A functional approach to language development in second language writing in K-12: Genre-based pedagogy through the teaching and learning cycle with multilingual learners

Abstract

The second language writing (SLW) field remains a key area for research and classroom applications. In this article, I address how the SLW field in K-12 has changed since my first article was published in the NYS TESOL Journal (“looking back…”), where we are now, and my vision for the development of genre-based approaches to writing instruction in the future (“...in order to move forward”). I specifically discuss advances in implementation of a functional approach to language development and its approach to genre and explore the use of the Teaching and Learning Cycle (TLC) based on this genre-based pedagogical approach for multilingual learners to become familiar with the different kinds of texts expected of them in K-12.