A Case Study on the Function of Tutor s Verbal Scaffolding for L2 Writing Development

The main purpose of this study is to explore how a tutor uses verbal-only scaffolding to develop L2 tutee s writing skills within the zone of proximal development (ZPD). Although there are a number of studies on scaffolding and L2 speaking, we do have few studies on how scaffolding is related to L2 writing. This research probed how L2 writing can be developed through verbal-only tutor scaffolding that previous research did not consider. I video-taped a 30-minute writing session to capture the interaction between an English native tutor and an L2 tutee at an intermediate proficiency level and analyzed the data through the micro descriptive analysis. It was found that tutor s verbal scaffolding played three significant roles: 1) encouraging the tutee more actively to participate in the interaction through motivational scaffolding, 2) double-checking the tutee s error corrections or response through cognitive scaffolding, and 3) explaining rules and principles through instructional scaffolding. Motivational scaffolding was used most frequently, cognitive second, and instruction least. Therefore, this study suggests that to depict the interactional picture of L2 writing process, we need to consider the relationship between verbal-only scaffolding and L2 writing.