Date 25-07-2011 |
Academic Writing in English
A process-based approach
Kevin Haines
Date 25-07-2011 |
Starting points
› Target Group(s): a growing heterogeneous
group of students studying at Dutch
universities/hogescholen BA/MA
(wholly/mostly/partly) through English
› Level B2 to C1 (relative comfort)
› Temporary support with English for Academic
Purposes
› Provide foundation for future autonomous
development of English in context
Date 25-07-2011 |
The Writing Process
Readings confirmed our belief that a process-based approach
could be structured to guide flexible support for individual
learning paths.
Badger & White (2000): A process genre approach to teaching writing.
ELT Journal 54/2 April 2000. pp. 153-160.
Seow (2002): The writing process and process writing. In: J.C. Richards &
W. Redandya (Eds.), Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of
current practice (pp.315-320). CUP.
Haas, S (2009): Writers’ groups for MA ESOL students: Collaboratively
constructing a model of the writing process. ELTED, 12, pp. 23-30.
Our aim was to increase learner independence and autonomy
during the writing of one or more text(s) .
Date 25-07-2011 |
Academic Writing in English
A process-based approach
Arnoud Thuss and Kevin Haines
Date 25-07-2011 |
Flexibility
1.
2.
3.
4.
Selective routes through the book
Combinations with other books and
resources
Duration and students (customizing)
Examples
Date 25-07-2011 |
Flexibility: selective routes
› Process:

linear (chapter by chapter) or recursive (more texts?)

targeting of specific stages of the writing process
according to students’ needs
› Level:

scaffolded to the needs of students (wing system)
› Category: task variety

structure, style, vocabulary and coherence (content)

scaffolding (orientation, peer review etc.)
6
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Stages in the writing process
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›
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Chapter 1 Introduction to academic writing
Chapter 2 Pre-writing and the rhetorical situation
Chapter 3 Planning
Chapter 4 Drafting
Chapter 5 Revising
Chapter 6 Fine tuning
Chapter 7 Editing
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8
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9
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The wing system (based on Neuner)
10
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One Wing tasks:
receptive tasks for reading and listening comprehension
11
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Two Wing tasks:
strongly guided productive and reproductive tasks
12
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Three wing tasks:
less guided productive tasks
13
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Four wing tasks / Developing your text:
fully communicative tasks / skill application
14
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Flexibility: duration and students
Customization:
›
›
›
›
Short courses
Long courses
University
Vocational education
Date 25-07-2011 |
Example 1: Short course
›
›
›
›
›
Hanzehogeschool Groningen – Human Technology
Place in curriculum: end of second year
Programme: 4 weeks, 2 hours/wk
First introduction to academic writing
Focus:
 Organization principles
 Argumentation
 Academic vocabulary
 Formality
 Linking
Date 25-07-2011 |
Example 1
› Only part of the book is used (same book used
in year 4), focus on 1-3 wing tasks
› Tasks are adapted to Human Technology
domain if possible, long term assignment
(end of chapters) is not used
› Final assignment: 750 word descriptive essay
in pairs
Date 25-07-2011 |
Example 2: Long course
› University of Groningen – prep course Publishing in
English
› Place in curriculum: PhD (post Masters)
› Programme: 12 weeks, 2 hrs/wk
› Preparing for writing scientific publications +
remediation
› Focus:
 Grammatical correctness (additionally: Grammar
in Use)
 Academic vocabulary and style
 Linking
 Precision and conciseness
Date 25-07-2011 |
Example 2: Long course
› All chapters are used, focus on 3 and 4 wing
tasks
› Using long term assignment at the end of each
chapter
› Final assignment: Individual scientific article
or report about topic of their specialisation
(most students: review article), 1500 words.
Two versions (draft + final)
Date 25-07-2011 |
Flexibility: combination
Combine with other books and resources to produce an
integrated design. Examples:
› Hannay & Lachlan Mackenzie, Effective Writing in English:
a sourcebook (Coutinho)
› Kirszner & Mandell, The Wadsworth Handbook
› Murphy, Grammar in Use (CUP)
› McCarthy & O’Dell, Academic Vocabulary in Use (CUP)
› Combine with a surround or scaffold, such as a
ToolBox/Journal provided through an Electronic Learning
Environment such as Blackboard.