Longitudinal Changes in L1 and L2 Writing Abilities: A dynamic systems theory approach

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520666
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Foreign language education
• Research Institution: Nagoya City University (2013-2015); Nagoya Gakuin University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: Sasaki Miyuki 名古屋市立大学, 人文社会系研究科, 教授 (60241147)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 第二言語ライティング力 / 日本人英語学習者 / 多機能言語能力 / 質的研究 / 量的研究

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study describes changes in the L1 and L2 writing abilities of 22 Japanese students and asks what factors most critically impacted these changes over a 3.5-year observation period. The students were English majors with low- to mid-intermediate proficiency and aged 18 when the study began. They were observed at the beginning of their first year and in the middle of their second, third, and fourth years in university. Data included the students’ scores on standardized L2 proficiency tests, L1 and L2 compositions rated by two independent writing specialists, and in-depth interviews about their beliefs about L1 and L2 writing and how and why their writing ability changed as it did over the period. The data analysis draws on Gaddis’ (2002) historical-ecological perspective and explores the potential of “retrocasting” as a method for uncovering what critically impacted the participants’ growth as multicompetent writers.

Free Research Field

応用言語学