Although peer interaction has received attention in second language (L2) collaborative writing (CW) research, the manner and quality of peer interaction have been less investigated. Previous studies usually examined peer interaction by looking at language-related episodes, overlooking the ways students negotiate for different types of knowledge…

The Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) recognizes campuses around the world as fundamentally multilingual spaces, in which students and faculty bring to the acts of writing and communication a rich array of linguistic and cultural resources that enrich academic life and should be valued and supported. The aim of this…

Özge Yol is a former composition instructor and ESL/EFL teacher. Currently a doctoral candidate in the Educational Theory and Practice program at Binghamton University, she describes a "write a letter to your friend" activity she designed using peer-feedback to facilitate student engagement through the use of guiding questions. The task…

This article reports on a pedagogical trial of teaching reporting verbs for source integration in a North American ESL (English as a second language) composition class. Source incorporation challenges many novice ESL writers in the academic context as they are unable to view writing as an interactional activity, which requires proper presentation…

This study reports on how the supplementation of online resources, informed by systemic functional linguistics (SFL), impacted English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) student writers' development of critical thinking skills. Through qualitative analyses of student-teacher interactions, interviews with students, and students' written documents, the…

Generation 1.5 students, foreign-born children of first-generation immigrants, complete some or most of their K-12 education in the United States. Their oral communicative competence may be advanced, but their academic language proficiency may still be underdeveloped when they enter college. In 2013, SB1720 made placement testing optional for most…

Evaluation is far from being a neutral process. In recent years, tests have commanded increasing influence, which in turn, has broad implications for both individuals and society (Crusan, 2010b). One purpose for testing--writing placement or "where to put students" (Yancey, 1999, p. 485)--has presented particular challenges, especially in writing…

This qualitative study examines the unique challenges of multilingual students (referred to in the study as "L2 students") in a first-year writing class at a large public U.S. university. Following a case-study approach, the experiences of three L2 students, three native English-speaking students (referred to in the study as "L1…

To attract and retain more students, colleges are increasingly attempting to maximize their academic offerings by including intensive classes. These abbreviated or condensed courses, which are typically available during the summer and sometimes during winter intersession, provide students with an opportunity to move quickly through required…

Undergraduate research paper has long been a tradition in US freshman composition programs, although whether the research paper should or can be taught in the English department continues to be debated. In many of the English departments in Taiwan, students are also required to compose a research paper for their composition class. However, there…

In an environment, in which English is a second or other language for every student, fear and anxiety affect students' learning and engagement. Yet, in spite of these concerns, students welcomed the chance to practice their spoken English in cooperative structures while learning about and engaging in their composing processes. English language…

Describes an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) freshman composition course in which students read a mystery novel, "The Alienist," and researched and wrote about its historical setting. Reactions to the course are described by the students, who were experiencing content-based instruction for the first time. Activities applicable to…