10. Identity evolving through writing

Li, X. (2007). Identities and Beliefs in ESL Writing: From Product to Process. TESL Canada Journal, 25(1), 41-64.
Read: Li(2007)

Li(2007) acknowledges that most of the research surronding ELLs and writing is product-orientated. Instead Li investigates the interplay of culture, writer identity, and learner beliefs and the way writer identity and learner beliefs influence the way ESL writers compose and learn to compose academic texts 

Li(2007) discusses how the ELL's native culture is often transferred over into their writing as they acquire English:

"The fourth strand of research considers the notion of identity, including both cultural identity in second-language writing. Research along these lines was initially sparked by Shen’s (1989) discussion of his struggles to establish in written text a second-cultural self that was distinct from his first-cultural self"(pg. 46). 

Previous research about specific culture patterns that arise in the acquisition of English is discussed and instead of analyzing these themes she chooses to focus on the evolution of the ELL's identity in the writing:

"However, the traditional methodology of analyzing written texts for cultural tendencies in writing seemed insufficient to explain how an ESL learner might construct a new identity in writing. What seemed more crucial was to examine the processes by which ESL students learn to write and to present themselves in writing, and how ESL writers’ identities evolve during these processes"(pg. 42).

Also, the differences of attitudes and learner attitudes can be attributed to the learnern's culture: 

"culturally diverse students may have differing attitudes toward these practices as a result of their prior learning backgrounds. For example, ESL students’ beliefs about peer response and teacher feedback, which may be complicated and different from what teach- ers expect, can be related to first-cultural conventions"(pg.44).

•  This clearly shows how important it is to investigate the ELLs' beliefs and attidues towards writing, feedback, and the overall process of writing in both his/her native language as well as in English. 
• I found Li's focus away from cultural patterns in writing interesting. I would like to do both in my research: look if certain cultural patterns emerge as well as the emergence and evolution of writer identity. 

• Li also did extensive interviews with the teacher to see if the teacher's views about learning and writing matched with the learner's views. I find her survey questions to be useful and I plan to implement similar interview strategies to better assist my research goals.