An exploratory study of ESL writing by junior secondary students in China: text type, register and textual features

摘要

While interest in L2 writing research has increased exponentially in recent years, research on adolescent L2 writing remains relatively scarce. Drawing on the framework of functional text analysis, namely context-based text typology and register theory, the present study aimed to explore Chinese adolescent L2 writing from the perspective of writing as meaning making. Ten instances of writing tasks written by a class of 50 junior secondary students from Guangzhou, China were collected. Context-based text typology and field, mode tenor from register theory were used to analyze the participants’ writing. The findings revealed that recommending was the dominant text type in the students’ writing because of the influence of the exam-driven culture. Moreover, tenor awareness was lacking in the students’ writing. Relevant Chinese secondary L2 writing curriculum design and pedagogy recommendations are provided.