On Speaking-Writing Connection

Although the relationship between writing and speaking is reciprocal, we ought to be reminded that the existing of, first, oral language, then its representation in a written form tells us that writing by itself cannot train us to always express our meanings appropriately. However, the role that writing plays in second language learning is perhaps a unique one, allowing learners to sometimes reverse the truthfulness of this historical fact of human liteacry development.

Williams is quite right to suggest that at the stage when learners are not really sure about how to frame their thoughts into a partiuclar form, they tend to model the genres exposed to us through reading, then use them when they speak. I still remember how people looked at me when I used the formal Arabic forms for the first time during my stay in one of the Arab countries. Many said I sounded more like a TV presented or a preacher when I used those formal written forms. So, it is true that writing may support the development of proficiency but not necessarily the spoken genres.

The writing influence overall is more common in L2 than it is in L1 environemnt. This is because L1 users in fact tend to use their spoken form in their writing more than writing forms in their speaking. This is perhaps what makes speaking-writing connection even more meaningful to second language learners.