“I should summarize this whole paragraph”: Shared processes of reading and writing in iterative integrated assessment tasks

Abstract

Researchers do not yet fully understand the complex processes linking reading and writing in a second language. A number of recent studies have focused on reading to write integrated tasks in language assessment, with an eye toward eliciting the underlying construct of reading-writing integration. To extend this conversation, we designed an iterative integrated task (writing-reading-writing) including a pre-writing task, reading passages, reading-based questions, and a sourced-based writing task. This task was used to explore the processes shared by reading and writing. Eleven second language writers of English completed this iterative integrated task, followed by a questionnaire and an interview. All writers performed concurrent (non-stop) verbal reporting while completing the task. Data were analyzed qualitatively to identify categories and patterns related to reading, writing, and shared overlapping processes. The processes that appeared during both reading and writing stages included the following: (1) focusing at the word level, (2) drawing on background knowledge, (3) metacognitive monitoring for comprehension, (4) rereading, and (5) summarizing. These five process categories provide insight into the reciprocal nature of second language reading and writing skills in integrated assessment tasks.