Transfer of Grammatical Knowledge into ESL Writing

Abstract

Writing is a challenging productive skill that necessitates the input of grammar knowledge in theconstruction of intelligible and appropriate sentences. In the context of second language writing, ESLlearners have to be aware of using the target language structures in their writing. The learners’ ability totransfer the metalinguistic knowledge, rhetorical devices, mechanics of writing and logic reasoning intoL2 writing is called language transfer. Mikulecky et al. (1998) and Ormrod (1998) have stated theconcept of language transfer as the extent to which the learned knowledge of grammatical structure, asubset of literacy skill can be transferred from the classroom to learners’ writing. According to their viewform-focused pedagogical intervention assists the learners’ in developing metalinguistic knowledge tocomprehend and produce the language in a better way. In this regard, this paper examines to whatextent the learners are able to transfer the knowledge of grammar into their writing. Further, it hasanalysed the grammatical features that can/not be transferred into students’ writing. It has also exploredthe pedagogical factors that foster transfer of learning. The participants of this study are 58 second yearB.A English Literature students of a rural Arts & Science College in Tamilnadu. The results of the studyreveal that grammar instruction has enabled the transfer of learned grammar knowledge in their writing task