Christina Ortmeier-Hooper

One of the many aspects of this book that makes it so valuable is the word "writer" in its title, for that one simple word speaks volumes about the author’s teaching philosophy. Among the dozens of useful ideas in the *The ELL Writer* is the notion that, in order for English language learners to become proficient in English, they must see themselves as writers—and we, as their teachers, must demonstrate that we value the unique linguistic and cultural assets that they bring to the classroom and to their writing.

Ortmeier-Hooper foregrounds the power of affect in the teaching of writing, and her pedagogy reflects the high value she places on student self-efficacy. Throughout this relatively slim book (how did she pack so much wisdom and practice into just 197 pages?), we come to know the ELL writers who participated in Ortmeier-Hooper’s research; she includes biographical sketches of each participant, thus illustrating the rich diversity that ELL students bring to their writing. This technique invests her scholarship with power and humanity.

Perhaps even more importantly, Ortmeier-Hooper explains her pedagogy with a sense of clarity and fluency rarely seen in scholarly discourse. Her ideas are complex and challenging yet sensible—and they are effective enough to be used with all writers, not just ELL writers. In addition to demystifying many of the hurdles of teaching writing to ELL students, Ortmeier-Hooper offers a wealth of practical strategies that will succeed in any writing class. Informed by both the process model of writing and a munificent sense of empathy for students, this book should become a mainstay of every writing instructor’s professional library.… (mer)