Using a genre-based approach for writing instruction in a less-commonly-taught language

Abstract

Although a great majority of the L2 writing literature focuses on teaching English-language writing, scholars have begun to explore the teaching of writing in other second and foreign languages (FLs), including French, Spanish, German, Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese. However, to our knowledge, no work exists exploring the exigencies of teaching Turkish or Turkish-language writing in North America. This article focuses on Turkish-language instruction, especially Turkish-language writing instruction, in one US university. It describes learner characteristics, including needs and expectations, and curricular decisions, including the implementation and outcome of a genre-based approach for writing instruction. The impetus for this work is threefold: Firstly, the article attempts to address the dearth of literature on non-English FL writing, an under-examined area of L2 writing; secondly, it focuses on FL writing in a less-commonly-taught language, which is a particularly neglected area of the L2 writing literature; and finally, it focuses on instructional practices in L2 writing, an area also deserving further attention.