Characteristics of written texts among English language learners

This study examined the characteristics of written texts of third grade English Language Learners (ELLs) who were pre-referred for special education due to difficulties in acquiring literacy skills. Two writing samples from focal students were extensively analyzed for second language writing characteristics and other issues. Writing samples solicited from four additional groups of third graders provided comparison data. The study sought to discover the reasons for ELLs' pre-referral for special education testing and compare their writing products with the four groups.; All students were enrolled in a large suburban public school district in the eastern U.S. that serves ELLs through an ESOL program. Focal subjects were predominantly U.S.-born, two-thirds came from Spanish-speaking homes, most were at the intermediate ESOL Level.; Writing samples were analyzed quantitatively using scores on a holistic ESOL writing rubric and mean T-unit lengths (a measure of syntactic maturity). Statistical analysis on the pre-referred ELLs' first and second samples indicated progress by the majority of these students. Analysis showed that on-grade native English-speakers obtained higher rubric and T-unit scores than the other four groups. A one-way ANOVA revealed a statistical difference in the T-unit scores. Spearman's rho demonstrated a moderate positive statistically significant correlation between the rubric and T-unit scores (rho = .375; p < .01).; Writing samples were also analyzed qualitatively. Intensive qualitative analysis revealed that all groups used certain similar sentence structures, opening and ending formulae and stylistic devices in developing a story. On-grade native English-speakers used functional vocabulary, idioms, relative clauses, transitional signals and connectives more effectively. Invented spelling by all groups was attributed to their attempts at generating and testing writing strategies that work in the English spelling and sound system.; The writing difficulties experienced by most of the pre-referred ELLs appeared logical for students moving through developmental, interlanguage stages and attempting to approximate second language models to which they been exposed to.; These findings suggest that educators need to be more sensitive and cognizant of the challenges that ELLs face during the second language acquisition process, particularly the developmental stages in L2 writing, prior to their consideration for referral for special education testing.