Maureen S. Andrade and Norman W. Evans: Principles and Practices for Response in Second Language Writing: Developing Self-Regulated Learners

Mastery of writing skills is considered a challenge for many learners including those with English as their first language. It is not that writing is difficult in itself; rather, a lack of adequately relevant and motivating instruction and response by the teacher can lead to challenges. It can be liberating for teachers to have a source supplying instructional strategies to eliminate learners’ writing problems (Harris et al. 2006). This volume is a valuable publication offering practical guidelines for language teachers to teach learners to become self-regulated writers. The book nicely blends self-regulated learning (SRL) theory [as ‘a new perspective to long-standing feedback practices’ in L2 writing (p. viii)] with the process of general language learning, including L2 writing. The volume aims to develop autonomous learning and assist ‘language learners [to] develop skills and strategies that will allow them to continue learning and improving long after they leave our classrooms’ (ibid.) by instructing language teachers (and in particular writing instructors) on how to provide (corrective) feedback in the most effective manner.