Does second language writing research impact U.S. university foreign language instruction?

Most university FL courses currently include some form of writing as part of their curricula. However, FL instructors do not seem to agree with respect to how writing should be utilized in the classroom. Some attempt to integrate insights from the broader field of second language (L2) writing research, teaching their students to use rhetorical and organizational devices and strategies in addition to the more traditional focus on grammatical and vocabulary. However, most university FL instructors appear to use writing only as means of introducing and/or reinforcing other aspects of language learning. Unfortunately, the reasons behind this disparity are not well understood. In an attempt to describe the extent to which L2 writing research is currently informing university FL instruction, a survey was administered to 153 FL instructors working at universities within the United States. Survey respondents described their level of knowledge concerning six important theories informing L2 writing research, as well as indicated the extent to which these theories inform their FL teaching. Survey results reveal low levels of both knowledge and implementation of the six theories among these FL instructors. Outreach by L2 writing researchers is recommended.