Focus on Form and Focus on Forms: Teaching Issues in Second Language Writing Instruction

Previous studies have been inconsistent in their views of focus on form and focus on forms in the field of second language (L2) teaching. Some regard the focus on form approach as more conducive to L2 learning, while others disagree with that. This study attempts to examine the two approaches in relation to L2 writing instruction and addresses issues and problems associated with them. Instead of siding with one or the other, this study shows a need to balance focus on form with focus on forms in teaching writing. With a further discussion on Brown's notion of interconnectedness of grammatical, organizational, and communicative competences, the study suggests teachers adopt multiple approaches to help learners in their long-term development of writing fluency and accuracy.