Cover not available

Article published In: The Assessment of Functional Adequacy in Language Performance: Special issue of the Journal on Task-Based Language Teaching and Learning 2:1 (2022)
Edited by Folkert Kuiken and Ineke Vedder
[TASK 2:1] 2022
► pp. 115–136

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
EPUB logo with download linkDownload EPUB
authorization required

Exploring the pedagogical use of the rating scale for functional adequacy in L1 writing instruction

ORCiD logo with link
ORCiD logo with link
Published online: 20 June 2022
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/task.21011.nuz
Abstract
This study aims to investigate whether a short training, during which a group of native Italian university students used the scale for Functional Adequacy (FA) developed by (2017). Functional adequacy in L2 writing. Towards a new rating scale. Language Testing, 34(3), 321–336. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar to assess texts written by their peers and their own texts, lead them to improve their L1 writing skills. The participants were assigned to an experimental (N = 15) and a control group (N = 15). A pre-test / treatment / post-test design was adopted. Results showed that the participants in the experimental condition benefited from the instructional treatment, but the gains they had in comparison to the control group were not statistically significant.
Article outline
  • Background
    • University students’ L1 writing skills
    • Applicability of the FA rating scale for L1
  • Aims and research questions
  • Method
    • Design and participants
    • The writing tasks
    • The instructional treatment
    • The rating procedure
    • Data analysis
  • Results
  • Discussion
    • Research question 1
    • Research question 2
  • Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
References (25)
References
Andorno, C. (2014). Una semplice informalità? Le e-mail di studenti a docenti universitari come apprendistato di registri formali. In M. Cerruti, E. Corino, & C. Onesti (Eds.), Lingue in contesto. Studi di linguistica e glottodidattica sulla variazione diafasica (pp. 13–32). Edizioni Dell’Orso.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Caffi, C. (1991). Aspetti pragmatici e testuali delle introduzioni a tesi di laurea e specializzazione in materie scientifiche. In C. Lavinio, & A. Sobrero (Eds.), La lingua degli studenti universitari (pp. 71–98). La Nuova Italia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cortés Velásquez, D., & Nuzzo, E. (2017). Assessing L1 functional adequacy: Can we use the same scale as for L2? Paper presented at the Seventh International Conference on Task-Based Language Teaching, Barcelona, April 19–21.
Del Bono, F. (2017). Aspetti pragmatici nella valutazione di testi scritti: Uno studio dell’adeguatezza funzionale in italiano L2. Unpublished MA dissertation, Roma Tre University.
Faone, S., Pagliara, F., & Vitale, G. (2017). How to assess L2 information-gap tasks through functional adequacy rating scales. Paper presented at the Seventh International Conference on Task-Based Language Teaching, Barcelona, April 19–21.
Fiorentino, G. (2015). Aspetti problematici del discorso accademico: Un’analisi dei riassunti delle tesi di laurea. Cuadernos de Filología Italiana, 221, 263–284. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
James, L. R., Demaree, L. G., & Wolf, G. (1984). Estimating within-group interrater reliability with and without response bias. Journal of Applied Psychology, 691, 85–98. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Jameson, D. A. (2007). Literacy in decline: Untangling the evidence. Business Communication Quarterly, 701, 16–33. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kuiken, F., & Vedder, I. (2014). Rating written performance: What do raters do and why? Language Testing, 31(3), 329–348. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2017). Functional adequacy in L2 writing. Towards a new rating scale. Language Testing, 34(3), 321–336. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
(2018). Assessing functional adequacy of L2 performance in a task-based approach. In N. Taguchi, & Y. Kim (Eds.), Task-based approaches to teaching and assessing pragmatics (pp. 265–285). John Benjamins. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Lavinio, C., & Sobrero, A. (1991). La lingua degli studenti universitari. La Nuova Italia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
LeBreton, J. M., Burgess, J. R. D., Kaiser, R. B., Atchley, E. K. P., & James, L. R. (2003). The restriction of variance hypothesis and interrater reliability and agreement: Are ratings from multiple sources really dissimilar? Organizational Research Methods, 6(1), 80–128. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
May, G. L., Thompson, M. A., & Hebblethwaite, J. (2012). A process for assessing and improving business writing at the MBA level. Business Communication Quarterly, 75(3), 252–270. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Nuzzo, E., & Bove, G. (2020). Assessing functional adequacy across tasks: A comparison of learners’ and native speakers’ written texts. EuroAmerican Journal of Applied Linguistics and Languages. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Orrù, P. (2019). Misurare l’adeguatezza funzionale in testi scritti di apprendenti di italiano L2. Italiano LinguaDue 11(1), 45–58. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Orrù, P., & Foti, E. (2020). Valutare coerenza e coesione in produzioni scritte di apprendenti L2: Un confronto tra i giudizi dei valutatori e i descrittori delle scale per l’adeguatezza funzionale. In E. Nuzzo, E. Santoro, & I. Vedder (Eds.), Valutazione e misurazione delle produzioni orali e scritte in italiano lingua seconda (pp. 83–92). Franco Cesati.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pagliara, F. (2017). Valutare l’adeguatezza funzionale in produzioni scritte di studenti Marco Polo. Paper presented at the conference Dieci anni di didattica dell’italiano a studenti cinesi. Risultati, esperimenti, proposte, Siena (Italy), October 6–7.
(2018). L’analisi dei bisogni nel TBLT: Un caso di studio sull’italiano come lingua della comunicazione accademica. In D. Cortés Velásquez, & E. Nuzzo (Eds.), Il task nell’insegnamento delle lingue. Percorsi tra ricerca e didattica al CLA di Roma Tre (pp. 77–104). Roma TrE-Press. [URL]
(2021). La competenza pragmatica nelle interazioni con i professori universitari: Un confronto tra studenti parlanti nativi e parlanti non nativi di italiano. Doctoral dissertation. Roma Tre University.
Perin, D. (2013). Literacy skills among academically underprepared students. Community College Review, 41(2), 118–136. Retrieved from [URL].
Piemontese, E. (2000) (Ed.)., I bisogni linguistici delle nuove generazioni. La Nuova Italia.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Pinto, M. A., Iliceto, P. (2007). TAM-3 Test di abilità metalinguistiche n.3. Fascia adolescente-adulta. Carocci.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Prada, M. (2009). Le competenze di scrittura e le interazioni comunicative attraverso lo scritto: Problemi e prospettive per una didattica della scrittura. Italiano LinguaDue 11, 232–278. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Vedder, I. (2016). Il ruolo dell’adeguatezza funzionale nelle produzioni scritte in lingua seconda: Proposta per una scala di valutazione. In E. Santoro, & I. Vedder (Eds.), Pragmatica e interculturalità in italiano lingua seconda (pp. 79–92). Franco Cesati.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (4)

Cited by four other publications

Li, Shaopeng, Zehao Wang & Xianru Ge
2025. Effects of Task Complexity and L2 Proficiency on Functional Adequacy in L2 Writing. International Journal of Applied Linguistics 35:2 ► pp. 543 ff. DOI logo
Wei, Ran & Xiaoyan Zhao
2024. Effects of task-based language teaching on functional adequacy in L2 writing. Assessing Writing 60 ► pp. 100838 ff. DOI logo
Kuiken, Folkert & Ineke Vedder
2022. Speaking. In Research methods in instructed second language acquisition [Research Methods in Applied Linguistics, 3], ► pp. 329 ff. DOI logo
Kuiken, Folkert & Ineke Vedder
2025. From CAF to CAFFA. In Broadening the Horizon of TBLT [Task-Based Language Teaching, 17], ► pp. 147 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 5 december 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue