Overview of second and foreign language writing : characteristics, perspectives and pedagogical approaches

Writing plays a crucial role in communication and knowledge construction. In the era of globalization, under the impact of English as a lingua franca, there is an increasing need for written communications in English. This paper provides a review of both theoretical and empirical research on second and foreign language writing, for the purpose of informing ESL/EFL teachers especially those in Asian countries. The review first discusses distinctions between first language (L1) writing and second and foreign language (L2) writing with more focus on L2 writing situated in Asian contexts. Then it presents approaches to teaching writing in L2 contexts which originated from L1 writing pedagogy. Next, it provides a review of empirical research on the implementation of these approaches in L2 contexts, especially in Asian contexts. Finally, the paper concludes with pedagogical implications for L2 writing instruction in this particular context. It is hoped that this paper could offer Asian EFL/ESL teachers a series of pedagogical choices and help them improve the quality of English education in general, and English writing in particular.