The Role of Language in Assessing L2 Writing

Abstract

The role of language in assessing writing is a critical intersection for both second language acquisition (SLA) and language testing. Several fields have influenced scholarship in the assessment of second (L2) or first language (L1) writing including rhetoric, educational measurement, and SLA. These origins with divergent philosophies and research practices have shaped writing assessment and the complex evolving role language plays in assessing writing. In addition to being shaped by multiple fields, the assessments themselves have many uses. There are educational purposes such as classroom-based assessment, evaluations for language programs, or admissions testing. Writing assessments are also frequently used in SLA research to investigate questions about acquisition-related language use, variability, transfer, or attrition. Several scholars have written on the overlap between SLA and the field of language testing illuminating the divergence as well as the commonalities (Bachman & Cohen, 1999, Interfaces between second language acquisitions and language testing research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; Shohamy, 2000, The relationship between language testing and second language acquisition, revisited. System, 28, 541–553. doi.org/10.1016/s0346-251x(00)00037-3; Winke & Brunfaut, 2021, Perspectives on “knowing” a second language. In P. Winke & T. Brunfaut (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and language testing (pp. 1–8). Abingdon: Routledge; Yoon & Burton, 2021, Measuring L2 writing. In P. Winke & T. Brunfaut (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of second language acquisition and language testing (pp. 295–304). Abingdon: Routledge). Drawing on all of these fields and purposes, this chapter will explore the role of language in writing assessment, beginning with fundamental aspects of writing assessment, followed by historical perspectives, critical issues, current research, research methods, recommendations for practice, and future directions.