Book reviews

Teaching ESL Composition, Purpose, Process, and Practice

D. Ferris, and J.S. Hedgcock; Lawrence Erlbaum, London, 1998, 329 pp., 22.50 pb,
ISBN 0-8058-2450-2
Writing in English is a complex task for native and non-native speakers alike. The
recent growth of interest in the nature of writing has prompted the publication of a
number of books that explore empirical and theoretical research in language acqui-
sition and language use as it pertains to writing. What makes Teaching ESL Com-
position an important contribution to this eld is its extensive coverage of
pedagogical concerns relating to L2 writing in the context of current research and
theory. Theoretical perspectives are presented in such a manner as to enable readers
to see their relevance to classroom application.
As others before them, Ferris and Hedgcock examine the paradigms and philoso-
phies that have inuenced L2 writing theory the expressivist and cognitivist views
of the process approach and the traditional didactic-based support for the product
approach. They trace the shifts in pedagogical attention from focus on form to focus
on content, and from focus on the writer to focus on the reader. But, unlike
the authors of some other texts designed for writing instructors, they explore the
uniqueness of the L2 writer beyond the contrasts between the rhetorical patterns of
dierent languages or the dierences between native speaker and non-native
speaker, international student and immigrant student, novice writer and expert wri-
ter. In particular, Ferris and Hedgcock focus on schema theory and its relevance to
learning to write in a second language.
Schema theory highlights the importance of our expectations regarding the con-
tent and organisation of texts and thus of the links between reading and writing.
Ferris and Hedgcock aim, throughout Teaching ESL Composition, to help ESL
writing instructors to develop student schemata, not just their control of the con-
ventions of written English. Also and signicantly, they address the distinction
between L1 and L2 literacy and the interaction between L1 and L2 reading and
writing patterns and L1 and L2 reading and writing strategies.
Ferris and Hedgcock devote a chapter each to the issues of syllabus design,
materials development, teacher response, peer response, pedagogical grammar, and
performance evaluations. These chapters present a balance of research perspectives
but are practical at the same time. Sample needs analysis checklists, lessons plans,
task type and function charts, and student essays with commentary are all included.
Each topic is covered extensively; e.g. discussion of evaluative response to student
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writing covers the basic precepts of task validity and reliability, as well as the scoring
of individual pieces of writing in formal assessment.
Throughout Teaching ESL Composition readers are involved in a process of cri-
tical enquiry. Review questions and application activities within the chapters suggest
a wide range of tasks intended to focus reection on the principles or concepts pre-
sented and provide hands-on practice. Although these tasks are designed specically
for educators or students learning to teach ESL writing, experienced instructors and
researchers can also benet from reection on them.
Teaching ESL Composition concludes with a chapter on technology in the class-
room. Ferris and Hedgcock examine the advantages and disadvantages of using
word processors, e-mail, and grammar/style checkers and address pedagogical issues
regarding computer-assisted writing instruction. They justly conclude, though, that
writers, especially novice writers, still need the instructor.
Impressively, while presenting a book which details the knowledge needed to
develop and implement a writing programme with condence, Ferris and Hedgcock
also encourage exibility. They remind us that ESL writers have diverse needs,
writing instructors cannot anticipate every aspect of what happens in the classroom,
and no single theoretical model can be assumed to provide all the answers.
The fact that Teaching ESL Composition is drawn from a US context does not
prevent it from providing detailed coverage of practical topics of universal validity.
It is useful and relevant to writing instruction anywhere in the world and is a valu-
able contribution to the literature on L2 writing instruction. It should be read by all
writing instructors and researchers who wish to make informed decisions.
Susann Claey
Centre for Language and Communication Studies, Trinity College
Dublin 2, Ireland
Handbuch UNICERT
1
K.H. Eggensperger, and J. Fischer (Eds.); AKS-Verlag, Bochum, 1998, xii+340 pp.,
DM 25.00 (Fremdsprachen in Lehre und Forschung 22)
Increased student mobility in recent years has stimulated a lively debate on the
nature and extent of the linguistic and cultural preparation that non-language major
students need before spending part of their academic programme of study abroad.
At present, either certication of language competence is internally determined by
individual institutions, or students sit external, language-specic and internationally
recognised examinations. However, to date no clear consensus exists as to the level
of general foreign language competence to be achieved by non-language major stu-
dents, or on the relationship between general and applied language competence (cf.
0346-251X/00/$ - see front matter # 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
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324 Book reviews / System 28 (2000) 323336