Pedagogical Potentials of Cohesive Devices for EFL Writing

We argue in this paper that teaching cohesion explicitly is necessary especially for those L2 learners whose L1 has different rules from the target language for constructing cohesive texts. This study examined Korean L2 writers’ use of cohesive devices, specifically references, as a way to help improve their writing. The research questions guided this study are: 1) how do Korean L2 writers use cohesive devices in their narrative writing? And 2) what are the factors influencing their use of cohesive devices? We found that Korean EFL writers often misused English references primarily due to their L1-based understanding about the definiteness of the English article. Based on the findings, we offer pedagogical suggestions including practical classroom activities for language teachers so that they can help their learners develop cross-linguistic awareness and metacognitive strategies in using cohesive devices properly.