The Effect of L2 Proficiency on the Quantity and Quality of LREs and Writing Performance of Adolescent EFL Learners

Collaborative writing (CW) provides opportunities for peer interaction and foreign and second language (L2) learning. However, the extent to which learners engage in peer interaction (operationalized as language-related episodes [LREs]) depends on their L2 proficiency. Research with adult learners has reported that higher proficiency learners outperform lower proficiency peers in terms of LRE production and outcome and the quality of texts produced. However, research on LREs and writing performance with adolescent English as a foreign language (EFL) learners is rather scarce. To bridge this gap, the present study examined the effect of learners’ L2 proficiency on the number, type, and outcome of LREs as well as the quality of written text produced by 40 adolescent EFL learners (aged 13–14 years) completing a writing task in pairs. The study found that higher proficiency learners produced and resolved correctly more LREs and wrote texts of overall better quality than lower proficiency peers. In light of these findings, some pedagogical implications are discussed.