Book Description

Background: It has been hypothesized that L2 (second language) readers are not able to draw on their L1 (first language) reading skills for the successful development of L2 reading skills until they develop a certain proficiency in L2 because a lack of proficiency blocks transfer of L1 reading skills to the reading of L2 texts. This minimum degree of language proficiency in a target language is called a threshold level of linguistic competence. Over the past three decades, the existence of the reading threshold level has been investigated in a number of studies which have contributed to the overall growth of L1-L2 reading relationship research. In contrast, L2 writing researchers have not adequately examined a writing threshold level hypothesis to propose that interlanguage transfer of writing skills, in the same way as reading skills, is possible only when writers attain L2 proficiency "threshold level." Purpose: To explore the threshold level to transfer writing skills from L1 to L2. Study Sample: Data from 317 native Japanese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) university students enrolled in general English courses were used in the analysis of the present study. Prior to this experiment, the students had received at least six years of academic English education in secondary school, the curriculum of which was tightly controlled by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. Research Design: Correlational. Data Collection and Analysis: There were three test sessions, separated by one-week intervals. The TOEIC (Test of English as a Foreign Language), developed by ETS (Educational Testing Service), was administered during the first session in January 2002. It was followed by the second session (the first writing tests, in which 167 students wrote L1 essays; 150 students L2 essays) and the third session (the second writing tests, in which 167 students wrote L2 essays; 150 students L1 essays). Proficiency levels were formed by dividing TOEIC scores into equal proficiency strata (45-point intervals) to provide statistical insight into the effects of different aspects of linguistic proficiency on each correlation between L1 and L2 composition scores. Those students who scored in the 250-295 TOEIC interval were placed in Level I (N = 34), scores 300-345 in Level II (N = 43), 350-395 in Level III (N = 81), 400-445 in Level IV (N = 51), 450-495 in Level V (N = 42), and those scoring 500-545 in Level VI (N = 27). Then, the researcher performed six correlations of Level I, II, III, IV, V, and VI. It is important to note that Level I showed non-significant correlation (.125), whereas the other five levels revealed low or moderate significant correlations (0.330*, 0.295**, 0.564**, 0.512**, 0.497**). The statistically significant correlation between L1 and L2 writing skills appeared to be short-circuited by a limited English proficiency. Findings: The results in this study imply that a threshold level of English proficiency could be posited between the two proficiency groups of Level I and Level II. In other words, English proficiency below Level II may have a detrimental effect on the development of English writing skills. After the students' proficiency reaches this level, however, L1 writing skills seem to help the progress in L2 writing. This is congruent with previous studies implying the existence of the low L2 proficiency "short-circuit" effect (Ito, 2004; Kamimura, 1996; Sasaki & Hirose, 1996). Conclusion: The results of the data analysis reveal that the statistically significant correlation between Japanese and English writing skills is short-circuited by limited English proficiency, while the correlation between L1 and L2 writing skills is statistically significant among writers with relatively advanced levels of L2 proficiency. It appears that EFL Japanese university students who receive at least six years of academic English education in secondary school need to establish some degree of L2 proficiency before they can successfully draw on their L1 writing skills to help with L2 writing skills. Citation: Ito, F. (2009). Threshold to Transfer Writing Skills From L1 to L2. Kanto-koshinetsu Association of Teachers of English Bulletin, 23, 1-10. Two appendices are included: (1) Evaluation Scale Descriptors: Japanese Essay; (2) Evaluation Scale Descriptors: English Essay. (Contains 5 tables and 2 figures.