Response to Student Writing: Implications for Second Language Students

RESPONSE TO STUDENT WRITING: IMPLICATIONS FOR SECOND LANGUAGE STUDENTS. Dana Ferris. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 2003. Pp. xvi + 194. 45. 00 cloth, 22. 50 paper. This volume by Ferris will attract the attention of second language (L2) teachers, particularly those who teach writing classes. The book is divided into two sections. Part 1 reviews research into response given to L2 writers, and part 2 examines the practical issues of responding to student writing. Although the title of the book refers to “second language students, ” the focus is on students learning English as a second language (ESL). In fact, most of the research into response has been conducted with the ESL student population at the college level. That being said, this volume would certainly be an excellent supplemental text to assign for a teaching of ESL class in teaching writing or for in-service training. It is also a useful guide for L2 teachers who must decide how to respond to student writing.