Discussion questions--Matsuda et al-Ch 11 & 12

Chapter 11


Deborah says, “my L1 colleagues had been somewhat more supportive of the inclusion second language writers in DSP than many of my L2 collegues” (p. 212). The L2 colleagues argue that DSP is an inappropriate tool for L2 students for some reasons (p. 211)? Do you agree/disagree with the L2 collegues beliefs?

The author addresses a number of advantages toward using online directed self-placement as a useful instrument for both L1 and L2 students. What are other benefits and potential limits that you can imagine?



Chapter 12

All of us have experienced several times of writing exams (e.g. University Entrance Exam in your country, TOEFL, GRE). From your experience, do you think the writing exams can provide positive washback or/and negative washback?

How do you think of the statement of “teaching to the test”? If you are a member of the test designers, what are important factors that you will consider when designing a writing test?

The author presents the dilemmas (p. 236) after the Georgia State Test of English Proficiency (GSTEP) is conducted for years. What can the administrators and teachers do to balance the potential problems?

Reflection of Hirvela's article in Chapter 5

In Hirvela’s article of Chapter 5, she presented several models of reading-writing connections pedagogy. What impresses me is the computer-mediated model. Recently, out of the trend of globalization, there has been an upsurge of English instruction through technologies and the computer-assisted language learning is implemented in the ESL/EFL learning intensively. Many scholars start to investigate how the technologies would enhance or support students’ acquisition of English learning, explain the difficulties and problems, try to search for the potential solutions. Like blog, facebook, youtube, and second life, these studies related to the technologies are discussed gradually.


As Leu (2000) mentioned, teachers and students are forced to adapt to the new notion of electronic literacy (Hirvela, 2007, p 142). In the semester, my instructor employs the blog in one of my course, “Second language literacy”. We post our reflection/journal for each week, and peers are able to response to others. Sometimes, others opinions will inspire me to think from different angles. The asynchronous ways of learning facilitate our reading and writing habits. I cannot ignore that the technology advances my English abilities in reading and writing. However, sometimes, I do not think it is the best way to advance my learning. Although we can read the electronic texts on the internet, I am still accustomed to reading through print texts. When I search for some readable articles from the database or acquire any files, most of time, I print out these articles. I can read them, and take notes around the margin. That is what I should consider which would be the better approaches to advance students’ learning and teachers’ instruction.

Reflection of writing to read

After I read the Chapter three “writing to read”, the text guides to discover another ideas that I never think of before. In my mind, I believe that “listening” and “reading” are the ways of input, and “speaking” and “writing” are the ways of output. Through listening and reading, we can develop our capacity in speaking and writing gradually. Without seeds, how can we produce crops? However, it is not the absolute process.


Hirvela decribes his experience about preparation for writing books as an example of writing to read. He said, “while reading or reviewing the literature,…wrote notes about potential ways of categorizing ideas concerning writing to read, …drafted and redrafted outlines…. As the writing took place, my reading (and rereading) became more focused.”

From his experience, let me think of the process of writing my papers. Before I start to write my paper, I would read articles. Through reading, I can set up my basic frame for my paper. Sometimes, I do not figure out some explanations or theories in one article, and I will find out the related articles. Then, I can clearly understand the authors’ viewpoints. Because of writing, it may inspire me to think deeply and stimulate me to keep reading. As Holden claims, “using writing to probe what they have read so as to lend clear shape to the reading.” It is the similar statements as Vacca, Vacca, and Gove (1991) presented their points of writing to read that “writing is intended to read.”

reflection--reading and writing connections in second language

Grabe and Kaplan (1996) claimed that “reading and writing are reciprocal activities; the outcome of a reading activity can serve as input for writing, and writing can lead a student to further reading resource.”


I recalled that I took the course “Journalism Reading and Writing” in my university. During the class, what we should do is to complete our own newsletters. First, my instructor guided us to know how to write news. He shared with us some English newspapers, like “Taipei Times”, “China Post”, and “Taiwan News”. Thus, we understand the format, writing styles (genre), structures, word usages, and etc. After few weeks later, we started to work on our newsletters. We played as reports and editors as well. Before we handed in our work, we would review peers’ articles, and revise them. During the class, we shared our newsletters with other groups. We could appreciate others’ works, exchange our ideas, and learn from others.

