SLW News, December 2024
Letter from the Editors
Ali Yaylali, Eastern Kentucky University, USA
Bakheet S. Almatrafi, Umm Al-Qura University, Saudi Arabia
Stefan M. Vogel, University at Albany, SUNY, USA
Letter from the Chair
Svetlana Koltovskaia, Northeastern State University, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, USA
Revisiting Bilinguals’ Writing Abilities from a Correlational Lens
Abdu Al-Kadi, University of Bergen, Norway
This article outlines and reflects on the relatedness of learners’ writing skills in Arabic (L1) and English (L2)within a 4-year English and translation program. Initial results show that correlations exist among learners at middle and advanced levels in the program, but not at the entry level. Findings reinforce emerging research that challenges the stigma against using L1 in L2+ learning and teaching.
How to Best Support Multilingual Writers?
Jaime F. Mejia Mayorga, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
This essay explores two strategies to support multilingual writers: decolonizing language instruction by recognizing the impact of colonialism on language hierarchies and using asset-based instructional approaches. It advocates for corpus-informed materials and simplified instructional design to foster an inclusive academic environment, promoting multilingualism as an educational asset.
The Impact of Automated Writing Evaluation on English as a Foreign Language Learners' Writing Self-efficacy, Self-regulation, Anxiety, and Performance
Aniqa Shah, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
This article reports on a study which examined the effects of combining teacher feedback with automated writing evaluation (AWE) on EFL students’ self-efficacy, self-regulation, anxiety, and writing performance. Conducted with 79 students in Turkey, results showed that while combined feedback improved self-efficacy and writing performance, it did not significantly affect anxiety or self-regulation.
Meet the Experts: An Interview with Karen Barto
Karen Barto, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
Interview conducted by Stefan M. Vogel, University at Albany, SUNY, New York, USA
Interested in learning about neurodivergence and rejection sensitivity dysphoria as they are related to second language writing? In this article, Dr. Barto shares her insights into multiple aspects of the L2 writing field that all writers might find useful.