analysis was adopted the most in studies in <i>Text</i>. Overall, Writing Test, Written Text, Interview, and Survey were the most frequently used methods in all empirical L2 writing studies across subject matter categories. The results also show an underrepresented status of qualitative approaches in empirical L2 writing studies in China. No significant change was found regarding methodology/method adoption over time.</p> <p> Based on the results, I argue that empirical L2 writing research in China largely remains in the positivist paradigm, although there were signs indicating a potential positivist to relativist paradigm shift. I also argue that, considering the uniqueness of language studies, the meta-paradigmatic accommodation perspective seems to work better than the paradigm shift perspective in characterizing the developmental trajectory of L2 writing research in China. By implication, this study increases L2 writing researchers’ metadisciplinary awareness of the current theoretical, methodological, and philosophical status of empirical L2 writing research in China and provides research gatekeepers with concrete evidence for making better-informed decisions on actions toward greater disciplinary balance and integration.<a></a></p>

Doctorat en philosophie et lettres / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Thesis (M. A. (English Studies)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / This study evaluated the application of the ‘process approach’ to writing in secondary schools in Limpopo Province; The initial plan was to involve two rural and two urban schools. However, the urban schools did not cooperate as initially promised when preparations were made. It is for this reason that the sample was made up of two rural and two peri-urban schools. The study investigated English writing as a basic language skill that second language learners needed to acquire, in a process writing context. Related literature was reviewed to develop knowledge in the area of writing as a process. An exploratory research design was employed and a qualitative approach was followed to mainly collect in-depth data in a Grade 12 English language classroom. The Grade 12 learners and their teachers were interviewed and observed in their writing classrooms. The process that learners followed when engaged in writing an assigned essay was scrutinized in line with what is required by Curriculum and Assessment Policy Statement (CAPS) in order to confirm the teachers’ responses and the observations made during writing lessons. Thematic analysis was used for the data emanating from interview responses, an observation checklist and the learners’ essay marking rubric. The study revealed that the method of teaching writing and the learners’ writings resembled the process approach. This implies that teachers and learners implement process writing even though the teachers do so to a varying degree due to overcrowded classrooms and a lack of resources experienced more in rural schools than in the peri-urban ones

abstract: This qualitative study examines second language (L2) writing teachers’ identities. The study explores L2 writing teachers’ narrated identities (i.e., the teachers’ perceptions of themselves), enaction of these identities (i.e., students’ perceptions of those teachers; those teachers’ classroom behaviors), and identity enaction’s positive impacts on students. In order to investigate these issues, I conducted interviews with three L2 writing teachers of first-year composition in the United States (U.S.), along with student interviews and classroom observations. Findings showed that there were 10 narrated identities of these L2 writing teachers. All of these narrated identities were enacted except for one. The findings also indicated that there were positive impacts on students from enaction of these identities when that enaction involved certain teaching practices. Enaction of L2 writing teacher identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher paying attention to L2 writers’ needs, showing empathy toward L2 writers, and avoiding overemphasis on L2 writers’ language issues. Enaction of writing teacher identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher providing an enjoyable writing experience, focusing on content knowledge learning, and focusing on writing issues over language issues. Enaction of language teacher identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher providing language help. Enaction of freedom teacher identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher providing guided freedom. Enaction of American teacher identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher focusing on U.S. academic experience. Enaction of general teacher identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher displaying positive attitudes towards teaching in general. Enaction of individual coach identity had a positive impact when it involved the teacher providing individualized help. These findings suggest that L2 writing teachers can maintain positive L2 writing teaching practices. L2 writing teachers can make their teaching practices more informed by seeking out teaching resources and insights from various disciplines as pedagogical content experts in L2 writing. They can also teach L2 writers by addressing L2 writers’ needs with positive emotions, providing guided freedom and individualized help, and understanding L2 writers’ educational backgrounds. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation English 2020