Thus, I perceive that “reading and writing are acts of composing”(Hirvela, p 9) and “reading as a social process”(Bloom). Through the interaction between students and students, and a teacher and students, we build up the knowledge about how to complete our newsletters. Reading newspapers and other groups’ newsletters are important factors to improve our capacities in writing and editing. Reading and writing can be separated during the process of completing our works. Reading is the nutrient for me to write, and writing will foster me to keep reading and to learn from models.

Discussion questions--Johns' and Tardy's article (Genre theory)

Discussion questions:

◎Johns, A. (2003). Genre and ESL/EFL Composition Instruction (p. 195-217). In B. Kroll (2003) Exploring Dynamics of Second Language Writing


<1> Do you think that using textual modeling (books, student-written models) as strategy will build their genre and rhetoric knowledge, or hinder their understanding of genre? What’s your opinion? (p 84, 85, 89, & 90)

<2> Do you think the prior experience will inhibit or facilitate students’ learning? (p 83) What’s your opinion?

<3> In Tardy’s research, she outlined tentative distinctions between L1 and L2 writers, including both similarities and differences (p. 95). What do you think the constraints the L2 writer may encounter? (From your experience as a L2 writing teacher or a writer )



◎Tardy, C. (2006). Researching First and Second Language Genre Learning: A Composition Review and a Look Ahead. Journal of Second Language Writing (p. 79-101).


<4> John stated that ‘experts argue that we must think of “genre” as a concept that is both cultural and cognitive’? Do you agree with the idea? Why?

<5> John illustrated some significant core principles. (p 211) Please classify these principles into the three approaches, the Sydney School, English for specific purpose, and the New Rhetoric. Or how will you implement the approach(es) in the writing courses?

Discussion questions:Ann Johns' and Linda Harklau's articles (the issues about bilingualism, 1.5 generation)

Discussion questions:


1. From the good kids to the worst: Representation of English language learners across educational settings. (Linda Harklau)

<1>What does “representation” mean in the educational settings?

<2>What are student images changing from the “good kids” (urban U.S. secondary school) to the “worst” (community college ESOL program)? How do students react through the process of representation? How do teachers’/ instructors’ response to students’ performance?

<3>Harklau points out that power figures prominently in the exercise of representation (p 40). Do you agree with the idea?

<4> Do you think the representions shaped by teachers or educational institutions will influence students’ behavior and academic achievement?

2. Opening our doors: Applying Socioliterate Approaches (SA) to language minority classrooms. (Ann M, Johns)


<5>What are characteristics of Socioliterate Approaches (SA)? Why do John argue that SA is better than expressivist and personal identity approaches?

<6>John outlines some specific goals (p287~289) for socioliterate classroom. Do you think these goals will be beneficial to the language minority students? What is your opinion?

Reflection--Second language writing support in college

As Ryuko Kubota and Kimberly Abels stated, the UNC committee reported the potential assistance should the academic support and non-academic support. (p 80 & 81) As the international students, before entering in the American universities, all of the applicants should provide TOEFL scores to prove their English proficiency. Even though most of the students possess certain English abilities to listen, to speak, to read, to write, these abilities would be insufficient for them to live in here. The cultural assimilation is also important, and thus during the time, the non-academic support is needed.


Also, as Ryuko and Kimberly mentioned that "international students are expected to know English on their own, while American students are to learn another language and culture in an environment equipped with specialized instruction and resources" (p.85) From these, I wonder why the institution adopts "double standards". Why should the institution believe that the international students have reached certain English capacity? If they perceive the difficulties the American students may encounter in a different culture, why shouldn't they consider the L2 learners may face the same problems? If doing so, I think the institutions will offer appropriate support for the L2 learners.

