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Doug, the Ed White book that Nick referred to is:  Assessment of
Writing:
Politics, Policies, Practices and it was written in 1996.  Another
article that
you could look at is in the TESL Canada Journal, Vol 21 No. 1 Winter
2003,
entitled "Variability of ESL Learners' Acquisition of Cognitive Academic
Language
Proficiency:  What Can We Learn From Achievement Measures?"  by Hetty
Roessingh and Pat Kover.
However, from what I know of the literature, I don't know that you'll
get the
kind of research you are asking for, mainly because of the difficulty in

researching such a position.  Generally, I think that the literature
either
discusses information that can be obtained from proficiency
measurements, or the
flawed nature of those measurements (i.e. differences in marking because
of rater
assumptions or backgrounds, differences in the competencies writers
demonstrate
when faced with different writing tasks, or topics; or simply the
inadequate
nature of the measurment instruments being used).  A whole other body of

literature exists talking about the recursive nature of the writing
process, its
social nature... and all those other things. The one set  is exploring
the
pedagogy of writing and the other is exploring the measurement of
writing....
perhaps this is because these are two completely different sets of
questions that
are being explored.  Perhaps some useful questions for you to ask around
this
issue might be:  Can assessment serve a pedagogical purpose in writing
instruction?  What would be the nature of that pedagogical purpose and
what are
the assumptions behind writing proficiency assessments that make them
seem to be
the best way to achieve these pedagogical goals?
I wish I were coming to the CCC's Conference, but this year I'm writing
up my
thesis (finally) ----on how students use a reading in a writing
proficiency
assessment!  Perhaps we can talk more about the issues involved on-line,
or agree
to talk at next year's CCC's.  Theresa Hyland.

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