Profiling L2 writing development: The case of CFL learners in intermediate classes

Abstract This exploratory study examined the writings of a small group of learners enrolled in intermediate CFL classes at two U.S. universities and attempted to profile these learners’ writing development over five months. It collected data through both in-class timed essays and out-of-class writing assignments and analyzed them in terms of overall rating and a variety of writing measures (i.e., fluency, accuracy, complexity, content, and organization). The results showed negligible improvement in these learners’ overall writing proficiency at the end of the observation period and revealed a non-linear trend of development of their writing competence over time. In addition, the analysis of the learners’ writing profile as well as the errors committed in their writings provided new insights into the promotion of L2 writing skills in CFL classrooms.