Reflection of second language literacy in profession

What is academic literacy? George Braine defined that, as graduate students, not only need to build interactive relationships, to develop effective research strategies and good writing skills, and to adapt to the linguistic and social milieu of their host environment as well. (p 60)


As an EFL graduate student, I have to be acclimatized to the new cultural, and to struggle for completing the requirements that professors assign. Although I feel stressful and frustrated, I think it is the process to be a scholar/researcher in composition and TESOL field.

In “Institutional Politics in the Teaching of Advanced Academic Writing”, the article attracts my attention. In the part of “placement and course design”, students’ responses were diametrically opposed from what Christ’ suppose that “students would feel that a disciplinary-specific course might better address their needs”. (p 267) I think the opposite methods may bring its advantages to these students. As students considered that they benefit from their peers with their fields’ practices and conventions. On the other hand, if the disciplinary-specific course is implemented in ESL course, students may learn a lot through the academic discourse, and may lessen their pressure when they return their specialized program. However, I think the administrative difficulties still exist, such as the financial support, and specialized instructors. Moreover, I think “the credit and grading” is also a factor to motivate students if they should spare more time on their ESL course. As for most of students, they would study hard for credits and higher grades. Nevertheless, if there is no such restraint, would student progress in their studies? Before this, the teaching goals should set up first. What teachers should teach their students? How the ESL courses improve their English capacity? What do teachers would assist their students, such as cultural accommodation, or academic writing mastery? How do teachers advance their “academic literacy”? These should be taken into consideration. If teachers put too much pressure on students, would students improve their English proficiency, and even present better performance in their specialization?

Reflection of interaction and plagiarism

Reading and writing are interconnected. Readers read articles written by the known or unknown writers, and writers’ works are waiting to be read. The social interaction cannot be avoided.


With the time changing, the awareness of “human resources” appears, especially in the western countries. The issues of “plagiarism” ,“ownership of words”, and “textual borrowing” are becoming more and more important in the academia.

I must acknowledge that I receive information or acquire knowledge from others’ ideas. We cannot inevitably adopt someone’s conception in our works. However, how do we define the intentional and unintentional plagiarism, and clarify the boundary between plagiarism and non plagiarism?

As for the some of the non-western countries, they do not think “plagiarism” is a serious issue except in the academic field. “ When I was in the university, I never heard of that “plagiarism” would cause crime. Many students were accustomed to “cutting and pasting” from the electronic text, and did not prove if the information or data were accurate. So, as instructors, no matter who are L1 or L2 writing teacher, they should help students perceive the issue in their learning process, and guide them how to employ other useful ideas in their writing without plagiarizing as well .

Reflection--Voice and Indentiy in L2 writing

What is the voice? I do think it interconnects with the cultural values. What we think, what we say, and what we write are often influenced by the cultural context.
The terms of “voice”, “process writing”, “peer review”, “critical thinking”, and “plagiarism” originated from what we call the “western”. It is also the products of individualism. It would be difficult to convey the views which are rooting in the western culture to the ESL/EFL learners. In Japan, and Taiwan, people preserve the viewpoints--”interdependence” and “conformity”.
What I am impressed is the description in Ramanathan and Atkinson’s article. A Chinese EFL student pointed out that she has to “create a new self”, and to transfer her “old identity” to “new identity”. (p.56) That is because when she wrote the article, she must write it from the western perspective. “Old sage” or “Others’ sentences” in the writing is not perfect. The writing teachers expect their students would write the personal voice, instead of others. The diverse ways of writing are needed the ESL/EFL learners taking time to understand the differences.
However, I do not think it is a simple task for these students from the diverse cultural background other than western culture to accommodate the ways of writing. School education, and social custom, and thinking were cultivated since we were born.

Reflection on Contrastive Rhetoric/Intercultural Rhetoric

Contrastive Rhetoric research was started by Robert Kaplan. Through the arguments and debates for years, although some questions were left to be answered, I believe these statements would bring us to think of the ESL/EFL writing issues from diverse angles.


Here are some questions for me to consider.

