Teaching English Language

Teaching English Language

The Snowball effect of Orthographic misrepresentation on L2 writing

Document Type : Original Article

Author
100, 177 St. Guilan Blvd,
10.22132/tel.2026.484862.1717
Abstract
Despite extensive research on bilingual students’ writing, little attention has been paid to how spelling-related hesitations influence lexical choices and overall writing quality. This study investigates the role of orthographic knowledge in second language (L2) writing and examines whether spelling-driven pauses affect vocabulary selection and content development, as well as whether targeted instructional interventions can mitigate these challenges. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was employed. The research began with narrative inquiry and think-aloud protocols, which revealed learners’ spelling-driven hesitations and their role in lexical avoidance. Insights from these phases informed a quantitative experiment, analyzed using Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), to test the effects of spelling-focused instruction on vocabulary acquisition. To contextualize the statistical outcomes, the final stage combined post-treatment learner narratives with a learner corpus of spelling-driven vocabulary lists, providing both interpretive depth and empirical evidence of lexical growth. Participants included 10 students in the narrative phase, 8 in the think-aloud phase, and 12 in the experimental phase. Results showed that spelling uncertainty triggered lexical revisions, significantly affecting Task Response and Lexical Resource scores, while Grammar and Cohesion/Coherence remained unaffected. Post-treatment narratives highlighted increased orthographic confidence and greater willingness to use complex vocabulary. Findings suggest that corpus-informed spelling instruction can reduce lexical avoidance and enhance L2 writing quality.
Keywords

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Volume 20, Issue 2
July 2026
Pages 397-427

  • Receive Date 22 October 2024
  • Revise Date 19 June 2026
  • Accept Date 14 July 2026