A Review of Research on the Composing Processes of Skilled and Unskilled Native and ESL/EFL

Abstract

Despite the growing conviction expressed in many ESL circles that the most crucial language learning objective is fostering an adequate reading ability such that students can function independently as readers of English, the need to be able to write in English still exists in many parts of the world. Be it the first, second or foreign language, it is a major educational understanding which is unlikely to diminish appreciably in the near future, bearing in mind that some measure of writing competence is essential in many spheres of life. It is especially indispensable to academic success as, more often than not, the evaluation of what has presumably been learnt is through its manifestation in the written form. In fact, many universities have begun to recognize the importance of writing within the learning process, with the result that greater emphasis has been put on developing students' writing abilities. This is especially pertinent in the second or foreign language context for compounded to the inherent difficulties of writing itself are added those of expressing oneself appropriately and clearly in a different language and a different culture.