The Role of Executive Function in an Integrated Writing Task

Xian Liao Education University of Hong Kong ; Pengfei Zhao Education University of Hong Kong

Abstract

Integrated writing (i.e., writing from sources) being a complex process, requires various linguistic and cognitive skills interacting with each other in a dynamic way. While recent studies have increasingly documented that writing processes are driven by a suite of cognitive abilities named executive function (EF), their roles in a literacy activity as complex as integrated writing remain underexplored. To address this core issue, the present study aimed to examine the direct and indirect effects of EF skills on students’ performance of a Chinese listening-reading-writing task. A total of 135 Chinese undergraduates were involved, completing a battery of tests, including a computerized Chinese integrated writing task measuring their writing performance and five EF tasks measuring inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory (auditory-verbal and visual-spatial), and planning skills respectively. Students’ integration activities were also recorded using a writing webpage. The path model indicated that inhibition, visual-spatial working memory, and planning skills could significantly and directly predict students’ writing performance and the visual-spatial working memory could indirectly predict writing performance via the mediation of source-text switches while listening. This study offers new preliminary insights into the association between EF and integrated writing among Chinese undergraduates; pedagogical implications for the teaching of integrated writing are also discussed.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
2024-04-01
DOI
10.1177/07410883231222950
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
Export

Citation context

Cited by in this index (2)

  1. Written Communication
  2. Assessing Writing

References (88) · 12 in this index

  1. 10.1007/s10936-022-09858-8
     ↗
  2. 10.1080/13803390701562818
     ↗
  3. 10.1207/s15326942dn2901_8
     ↗
  4. Acta Neuropsychologica
  5. 10.1111/opo.12131
     ↗
Show all 88 →
  1. Models of short-term memory
  2. Balioussis C., Pascual-Leone J., Johnson J. (2012). Fluency and complexity in children’s writing: The role of…
  3. 10.1007/s11409-011-9075-7
     ↗
  4. 10.1007/s10648-017-9422-6
     ↗
  5. 10.1002/rrq.273
     ↗
  6. 10.1186/s40468-017-0040-5
     ↗
  7. 10.1016/j.tsc.2022.101129
     ↗
  8. 10.1007/s11145-017-9811-8
     ↗
  9. Assessing Writing
  10. 10.1080/20445911.2012.699035
     ↗
  11. 10.1007/s11145-019-09963-6
     ↗
  12. 10.1080/10705510709336738
     ↗
  13. Assessing Writing
  14. 10.1016/j.jeap.2016.06.002
     ↗
  15. 10.1093/brain/122.10.1973
     ↗
  16. Assessment of cognitive processes: The PASS theory of intelligence
  17. 10.1146/annurev-psych-113011-143750
     ↗
  18. 10.1016/j.dcn.2015.11.005
     ↗
  19. Written Communication
  20. 10.1007/s11145-015-9558-z
     ↗
  21. 10.1016/j.learninstruc.2019.101297
     ↗
  22. 10.2307/356600
     ↗
  23. 10.1007/s11145-018-9872-3
     ↗
  24. 10.1111/1467-9817.12091
     ↗
  25. 10.1111/flan.12676
     ↗
  26. Assessing Writing
  27. 10.1002/tesj.65
     ↗
  28. Executive function in education: From theory to practice
  29. 10.1080/00461520.2018.1481406
     ↗
  30. 10.1093/oso/9780198863564.003.0003
     ↗
  31. Executive function in education: From theory to practice
  32. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199827282.003.0001
     ↗
  33. HKCEE Chinese language level descriptors and exemplars for standards-referenced assessment
  34. 2017 Hong Kong diploma of secondary education examination question papers (with marking schemes and candidates’ performance)
  35. 10.1093/oso/9780198863564.003.0006
     ↗
  36. 10.1177/002221940203500105
     ↗
  37. 10.1037/0022-0663.94.1.44
     ↗
  38. 10.1037/bul0000160
     ↗
  39. 10.1016/j.jslw.2014.05.005
     ↗
  40. 10.1016/B978-0-12-410388-7.00007-5
     ↗
  41. 10.1177/1073191108315611
     ↗
  42. 10.1207/S15324826AN0704_8
     ↗
  43. 10.1111/jcal.12516
     ↗
  44. Kim M., Tian Y., Crossley S. A. (2021). Exploring the relationships among cognitive and linguistic resources,…
     ↗
  45. 10.1007/s11145-018-9913-y
     ↗
  46. Principles and practice of structural equation modeling
  47. Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, 64 Card Version: WCST-64
  48. 10.1080/01688639408402697
     ↗
  49. Assessing Writing
  50. 10.1017/S0272263119000251
     ↗
  51. Journal of Writing Research
  52. 10.1007/s11145-021-10152-7
     ↗
  53. Journal of Writing Research
  54. 10.1007/s11145-007-9086-6
     ↗
  55. 10.1016/j.jslw.2020.100758
     ↗
  56. 10.1037/0022-0663.86.3.389
     ↗
  57. 10.1007/BF01464076
     ↗
  58. 10.1177/0267658320915501
     ↗
  59. 10.1006/cogp.1999.0734
     ↗
  60. 10.1007/s11145-021-10243-5
     ↗
  61. 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1996.tb01380.x
     ↗
  62. 10.1108/S1572-6304(2007)0000020008
     ↗
  63. Assessing Writing
  64. 10.1016/j.jslw.2013.02.003
     ↗
  65. Assessing Writing
  66. Investigating IELTS Academic Writing Task 2: Relationships between cognitive writing proc…
  67. 10.1007/s11145-022-10256-8
     ↗
  68. 10.1080/09297049.2023.2170998
     ↗
  69. 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01265.x
     ↗
  70. The constructivist metaphor: Reading, writing and the making of meaning
  71. 10.1006/jecp.1996.0054
     ↗
  72. 10.1007/s11145-006-9046-6
     ↗
  73. 10.1017/S1355617708080028
     ↗
  74. 10.1007/s11145-019-09958-3
     ↗
  75. 10.3758/s13421-014-0480-4
     ↗
  76. 10.1037/edu0000755
     ↗
  77. Woods D. L., Kishiyama M. M., Yund E. W., Herron T. J., Edwards B., Poliva O., Hink R. F., Reed B. (2011). Im…
     ↗
  78. Assessing Writing
  79. 10.1080/15434303.2014.957381
     ↗
  80. Assessing Writing
  81. Assessing Writing
  82. 10.1016/j.system.2023.103033
     ↗
  83. 10.1080/15434303.2016.1210609
     ↗