Practicing Theory in Second Language Writing

Nonfiction. Writing Reference. Language Arts. English as a Second Language. Theory has been used widely in the field of second language writing. Second language writing specialists--teachers, researchers, and administrators--have yet to have an open and sustained conversation about what theory is, how it works, and, more important, how to practice theory. PRACTICING THEORY IN SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING features fourteen essays by distinguished scholars in second language writing who explore various aspects of theoretical work that goes on in the field. Contributors include Dwight Atkinson, Diane Belcher, A. Suresh Canagarajah, Joan Carson, Deborah Crusan, Alister Cumming, Doug Flahive, Lynn M. Goldstein, Linda Harklau, John Hedgcock, Alan Hirvela, Ryuko Kubota, Paul Kei Matsuda, Lourdes Ortega, Dudley W. Reynolds, Tony Silva, Christine Tardy, Gwendolyn Williams, and Wei Zhu.

Tony Silva is a Professor in the Department of English at Purdue University, where he directs and teaches courses in the Graduate Program in ESL and the ESL Writing Program. He co-edited the Journal of Second Language Writing from 1992 to 2007 and has served as the co-host of the Symposium on Second Language Writing since 1998. He has co-edited four books, co-authored another, and published his work in such journals as the Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, College Composition and Communication, ELT Journal, Modern Language Journal, TESOL Quarterly, and Written Communication.

Paul Kei Matsuda is Associate Professor of English at Arizona State University. Founding co-chair of the Symposium on Second Language Writing and Editor of the Parlor Press Series on Second Language Writing, he has published widely on second language writing in a wide variety of edited collections as well as journals such as such as College Composition and Communication, Composition Studies, Computers and Composition,College English, English for Specific Purposes, International Journal of Applied Linguistics, Journal of Basic Writing, Journal of Second Language Writing, and Written Communication.