A comparative study of multilingual writers' composing processes.
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TextDescription: 287 pSubject(s): Language, Linguistics | Language, Modern | Literature, Asian | 0290 | 0291 | 0305Dissertation note: Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1994. Summary: This exploratory comparative study examines and describes the role of language dominance/influence in the composing processes of Malaysian Chinese writers as they composed in their three school languages: Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and English. English, the writers' L3, was found to play a significant role in their L1 (Chinese) and L2 (Bahasa Malaysia) composing processes. In addition, the study found that transference of writing skills cuts across three languages. However, there is a difference in the degree to which an individual writer uses each composing behavior in the three composing processes. These conclusions are interpreted with respect to Schumann's (1978) Social Psychological Distance Hypothesis Acculturation Model and Cummins' (1984) theories of the cross-linguistic interdependence of cognitive skills.Summary: The study is a qualitative case study of six multilingual writers. Participants first completed a biodata questionnaire and Rose's Writer's Block Self-Report Survey. Interviews about literacy background and communication were conducted. Participants composed aloud in three languages. Their written products were assigned to three writing proficiency levels: basic, intermediate and advanced. Retrospective interviews were conducted after each composing process. The interviews were audiotaped and think-aloud sessions were videotaped. Analysis of think-aloud protocols followed coding categories and symbols used by Whalen (1993) and Ardnt (1987) in their studies on composing behaviors of ESL writers.Summary: The dominance/influence of English in participants' Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese composing processes is attributed to the following: (1) Participants' current use of English in all writing tasks, (2) participants' continued development of academic language in English, and (3) participants' strong instrumental motivation in using English as a result of their perception of English as a prestigious language and its functional value as a world language.Summary: In general, this study discovered that participants' length of time away from writing in Bahasa Malaysia (M = 4 years) and Chinese (M = 6 years) has not completely hindered participants from composing in these languages. This finding reinforces Cumming's (1989) conclusion that language proficiency and writing expertise "exerted independent effects and are psychologically distinct abilities" (iii).
Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-03, Section: A, page: 0553.
Director: Bennett Rafoth.
Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1994.
This exploratory comparative study examines and describes the role of language dominance/influence in the composing processes of Malaysian Chinese writers as they composed in their three school languages: Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and English. English, the writers' L3, was found to play a significant role in their L1 (Chinese) and L2 (Bahasa Malaysia) composing processes. In addition, the study found that transference of writing skills cuts across three languages. However, there is a difference in the degree to which an individual writer uses each composing behavior in the three composing processes. These conclusions are interpreted with respect to Schumann's (1978) Social Psychological Distance Hypothesis Acculturation Model and Cummins' (1984) theories of the cross-linguistic interdependence of cognitive skills.
The study is a qualitative case study of six multilingual writers. Participants first completed a biodata questionnaire and Rose's Writer's Block Self-Report Survey. Interviews about literacy background and communication were conducted. Participants composed aloud in three languages. Their written products were assigned to three writing proficiency levels: basic, intermediate and advanced. Retrospective interviews were conducted after each composing process. The interviews were audiotaped and think-aloud sessions were videotaped. Analysis of think-aloud protocols followed coding categories and symbols used by Whalen (1993) and Ardnt (1987) in their studies on composing behaviors of ESL writers.
The dominance/influence of English in participants' Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese composing processes is attributed to the following: (1) Participants' current use of English in all writing tasks, (2) participants' continued development of academic language in English, and (3) participants' strong instrumental motivation in using English as a result of their perception of English as a prestigious language and its functional value as a world language.
In general, this study discovered that participants' length of time away from writing in Bahasa Malaysia (M = 4 years) and Chinese (M = 6 years) has not completely hindered participants from composing in these languages. This finding reinforces Cumming's (1989) conclusion that language proficiency and writing expertise "exerted independent effects and are psychologically distinct abilities" (iii).
School code: 0318.
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