Casanave points out that “because CR deals with paragraph- and discourse- level features, teachers would be wise to introduce CR issues to intermediate and advanced learners rather than to beginners.” (p. 46) I admit that when teachers adopt the investigative and questioning approach in L2 writing, it would be difficult for the beginners to do such activities. However, are there any better methods to assist beginners to compare or contrast L1 and L2 texts?

Also, as Hinds’ point of view, he demonstrated the difference between Japanese writing and English writing. The former is reader-responsible, and the latter is writer-responsible. (p.34). However, McCaff argued that “readers of the text who are deeply familiar with Japanese culture and traditions will not find it necessary to do more work at comprehending than would readers of the English version, as long as both sets of readers share background knowledge.”(p.35) In Rinnert and Kobayashi’s study (2001), “the more experience readers would respond positively to the typically American features of essay, instead of that the inexperience writers concentrate on the content of the different versions. (P.50) So how can we expect the audiences/readers with diverse educational background or the influence of tradition and culture?

Leki (1997) showed that “CR’s primary focus on difference rather than similarities.”(p. 42) As in Xiaoming Li’s study, she found that the American teachers “appreciate logic and a clear opening” and that the Chinese teachers “appreciate an essay that expressed sentimental, natural scenes, and a moral message.”(p.49 and 50) The investigation would help us to understand the writing differences exist in diverse culture and background. However, I believe what we should do is to guide the ESL/EFL learners to acquire the knowledge in rhetorical patterns of target language and decrease the L1 influence to L2 writing.

Reflection on post-process pedogogy

As Applebee (1986) pointed out, “there is almost always a gap between educational theory and educational practice, and process approaches are no exception”. Also, some researchers, Allaei & Connor (1990), Carson and Nelson (1996), Delpit (1995), Gee (1990, 1996), and Ramanathan and Kaplan (1996) argued that the process pedagogy brought disadvantages to the non-mainstream writers. In Taiwan, the “product-oriented” and “teacher-centered pedagogy” are greatly emphasized because of the constraints, like institutional mandate. Thus, “process-oriented” and “student-centered pedagogy” revealed the difficulties to conduct in the classrooms, especially for the junior high school and senior high school students under the “test-oriented culture”. There is no enough time for students to express their experience, and it is time-consuming for teachers to do the activities, such as pre-writing, drafting, peer-review, feedback, and revising. In addition, not all of the students are capable of the proficiency in L2 writing. How can these students provide useful suggestions for their peers? Thus, I still need to consider the following questions. Is the process pedagogy better than the current-traditional rhetoric? How do teachers implement process pedagogy in their writing classes under such a test-oriented instruction? How do teachers assist students to improve their writing abilities?

Second Language Literacy Autobiography

As an EFL learner, I started to learn English since I was a junior high school student. In order to get higher grades in the standardized tests, what I should do was to study harder. During classes, teachers adopted the test-oriented instruction. In English classes, we focused on understanding and memorizing new vocabularies, grammar, sentence patterns. As for speaking and listening, these abilities were rarely emphasized. Although I felt bored to do such tasks for advancing my English grades under the spoon-fed education system, I must admit that I built my reading and writing abilities.
After I entered in the senior high school, improving reading and writing abilities was the priority. Not only did I have to master the content in the textbook, but also I spent time reading the extension materials, like analysis of sentence structures, and verb tenses. Also, sentence practice was also included in the English classes. During long-term holidays, English teacher would assign us to read some revised well-known stories, such as A Christmas Carol, and Pride and Prejudice. Even though I bore burden to prepare for English classes and tests at that time, I still worked hard for getting higher grades. Up to now, I think reading articles is an appropriate method to cultivate students’ reading and writing abilities.
When I attended in the university, learning English was not just restricted in the classes or textbooks. Watching movies, listening to American songs would bring me to get acquainted with the American culture and improve my English proficiency. Furthermore, progressing in listening, speaking, reading, and writing was expected as a student majoring in English department. Instructors would encourage us to speak out in the classes, and group discussion and presentation offer us the chance to learn English spontaneously.
Further, when I am immersing in the American culture, the experience would benefit me in progression in English. I find that learning in the authentic environment would enhance the English ability through contacting with the native speakers under diverse circumstances.