Child L2 Writers

Abstract

Studies on L2 writing tasks with child learners have broken through several barriers in the past few years. Although long considered a solitary task, writing is now regularly done in collaborative pairs and groups as well. New and more comprehensive writing and feedback strategies have been implemented and task repetition has made its way from oral into writing tasks. Finally, research analyses of linguistic outcomes have been complemented by measures of task motivation. Drawing on knowledge from the fields of psychology, education and SLA, this book includes a comprehensive and interdisciplinary analysis of this body of research. It pinpoints the specificity of writing tasks for child L2 learners, identifies the research gaps that pave the way for future research, and offers a guide for teachers who wish to implement writing tasks with young language learners. In sum, this book demonstrates that child L2 writing constitutes a new field of inquiry and attempts to give child L2 writers a room of their own.