The 2016 Symposium on Second Language Writing, in conjunction with the Second Language Writing Institute, will take place on October 20-22, 2016, at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA. 

This year's theme, "Expertise in Second Language Writing," highlights the need to explore and articulate what it means to have expertise in the field of second language writing.

Expertise in second language writing is sometimes conceptualized as a binary—either you are an expert or you are not. In reality, however, there are different types and degrees of expertise that are needed depending on the context and roles—writing center tutors, teachers, teacher educators, program administrators, researchers, research mentors, editors, reviewers. As the field of second language writing matures and continues to grow as a community of experts, it is important to move toward a shared understanding of what knowledge and skills are needed for various roles we play in various contexts, and to develop a mechanism for developing and recognizing those expertise.

This symposium will bring together internationally-recognized experts in second language writing from various contexts to explore the nature of expertise in second language writing and to move toward a shared understanding of the different kinds of expertise that are needed in order to function as second language writing experts in various contexts.

To facilitate the development of expertise, the Second Language Writing Institute will feature workshops on various topics for teachers, researchers and administrators whose work involve second language writing.