L2 Writing and Language Learning in Academic Settings

Abstract

The language choices used in academic writing represent a specialized register that must be acquired through exposure, practice, and often instruction. The target and nature of this area of language acquisition are explored through two questions: what is the language of academic writing, and how do learners develop it? A substantial body of research has investigated the language used by professional or proficient academic writers, revealing both relatively stable patterns of language use and considerable variation among disciplines and genres. As a result, tracing students' academic language acquisition is problematic since academic language is a moving target. In fact, while L2 writers' use of lexicogrammatical markers does appear to develop with increasing language proficiency, the trajectories and mechanisms of this development remain unclear. Practically, this means L2 writers and their teachers need to develop their awareness of the common underlying features of the academic register as well as the discipline-specific variations that pertain to their current and future needs.