What adult ESL learners say about improving grammar and vocabulary in their writing for academic purposes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20403722 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Ally Zhou (Oklahoma City University, corresponding author), Ally A Zhou |
| Year | 2009 |
| Volume | 18 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 31-46 |
| Publication date | 2009-06-11 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Language Awareness (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0965-8416 • E-ISSN: 1747-7565 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/09658410802307923 |
| OpenAlex | W2115879498 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 5 |
| References cited | 33 |
Linguistic accuracy plays an important role in the quality of written texts, yet the explicit teaching of linguistic form – particularly grammar – for the purpose of improving learners' writing has generated an ongoing debate. Furthermore, students' voices about their learning are often ignored because they are perceived as not knowing what they need most. This study explores adult ESL learners' goals for improving grammar and vocabulary in their writing in order to understand their motivations and strategies for improvement. The study describes learners' goals from an emic perspective based on semi-structured interviews and stimulated recalls. Fifteen learners enrolled in a pre-university intensive English for Academic Purposes programme were asked to describe their goals for writing over a two-year period as they progressed to mainstream university courses. Learners were found to be motivated to improve grammar and vocabulary in their writing, but lacked the knowledge and resources to take effective action for improvement. Some learners had unrealistic expectations about their potential competence in using more sophisticated language. The study suggests that teachers could help learners (1) raise their awareness of achievable and unachievable goals, (2) identify the origins of their learning difficulties in grammar and (3) select appropriate contexts for learning academic language
Emic and etic · Grammar · Language proficiency · Linguistic competence · Linguistics · Mainstream · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Sociology · Vocabulary · Computer Science · Discourse Analysis in Language Studies · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Psychology · Second Language Acquisition and Learning
Investigating EFL learners' writing anxiety in English class
A remodeled cognitive vocabulary approach to assessing writing achievement in EFL education
Understanding text-based studies of linguistic development through goals for academic writing
Do adult ESL learners’ and their teachers’ goals for improving grammar in writing correspond
Using Cefr level descriptors to raise university students’ awareness of their speaking skills
Current Developments in Research on the Teaching of Grammar
Learning Vocabulary in Another Language
Second Language Writing
The input hypothesis
The Discovery of Grounded Theory
Vocabulary Size and Use
The effect of grammar teaching on writing development
Professors' Reactions to the Academic Writing of Nonnative-Speaking Students
Simplicity without Elegance
Students' Perceptions of EAP Writing Instruction and Writing Needs across the Disciplines
Current Issues in the Teaching of Grammar
New Perspectives on Grammar Teaching in Second Language Classrooms
Toward an Understanding of the Distinct Nature of L2 Writing
Error feedback in L2 writing classes
Effectiveness of L2 Instruction
The Case Against Grammar Correction in L2 Writing Classes
| Citations per year | 0.33 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2011 - 2025 (15) |
| Highly cited | No |