Several barriers hinder students from producing clear and impactful written work. Writing assignments are often given on an individual basis, similar to homework, and without any assistance. Students in a classroom context have access to both their classmates and the teacher while they are working in groups or pairs as part of their assignments.…

This article introduces a pedagogical intervention that includes a set of creative activities designed to improve the oral and written production of students in the English classroom, especially those who have shown a lack of interest or attention. It was observed that participants initially seemed careless about studying the language. Eventually…

This study investigates the benefits of collaborative writing tasks. Previous research from the perspective of the sociocultural theory of mind suggests that writing tasks completed in pairs offer learners an opportunity to collaborate in the solution of their language-related problems, co-construct new language knowledge, and produce…

The current study investigates the applications of the pinyin input system, a Chinese word processing method, for writing on Facebook in order to help CFL (Chinese as a foreign language) learners from two Irish universities to improve their handwriting in Chinese characters on paper. The data were collected from writing activities conducted over…

In this paper we report a case study of two first-year students at a university in Hong Kong doing the same writing assignment that required the use of sources. We explore the students' understanding of plagiarism, their strategies for composing, the similarity between their texts and source texts, and the lecturer's assessment of their work. The…

Languaging that second language (L2) learners engage in while producing and comprehending language is a major source of L2 learning [Swain, M., 2006. "Languaging, agency and collaboration in advanced language proficiency." In: Byrnes, H. (Ed.), "Advanced Language Learning: The Contribution of Halliday and Vygotsky." Continuun,…

The purpose of the conference presentation upon which this paper is inspired was to present an innovative approach to motivate students to write in a second language during a first-year Spanish class. Usually, students comply with writing exercises that convey basic thoughts, due to constrained vocabulary and limited knowledge of grammatical…

This study investigates whether L2 instruction on the Spanish aspectual system containing a recognition task of the learners' L1 (Dutch) aspectual system helps the learner to understand and interiorise the L2 system. Second year Dutch university students (N = 20) took part in the experiment. In weekly groups of two to four, the students received…

Presents an in-class writing exercise that is designed to stimulate creativity and promote sophistication of style in the advanced conversation and composition German language class. (GLR)

Provides several suggestions for introducing a note of humor into the French classroom while at the same time providing writing practice. Suggestions are based on primary source materials, such as newspaper ads, advice columns, graffiti, popular literature, crossword puzzles, etc. (AM)

Of all the language skills, writing is the most difficult challenge for language teachers because students have less experience with written expression. Stimulated by audio-visual materials throughout their lives, students are novices in the discipline of writing. Making writing an ongoing part of foreign language acquisition from the first day in…

For most English-as-a-Second-Language students, writing is the most difficult skill to master. By integrating writing within the daily routine of language learning, students become as comfortable with writing as they are with speaking and reading. This article presents practical examples for integrating writing within everyday K-12 classroom…

Presents nine tips for planning effective second-language writing lessons. Tips are based on three principles (writing is a means of communication, writing is a process, and eliciting oral or written production of foreign language varies according to the degree of guidance teachers give to students). The paper offers six sample writing lessons for…

This student workbook is a component of "Beginning Pashto," a set of materials (including a textbook, teacher's manual, tapescripts, and a glossary) that teaches the Pashto language. The workbook provides background information on Pashtun culture, discusses grammar, and includes information on individual vocabulary items. The workbook unit…

Three activities used with first-year French students are described: (1) drawing pictures by following directions which demonstrates knowledge of subjects and prepositions, (2) reading a poem in French and rewriting it in French prose, and (3) learning numbers through role-plays involving money. (PMJ)