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14 - Language Learning Through Writing: Theoretical Perspectives and Empirical Evidence

from Part III - Skill Development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 June 2019

By
Rosa M. Manchón  and
Olena Vasylets
Edited by
John W. Schwieter  and
Alessandro Benati
John W. Schwieter
Affiliation:
Wilfrid Laurier University
Alessandro Benati
Affiliation:
American University of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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Summary

This chapter contributes a review of theoretical perspectives and selected empirical studies on how and why writing can be a site for language learning. This area of scholarly interest, a newcomer to language learning studies, has been characterized as “a well-defined space for a future research domain at the intersection between L2 [second language] writing and SLA” (second language acquisition; Manchón, 2011a, p. 62) whose key research preoccupation can be encapsulated in the following question: “Can the processes involved in writing—planning, composing, reflection, monitoring, retrieving knowledge, and processing feedback—promote L2 acquisition?” (Manchón & Williams, 2016, p. 569).

Despite its short history, this research domain is gradually developing into a vibrant strand with a rich scholarly output that includes theoretical accounts of the language learning potential of L2 writing and written corrective feedback (WCF) processing, together with an expanding body of SLA-oriented empirical research.

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Chapter
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The Cambridge Handbook of Language Learning , pp. 341 - 362
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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