Local Coherence and Subject Continuity: An Analysis Within the Centering Theory

Writing, which includes complex processes influenced by many factors, isthe least supported linguistic skills in the social context outside the learning environment compared to other learning areas. For this reason, practices in schools are important in the development of writing skill. As these practices aim to ensure that students gain awareness of the functioning of the language system and produce texts that are compatible with the discourse features shaped in line with communicative purposes, students are taught how to make choices compatible with the text type. Therefore, theories and approaches that describe how to make necessary choices to improve writing skill among the most important components of teaching effective writing skill. In terms of teaching writing, centering theory is essential as it provides descriptions for the discourse-compatible choices and the establishment of coherence relations needed for text production. Therefore, the aim of the study is to discuss why the centering theory should be taken into account in the practices for the development of writing skills based on the literature, and to describe how the traces of local text coherence and subject continuity are used in conjunction with the principles and concepts set forth by the centering theory.