Language transferability in a process-based writing course

The writing process is founded principally upon language learners’ decision-making behaviors that are believed to be under the influence of their first language experiences. Hence, the main objectives of this study are to investigate the extent to which activating cognitive processing strategies can improve second-language learners’ writing skills, and to explore whether first-language writing experiences are transferable to second-language writing situations. Therefore, a class of 33 sophomore students, in the Advanced Writing course were selected as participants to the study. Through a Time Series Design, it was revealed that triggering the proper cognitive processing and planning strategies would ameliorate the quality of written texts with various rhetorical purposes. However, the findings did not support the second objective of the study, that is, first language/second language transferability. This indicates that teachers should focus on developing several strategies, keeping in mind that resorting to first-language composing abilities may not be the only and the best solution. Keywords: Cognitive processing strategies; first language; second language; L1 ; L2; writing skills