Second Language Writing Instruction in Context(s)
The Effects of Institutional Policies and Politics

The 4th Symposium on Second Language Writing will take place from September 30 to October 2, 2004, at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. Invited speakers will include:

Danling Fu, University of Florida
Ilona Leki, University of Tennessee
Sara Cushing Weigle, Georgia State University
Jessica Williams, University of Illinois at Chicago

The theme for this year's Symposium is "Second Language Writing Instruction in Context(s): The Effects of Institutional Policies and Politics." While the majority of work done in second language writing addresses instruction, the focus of much of this scholarship is on what happens in the classroom as opposed to how the institutional contexts outside the classroom shape instructional practices. To help remedy this imbalance, this symposium will focus on institutional polices and politics and how they influence classroom practice. We refer here to policies on assessment, placement, credit, class size, course content, instructional practices, teacher preparation, and teacher support and to politics in terms of the relationships and interaction between second language writing professionals and their colleagues at the program, department, school, college, and university levels and beyond.

Presenters will explore how instructional policies and politics affect instructional practices. The Symposium will also provide many opportunities--both formal and informal--to interact with presenters as well as other second language writing specialists.

Special Event: Graduate Student Conference on Second Language Writing. In addition to the regular two-day symposium, we will host a graduate student conference on Thursday, September 30. We hope many people--both graduate students and experienced second language writing specialists--will participate in this event, which aims to bring together the next generation of second language writing specialists.

The informational flyer for the 2004 Symposium is available HERE in Adobe PDF format. Please feel free to distribute it to your colleagues and students or to post it on your office door and bulletin boards.

To receive updates and announcements related to the Symposium, please use the form below to subscribe to the SSLW Mailing list:

Full Name: Email:

The Symposium on Second Language Writing is a biennial professional conference that brings together teachers and researchers who work with second- and foreign-language writers to discuss important issues in the field of second language writing. More information about past symposia is available at: http://symposium.jslw.org/.

The 4th Symposium
Organizing Committee

Symposium Chairs
Tony Silva
Paul Kei Matsuda

Symposium Associate Chairs
Christina Ortmeier-Hooper
Xiaoye You

GSC Chairs
Michelle Cox
Gigi Taylor

Local Representatives
Scott Baxter
Huiling Ding
Rachida Elqobai
Mike Garcia
Kanok-on Glass
Tarez Graban
Joleen Hanson
Lu Liu
Yichun Liu
Laurel Reinking
Elizabeth Patton
Steve Simpson
Nadya Tanova
Yufeng Zhang