A pedagogical inquiry into students’ writing skills development from the perspective of English as a lingua franca: Insights from secondary and tertiary English language education in Taiwan
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Melissa H. Yu
Abstract
Albeit numerous studies have explored various subjects within the theoretical framework of English as a lingua franca (ELF), little research literature has considered mainstream four-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) teaching and learning in connection to ELF. In addition, most ELF literature has discussed listening and/or speaking rather than writing. These exiting studies have not answered queries about whether local curriculums and materials support writing training for international communication, whether students have such learning needs, and what the current writing training is for international communication. To answer these questions two questionnaire surveys and six interviews with teachers were conducted to explore how English language educational provisions help students develop writing skills for international communication. The results indicated that school and university curriculums, learning materials, and teaching were not necessarily communication- oriented or writing skills focused. Writing skills development was not students’ only learning priority. Although a non-normative approach was applied to realise writing skills training for communication, training of this kind has remained a minor pedagogical concern. The implications for research and pedagogy are the analysis of the contextual factors that steer the orientations of English language education, multiple perspectives on planning and implementing ELF writing training, and actual teaching and learning for international communication.
Abstract
Albeit numerous studies have explored various subjects within the theoretical framework of English as a lingua franca (ELF), little research literature has considered mainstream four-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) teaching and learning in connection to ELF. In addition, most ELF literature has discussed listening and/or speaking rather than writing. These exiting studies have not answered queries about whether local curriculums and materials support writing training for international communication, whether students have such learning needs, and what the current writing training is for international communication. To answer these questions two questionnaire surveys and six interviews with teachers were conducted to explore how English language educational provisions help students develop writing skills for international communication. The results indicated that school and university curriculums, learning materials, and teaching were not necessarily communication- oriented or writing skills focused. Writing skills development was not students’ only learning priority. Although a non-normative approach was applied to realise writing skills training for communication, training of this kind has remained a minor pedagogical concern. The implications for research and pedagogy are the analysis of the contextual factors that steer the orientations of English language education, multiple perspectives on planning and implementing ELF writing training, and actual teaching and learning for international communication.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Acknowledgements VII
- Contents IX
- Contributors XI
- Teaching English writing in Chinese speaking regions 1
- Integrating e-learning into process writing: The case of a primary school in Hong Kong 19
- A dual case study of perceptions of strategy-based training and peer review stances among Hong Kong secondary students: An activity theory perspective 43
- Improving English as a foreign language learners’ writing using a minimal grammar approach of teaching dependent clauses: A case study of Macao secondary school students 67
- A pedagogical inquiry into students’ writing skills development from the perspective of English as a lingua franca: Insights from secondary and tertiary English language education in Taiwan 91
- Metacognitive knowledge development of low proficiency Hong Kong English as a Foreign Language university students in a process-oriented writing course: An action research study 117
- Metacognitive strategy-focused instruction in a writing across the curriculum programme in a Hong Kong university: The impact on writing performance 145
- A narrative inquiry into washback of highstakes and low-stakes testing on second language English writing in Hong Kong higher education 179
- Preparing Chinese novice writers for academia: An integrated genre-based approach for writing research articles 207
- Toward better English for research publication purposes practices through the lens of activity theory: A case study of a cross-disciplinary graduate writing course in Taiwan 233
- Practice and future directions for developing Chinese speakers’ English writing across different education levels 257
- Index 271
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- Preface V
- Acknowledgements VII
- Contents IX
- Contributors XI
- Teaching English writing in Chinese speaking regions 1
- Integrating e-learning into process writing: The case of a primary school in Hong Kong 19
- A dual case study of perceptions of strategy-based training and peer review stances among Hong Kong secondary students: An activity theory perspective 43
- Improving English as a foreign language learners’ writing using a minimal grammar approach of teaching dependent clauses: A case study of Macao secondary school students 67
- A pedagogical inquiry into students’ writing skills development from the perspective of English as a lingua franca: Insights from secondary and tertiary English language education in Taiwan 91
- Metacognitive knowledge development of low proficiency Hong Kong English as a Foreign Language university students in a process-oriented writing course: An action research study 117
- Metacognitive strategy-focused instruction in a writing across the curriculum programme in a Hong Kong university: The impact on writing performance 145
- A narrative inquiry into washback of highstakes and low-stakes testing on second language English writing in Hong Kong higher education 179
- Preparing Chinese novice writers for academia: An integrated genre-based approach for writing research articles 207
- Toward better English for research publication purposes practices through the lens of activity theory: A case study of a cross-disciplinary graduate writing course in Taiwan 233
- Practice and future directions for developing Chinese speakers’ English writing across different education levels 257
- Index 271
