Teaching English writing in Chinese speaking regions

Whether discussing the teaching or learning of English writing, most educators and learners alike agree that it is the most challenging language skill to master. While contexts may differ in terms of purpose or motivation for learning to write in English, contexts may also share similar challenges. This is the exact situation with learners in Chinese speaking regions. From primary school to graduate school, learners are struggling with similar yet contextually unique difficulties in mastering English writing. These learners require instructional support informed by a multifaceted research literature covering the fields of second language acquisition, reading research, vocabulary research, bilingual processing, sociocultural factors, language assessment, and language policies. The complexity of English writing development was the seed of our attempt to characterize second language writing instruction for Chinese speakers in different yet historically related regions. This chapter juxtaposes the similarities and differences in English writing instruction in mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan. With a focus on current innovative practices and research trends, this chapter provides a starting point for thinking about what is important to understand English writing instruction in the regions.