Automated Discourse Analysis Techniques and Implications for Writing Assessment

Analysing writing development as a function of foreign language competence is important in secondary school children because the developmental patterns are strongest at young age when successful interventions needed. Although number researchers have explored degree to which specific textual characteristics EFL students’ essays associated with high and low ratings by teachers, extent such rater-mediated assessment under standard exam conditions remains relatively unexplored. Motivated above void pertinent literature, overall aim present study was investigate relationship between discourse features scripts learners sitting for British Council’s APTIS TEENS assigned scores during operational scoring specially trained raters. A total 800 international students aged 13 15 years old took part study, scored written on same task prompt test produced were analysed. The results showed statistically significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) linguistic identified different levels competence. main text that repeatedly found make contribution distinguishing texts both within across word frequency, abstractness, lexical diversity, semantic overlap, all could be used obtain numerical cut-off point proficiency levels. These findings support notion progress L2 primarily producing more elaborate sophisticated words, complex sentence structure fewer cohesive increased provide practical guidance material developers designers kind strategies develop their level suggestions consider designing classroom curricula, skills textbooks papers production.