Abstract
Writing plays an important role in all stages of life from early education to college and beyond. It allows students to communicate ideas, develop creativity and critical thinking, and build confidence. Effective writing skills contribute to academic success and are considered a useful asset in the workplace. In second and/or foreign language (L2) contexts, as a result of globalization and the worldwide trend toward learning English as an L2 at an early age, writing has begun to play an increasingly significant role in the teaching and learning of English for younger learners. The growing importance of written communications, ranging from informal writing for social networking to more formal writing for academic studies, has made the acquisition of writing skills an important priority for young L2 learners. Since “developing language competence inevitably requires assessment” (Berchoud et al. 2011, p. 9), how teachers should conduct classroom assessment to help L2 students improve their writing is of critical importance.
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Notes
- 1.
In the book references are made to AfL, AfL/AaL, and AaL. When a reference is made to AfL, AaL (though not mentioned) is implied as part of AfL. A reference to AfL/AaL is intended to emphasize both the AfL and AaL functions of classroom assessment. A reference to AaL alone focuses specifically on the AaL aspect of AfL.
- 2.
Classroom assessment serves as a pedagogical tool to improve both learning and teaching. Although the book puts an explicit emphasis on classroom L2 writing assessment that informs and promotes student learning, its role in improving teaching is also vital.
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Lee, I. (2017). Introduction. In: Classroom Writing Assessment and Feedback in L2 School Contexts. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-3924-9_1
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