A First Language in Second Language Writing

This thesis examines ESL students' use of their L1 in their prewriting for practice exams for their ENGL1020 class at the University of Toledo. This study was done by reviewing teacher syllabi to see when prewriting (through instructors' lectures or student discussion on the topic) took place in the classroom environment before the first practice exam for the semester, by interviewing instructors to see if and when they lectured about the forms of prewriting, and by looking at practice exam prewriting documents to see when students pre-wrote and if they used their L1 during the practice exam. Through a lack of clarity in the procedure by the researcher and participating instructors, the results could not be analyzed quantitatively. Qualitatively, the results show that some students do language switch and use their L1 when prewriting. More research is needed to see what students and instructors believe is prewriting. There also needs to be more elucidation in survey material, more exposition for subjects as to what prewriting might entail, and additional care taken when compiling data for tabulation. This thesis also provides implications for future research studies and teaching – for study expansion; the comparison of ENGL1020 students' entrance, practice, and exit exams; and more incorporation of prewriting and the students' L1s into the UT ESL composition syllabus.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

English (as a Second Language)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Toledo

Year dc:date

2012

Author dc:creator

• Risner, Kevin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Coleman, Douglas W.

• English As A Second Language
• Language
• Linguistics
• Teaching
• L2 writing
• ESL writing
• composition
• prewriting
• language switching
• prewriting L1

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1333732768

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:toledo1333732768