Perception on Second Language Writing: Comparing Two ESL Learners

This study investigates how ESL (English as a Second Language) learners perceive their English writing and whether or not they have their own patterns in developing ideas in writing processes. This bi-focal ethnography compared two ESL writers (a 1.5 generation and an international ESL writer) studying in a US-based university in terms of their perception of processes in writing, criteria of good writing, and their writing needs and philosophy. Data were collected from multiple sources: writing conferences, semi-structured interviews, questionnaire, writing prompts and artifacts. Findings show that both writers suffer from lack of L2 lexical resources, thus having expanding vocabulary and selecting context-appropriate words as the primary needs for the improvement of their writing. The results also reveal the 1.5 generation writer spends a lot more time in global planning, while the international L2 writer concentrates more on well-written conclusion using more frequent local planning and revising. While writing is seen by both writers as channel for representation of their self, their perceptual differences involve composing processes and criteria for good writing, part of which is explainable by their different L2 proficiency. Discussion involves the role of meta-knowledge of L2 writing and the complexity of Ll influence in L2 writing.