The effects of written languaging: to whom should learners write?

The effectiveness of written languaging (WL), in which learners articulate their thoughts about linguistic issues through writing, has been increasingly supported by empirical research. However, the underlying mechanisms that contribute to its benefits remain insufficiently understood. This study employed a pre-test/post-test design in both a main experiment and a follow-up experiment to investigate whether the intended addressee of WL influences its facilitative effects on second language (L2) learning. University students engaged in WL by writing explanations about the use of English articles, either addressed to themselves (Self group) or to an imaginary peer (Other group). The relationship between these WL activities and learners’ performance on pre- and post-tests was examined. In the main experiment, the Other group demonstrated greater gains in writing accuracy than the Self group. However, no significant group differences were found in the follow-up experiment. This article discusses these findings in relation to previous research from sociocultural and cognitive perspectives and offers implications for L2 instruction.