Cross-Linguistic Influences in Writing: A Case Study of a Chinese International Student
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1305.11Keywords:
cross-linguistic influences, L2 writing, ELs, international college studentAbstract
There has been a longstanding debate on the use of native language (L1) in second language acquisition (SLA). One important topic in language education to investigate is the use of language in the second language (L2) writing process. The majority of studies have focused on L2 writers in English as a foreign language (EFL) settings. Quantitative research approaches have been dominant. Nevertheless, the complexity of this issue cannot be comprehensively explored without qualitative analysis. This case study investigates the language use of a Chinese international college student in the United States throughout the L2 writing process. It adopts a qualitative research approach. The findings show that language learners draw upon their entire linguistic repertoire while writing; even those with a high proficiency level still rely upon their L1 in the L2 writing process. The findings also reveal the multiple functions of the L1 in facilitating L2 writing. Although this study primarily focuses on the linguistic influences of the L1, its implications can be generalized to a broader context. Teachers working with English learners (ELs) or bilingual students are highly recommended to acknowledge and gain a comprehensive understanding of the value of students’ linguistic knowledge, as well as embrace and strategically utilize students’ linguistic repertoires.
References
Afzal, S. (2013). Using of the first language in English classroom as a way of scaffolding for both the students and teachers to learn and teach English. International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences, 4(7), 1846–1854.
Bartlett, L. (2007). Bilingual literacies, social identification, and educational trajectories. Linguistics and Education, 18, 215–231.
Beare, S., & Bourdages, J. (2007). Skilled writers’ generating strategies in L1 and L2: An exploratory study. In M. Torrance, L. Waes, & D. Galbraith (Eds.), Writing and cognition: Research and application (pp. 151–161). Elsevier.
Beeman, K., & Urow, C. (2013). Teaching for biliteracy: Strengthening bridges between languages. Caslon Publishing.
Carson, E., & Kashinara, H. (2012). Using the L1 in the L2 classroom: The students speak. The Language Teacher, 36(4), 41–48.
Cook, V. (2001). Using the first language in the classroom. Canadian Modern Language Review, 57(3), 402–423.
Copland, F., & Neokleous, G. (2010). L1 to teach L2: Complexities and contradictions. ELT Journal. doi: 10.1093/elt/ccq047.
Creswell, J. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage.
DiCamilla, F. J., & Antón, M. (2012). Functions of L1 in the collaborative interaction of beginning and advanced second language learners. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 22(2), 160–188.
Edstrom, A. (2006). L1 use in the L2 classroom: One teacher’s self-evaluation. The Canadian Modern Language Review/La Revue Canadienne Des Langues Vivantes, 63(2), 275–292.
Echivarria, J. J., & Gaves, A. W. (2015). Sheltered content instruction: Teaching English learners with diverse abilities. Pearson.
ETS. (2013). Test and score data summary for TOEFL iBT tests. Retrieved February 14, 2022, from http://www.ets.org/toefl.
Flores, N., & García, O. (2013). Linguistic third spaces in education: Teachers' translanguaging across the bilingual continuum. In D. Little, C. Leung, & P. Van Avermaet (eds.). Managing diversity in education: Key issues and some responses (pp. 245–258).
Garcia, O. (2009). Bilingual education in the 21st century: A global perspective (1st ed.). Wiley-Blackwell.
Gort, M. (2006). Strategic codeswitching, interliteracy, and other phenomena of emergent bilingual writing: Lessons from first grade dual language classrooms. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 6(3), 323–354.
Kayaoğlu, M. N. (2012). Use of mother tongue in foreign language teaching from teachers’ practice and perspective. Pamukkale University Journal of Education, 32, 25–35.
Krapels, A. R. (1990). An overview of second language writing process research. In B. Kroll (Ed.), Second language writing: Research insights for the classroom (pp. 37–56). Cambridge University Press.
Krashen, S. D., & Terrell, T. D. (1983). The natural approach: Language acquisition in the classroom. Prentice Hall Europe.
Mackey, A., & Gass, S. M. (2005). Second language research: Methodology and design. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Murphy, L., & Roca de Larios, J. (2010). Searching for word: One strategic use of the mother tongue by advanced Spanish EFL writers. Journal of Second Language Writing, 19(1), 61 – 81.
Nation, P. (1997). L1 and L2 use in the classroom: A systematic approach. TESL Reporter, 30 (2). 19-27
Nazary, M. (2008). The role of L1 in L2 acquisition: Attitudes of Iranian university students. Novitas-Royal, 2(2), 138–153.
Orellana, M. F., & García, O. (2014). Language brokering and translanguaging in school. Language Arts, 91(5), 386–392.
Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. Sage.
Schrauf, R. W., & Rubin, D. C. (1998). Bilingual autobiographical memory in older adult immigrants: A test of cognitive explanations of the reminiscence bump and the linguistic encoding of memories. Journal of Memory and Language, 39(3), 437–457.
Scott, V. M., & De la Fuente, M. J. (2008). What’s the problem? L2 learners’ use of the L1 during consciousness-raising, form-focused tasks. The Modern Language Journal, 92(1), 100–113.
Shin, S. (2013). Bilingualism in schools and society. Routledge.
Stoch, N., & Wigglesworth, G. (2003). Is there a role for the use of the L1 in an L2 setting? TESOL Quarterly, 37(4), 760–770.
van Weijen, D., Bergh, H., Rijlaarsdam, G., & Sanders, T. (2009). L1 use during L2 writing: An empirical study of complex phenomenon. Journal of Second Language Writing, 18(4), 235–250.
Wang, W., & Wen, Q. (2002). L1 use in the L2 composing process: An exploratory study of 16 Chinese EFL writers. Journal of Second Language Writing, 11(3), 225–246.
Wolfersberger, M. (2003). L1 to L2 writing process and strategy transfer: A low at lower proficiency writers. TESL-EJ, 7(2), 1–15. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from http://www.tesl-ej.org/wordpress/issues/volume7/ej26/ej26a6.
