In my opinion the biggest challenges facing L2 learners when
they write is changing writing styles. If for example a Chinese L2 writer is
use to not necessarily getting straight to the point and backing ideas up with
concrete evidence it would make it difficult to reprogram yourself to write in
English. Especially given the fact some international students have spent years
perfecting their writing style which differs from English. A certain style of
writing would, in my opinion, be more of an abstract idea and I believe
abstract ideas are the toughest to grasp. Learning grammar rules and concrete
vocabulary would be a little easier.
If I were planning to teach an L2 writing course, I think it
would be very beneficial to know as much as possible about each student before
planning the course, selecting texts, and preparing lessons. Knowledge such as
what language is spoken in the home, how long the student has been in the U.S.,
all languages the student has learned or been exposed to, and the future plans
of the student would all be useful knowledge. With this information I could get
a feel of the general population of the class and make a more informed decision
on the direction I should go. Of course I would also need to be mindful of
individuals within that general population who might fall through the cracks or
might be much different than the overall general population. It would be
important to recognize them and meet their needs.
Some aspects of an educational institution that would be
useful to know in order to teach writing effectively would be the Mission
Statement of the school or their purpose, and the student population. I feel
like the Mission Statement is important because it normally states what
outcomes they expect from students, and I think students expect those same
outcomes which is why they decide to attend a certain institution. By knowing
the student population and their background I believe I can better prepare
myself to help them write in English. Again, like I mentioned in question one,
knowing the background of a student such as his/her language spoken in the
home, how long the student has been in the U.S., and the future plans of the
student or what he/she desires to get out of the course would be very
beneficial.
