Abstract
Researchers have argued that close relationships in writing ability between L1 and L2 exist across different language groups. Yet young learners’ writing performance has rarely been examined, perhaps in part because the lower-level L2 writing ability of this group limits comparisons of various aspects of writing performance. This study compared the L1 and L2 writing performance of young learners so as to understand how their writing ability develops in both languages. A total of 98 Korean sixth graders took both Korean and English writing performance assessments. Each of their responses was evaluated, based on three analytic scoring criteria on four-point scales. The overall ratings and the separate component ratings on both the Korean and English assessments were analyzed, based on a series of regression analyses, to examine whether writing test performance on the English test could be predicted by writing performance on the Korean test. The results indicate that overall, Korean test performance significantly predicted the variance of English test performance. Each separate component of Korean test performance was also a significant predictor of each aspect of English test performance, to varying degrees. The results of the study suggest that young learners’ writing ability across languages is closely related, as is also true for adult learners.
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have