Many young children appear to take delight in manipulating common elements of their environment, e.g., sticks, stones, and mud. Our ancestors also used these and other elements in order to play, explore,, and eventually create written language. In a print-laden society, young children are budding literates. Within a few years their abilities and skills evolve to the level it has taken the human species thousands of years to reach. Associated with the evolution of written language is related technology. Humans have evolved from cave art and literacy to computer art and literacy. Again, what has taken thousands of years to evolve for the species takes only a few years for today's children. Within the past ten years computers have become common literacy implements in American schools. An understanding of childrens' use of this machine is important to educators in general and educational leaders in particular. The purpose of this study was to investigate kindergarten students' use of a word processor: What developmental sequences related to print literacy reveal themselves as kindergarten children use a word processor? In what ways are these sequences the same or different than those identified by researchers studying young children's use of pencil and paper? What time commitments do children make at each stage of these developmental sequences? How do the physical attributes of the computer environment, screen color for example, influence children's behavior associated with word processing? A review of literature incorporated readings associated with research in human evolution of print literacy, literacy of technology, language and cognition plus recent research on writing and computers. A research design incorporating qualitative methods was created. Six subjects, representing a variety of backgrounds in a kindergarten class of 26 full day students, were observed for 20 weeks. For one hour each day, this kindergarten class attended a writing lab which contained eight learning centers. One of the learning centers consisted of six word processors networked to two printers. In addition to collecting student documents, both in paper and electronic form. subjects' behaviors were observed and recorded. Observational recordings were analyzed, collapsed into manageable data and re-analyzed. Subjects' evolution of writing was similar to children using pencil and paper. In addition, subject's literacy of technology evolved. Each subject displayed individual episodes of development and incorporated less mature behaviors with more mature behaviors as they evolved along their print literacy and literacy of technology continuums. It was observed that subjects intertwined print and technological behaviors and skills as they wrote with a word processor. Time relationships associated with the development of writing and environmental aspects of the word processor center did not appear important. Information Age etiquette evolved as students controlled their writing, a computer system. and worked with others. The inherent publicness of monitors contributed to meta-linguistics, sharing knowledge about technology, and problem solving among students. Young children are capable of writing with and manipulating a word processor. They are also capable of trying to solve problems of written language and computers. Educators will find that young children quickly learn Information Age tool etiquette.

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The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the potential of Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) pedagogy to support English language learners (ELLs) in enhancing their meaning making potential as they engage in persuasive writing practices within academic contexts. The dissertation results from a teacher action research project in which the teacher researcher (the author) constructed qualitative case studies focusing on the teaching practice of a veteran ESL teacher (the researcher) and the persuasive writing practices of three middle school beginning level ELLs. Through data analysis methods drawing on SFL and intertextuality, the study illuminates connections between the SFL based teaching practice and the expanding linguistic repertoire of ELLs as they enact the genre of persuasive argument in the context of producing persuasive music reviews. Research methods are qualitative in nature and designed to attend to both the sociocultural context of teaching and learning as well as a linguistic analysis of written texts. Through a qualitative case study approach focusing on the literacy practices of three emergent bilingual middle school students and the reflective teaching practices of their veteran ESL teacher, the teacher researcher highlights how SFL pedagogy created space for urban middle school ELLs to participate in high interest language learning activities designed to increase their control over the semiotic resources needed to construct persuasive texts. The subsequent SFL and genre analysis of students' texts analyzes changes in the schematic structure and register variables of student texts aims to explore the intertextual connections between these changes and the SFL pedagogical practices described in the study. Data derive from multiple sources including student texts, videotaped interactions among classroom community members, field notes, lesson plans and instructional materials. The study offers important new directions in language teaching and learning as it demonstrates how SFL-based pedagogy can draw on the cultural and linguistic resources of ELLs to create a culturally relevant (Ladson-Billings, 1995) and permeable curriculum (Dyson, 2003) that both challenges the conceptualization of ELLs as students with a "deficit" and repositions them as skillful language users and text analysts.

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