Timed Writing and Adult English‐Language Learners: An Investigation of First Language Use in Invention Strategies

Abstract

As writing plays an increasingly important role in high‐stakes assessment, it is critical that different composition environments be explored. This article summarizes a study of the effects of native language use during the invention stage of a timed writing, similar to the type of writing demanded in such assessments as standardized tests and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Results show that English‐language learners (ELLs) in the beginning levels of English writing proficiency write superior essays when they brainstorm in English rather than their native language. Results for ELLs with higher levels of English proficiency were not significant but indicate that they write slightly better essays when brainstorming in their native languages.