Pedagogical Implications of Reading-Writing Practice on Writing in L2

Pedagogical Implications of Reading-Writing Practice on Writing in L2

The study attempts to explore the extent to which the integration of reading–writing practice contributes to writing improvement in L2. Eighty-four ESL students attending a university in the U.S. participated. The students were randomly assigned to two groups: A control group, following traditional writing instruction in a regular writing class, and a treatment group, incorporating reading-writing practice into a regular writing class. Across one academic semester, while the control group mainly focused on writing instructions and practices, the treatment group read books of their choice inside and outside the classroom and completed writing practices connected to reading. For data analysis, timed essay tests were administered at the beginning and end of the semester to assess writing improvements. The study found that those who regularly participated in reading-writing practices significantly improved their overall writing ability more than the students who only focused on writing practice. Word total also showed that the treatment group produced many more words than the control group. The results of this study suggest that the integration of reading and writing is more beneficial to students’ writing development than merely focusing on writing instructions limited to the textbook.