Making Way for Genre in ESL Writing

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Making Way for Genre in ESL Writing

• Shawna Shapiro
• University of Washington

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Overall aims of this presentation

• To introduce ESL writing teachers to the aspects
  of genre theory most applicable to their teaching
  practice
• To demonstrate ways in which genre can be
  incorporated into instruction

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Presentation Outline

• Overlap between genre and L2 writing theory
• Most relevant principles of genre
• 3. Application of genre theory to the L2
  classroom
• 4. Discussion

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Central Values and Concerns in L2
Writing

• Student-centered Instruction
• Explicitness
• Needs evaluations
• Communicative Competence
• Cultural Awareness
• Identity and Empowerment
• Pragmatism
• Functions, Notions, Situations
• Transferability
• Feasibility

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Prevalent Paradigms in language acquisition

• Communicative Approach
• a real-world means of communication
• Functional Linguistics
• Context who is communicating, with whom, where,
  and why
• Coherence results when text and context are in
  synch
• English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
• Language use may vary among disciplines and
  professions
• Instruction can be tailored
• Adapted from Hyland, 2004

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Prevalent Paradigms in writing instruction

• Process Approach
• - Circular, non-linear models, less
  emphasis on performance
• New Rhetoric/Critical Literacy
• Writing involves a dialogic conversation between
  a writer and an audience. Readers and writers
  both are sources of meaning-making
• Social Constructivism
• Students are members of multiple discourse
  communities, and need to be aware of the ways of
  communicating in each group.
• Adapted from Hyland, 2004

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Current Challenges in L2 Writing
Instruction

• To incorporate theory and best practices from
  both domains (language acquisition and
  composition)
• To develop a paradigm that addresses both
  textual and contextual aspects of writing
• To continue to reflect student-centeredness and
  pragmatism

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Benefits of a Genre-based Instructional Paradigm

• Integrates reading and writing
• Unites text and context
• - Examines socio-cultural factors, as well as
  discourse features
• Incorporates both form and flexibility
• Allows for increased explicitness and
  articulation of expectations
• Promotes informed, empowered decision-making
• Offers transferable strategies
• - Skills that can be used in many
  situations, rather than tasks that have been
  tailored for one class

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Principles of Genre Theoryand corresponding
images

• Old view
• Genres were textual categories
• -- Genre as file folder
• Modified view
• 1. Genres are social, cultural, and politicalas
  well as textual
• -- Genre as archeological artifact and/or tool
• 2. Genres are dynamic
• -- Genre as living organism
• 3. Genres are inter-textual and systematic
• -- Genre as ecology

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Container Model

• Container Model
• Genre was seen as a categorical container
  holding certain types of texts

• Academic Genres
• five-paragraph theme
• autobiographical essay
• short story
• laboratory report
• Etc.

• Professional Genres
• resume
• meeting notes
• memo
• project proposal
• Etc.

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Socio-Cultural Model

• Alternative to the container model
• The Socio-Cultural Model
• Genres constantly change
• Genres are not homogenous
• Genres reveal valuable information about
  communities
• Genres can be learned, but also modified and
  adapted

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Socio-Cultural Model (contd)

• Like archeological artifacts, genres teach us
  about cultures and communities.
• In addition, like tools, they allow us entrance
  into those communities.
• In other words
• Texts can help us understand, enter, and even
  alter communities

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Socio-Cultural Model (contd)

• Genres are active and dynamic, like organisms,
• Like members of biological ecosystems, genres
  affect and are affected by the social and textual
  systems (large and small) surrounding them.

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Genre and L2 Writing

• Characteristics of genre-based writing
  instruction (both L1 and L2)
• Incorporates critical reading, exploring purpose,
  audience, etc.
• Notices features of texts content, format, word
  choice, syntax, grammar, etc
• (may use Discourse Analysis techniques, or other
  sets of linguistic and sociolinguistic features)
• Compares and connects genres (avoids isolation)
• Discusses values and beliefs as reflected through
  writing
• Encourages students to make informed choices
  based on genre knowledge
• May involve social studies and other
  disciplines to add to students contextual
  knowledge

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Sample Lesson Letter to the Editor (A)
Genre and L2 Writing

• Objectives
• Students practice persuasive writing,
  particularly through a problem-solution framework
• Students understand context for periodicals and
  editorial writing
• Students practice analysis of audience
  expectations through analysis of content,
  organization, word choice, syntax, and
  grammatical features.

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Sample Lesson Letter to the Editor (B)
Genre and L2 Writing
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Sample Lesson Letter to the Editor (C)
Genre and L2 Writing
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Contact information

• Email shapis_at_u.washington.edu
• Course websites
• www.staff.washington.edu/shapis/101a (L2)
• www.staff.washington.edu/shapis/131d (L1)