Dynamic Effects of Task Type Practice on the Japanese EFL University Student's Writing: Text Analysis with Coh-Metrix

摘要

The longitudinal effects of repeating a timed classroom writing activity on the EFL (English as a Foreign Language) student's L2 (second language) writing development were investigated. Data for 46 students were collected 30 times over one year. The students' compositions were analyzed for fluency and for grammatical and lexical complexity. Text analysis using Coh-Metrix and visual analysis of nonlinear individual developmental patterns showed that task repetition has an overall effect on L2 writing development. Grammatical complexity developed more prominently than the other aspects of writing. This counter intuitive result points to the significance of the writers' reflective consciousness towards their own writing.