Becoming writers: Transforming students' academic writing (original) (raw)

'Really free!': Strategic interventions to foster students' academic writing skills

Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change, 2017

The present paper builds on Elbow’s (1998) idea of ‘free writing’ to explore methods to foster academic writing skills. Rather than focusing on a deficit student in need of ‘fixing’, we embed ‘free writing exercises’ within classroom practice so that all students develop a critical writing habit. The aim of this paper is to explore how we enable students to find an academic ‘voice’ as we support them on the way to becoming successful academic writers. In this context, we argue for academic/study skills modules/strategic interventions that respect ‘hard to reach’ students as we build on their existing strengths and knowledge – and develop their writing skills.

‘Take them Serious’: Strategic interventions to foster students' academic writing skills

The Journal of Educational Innovation, Partnership and Change, 2017

The present paper builds on Elbow’s (1998) idea of ‘free writing’ to explore methods to foster academic writing skills. Rather than focusing on a deficit student in need of ‘fixing’, we embed ‘free writing exercises’ within classroom practice so that all students develop a critical writing habit. The aim of this paper is to explore how we enable students to find an academic ‘voice’ as we support them on the way to becoming successful academic writers. In this context, we argue for academic/study skills modules/strategic interventions that respect ‘hard to reach’ students as we build on their existing strengths and knowledge – and develop their writing skills.

‘What am I Expecting and Why?’ How can Lecturers in Higher Education Begin to Address Writing Development for their Students?

Journal of Academic Writing, 2011

This paper reports on a small-scale study in a post-1992 UK University that set out to explore how lecturers were approaching the challenge of developing first year undergraduates" writing. It approached lecturers" everyday writing practices from the perspective of literacy as social practice (Barton 2007, Barton, Hamilton and Ivanič 1999, Gee 1996 and Street 1984). Data collection focussed on the different ways the participating lecturers had tried to support students writing development as well as the extent to which they felt responsible for developing writing as part of their specific subject teaching. This study concludes that it may be beneficial for higher education institutions to provide opportunities for lecturers to develop their own academic writing identities in higher education, as well as supporting them to work more effectively as writing developers within their subject specialisms, or collaboratively with specialist writing development staff.

Supporting student writing and other modes of learning and assessment: a staff guide

PRISM Open Access, 2021

A hotly contested debate in Higher Education remains: where does the responsibility lie for the development of student writing? How clearly these inspirational authors place this responsibility with us-in our classrooms, labs, online spaces, tutorials, one-to-ones, large groups, small groups. Wherever our students are learning, they are writing, be it formatively, creatively, or summatively, often with pain, pressure and little suppor t, but seldom for pleasure. If we are to actively engage our students with their learning, it has to be where they learn, not 'over there' to be fixed by a skills team, however dedicated, but within the framework of true emancipator y practice, where their writing frees them to ar ticulate their authentic voice. Creative pedagogies have a huge par t to play in offering a different lens; as does the decolonisation of curricula practices.

THE WRITE APPROACH: INTEGRATING WRITING ACTIVITIES INTO YOUR TEACHING

2005

There is a belief among students that assessment of student writing ability takes place only in courses in the English department. However, as lecturers we expect our undergraduate students to write for assessment in most disciplines, most likely a research paper, report, or an examination essay. And no matter how bright their ideas, how well-researched their information or how analytic their thoughts, their grade will suffer if these thoughts aren't communicated in a clear, accessible, well-organised, and competently-written fashion. Academic writing is a skill that all disciplines demand so, at the very least, we need to offer our students strategies to help them deal with the challenges of writing effectively.

Writing as an instrument for learning

Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies, 2010

This article explores the value of writing as an instrument for learning in academic disciplines. The purpose is to describe how forms of writing are related to learning purposes, and to advance a pedagogy of writing-for-learning based on a literature review and anecdotal evidence on the use of freewriting in university courses. The literature review describes theoretical perspectives on the relation between writing and learning, and highlights how different forms of writing are associated with learning purposes. This relationship is analysed with reference to data obtained during the use of freewriting activities in a range of university courses. The article concludes with an outline of what may be considered principles of a writing-for-learning pedagogy.

Empowering the Apprentice Academic: Teaching Writing at Postgraduate Level

Writing & Pedagogy, 2010

This article describes the development by applied linguists of two series of workshops and individual tutorials at a New Zealand university. This bipartite course was designed for Business, and Art and Design students engaged in post-graduate programs that require extended writing. Doctoral business students write a thesis of approximately 50,000-75,000 words, Masters students may write a thesis or a dissertation of approximately 20,000 words, and Art and Design Masters students write an exegesis to accompany their final examination exhibition, which is also approximately 20,000 words. The discussion begins with a review of the context for such support and of the key issue of taking a discipline-specific approach. It then details the parameters and development of the workshops. Next, it focuses on the aims and provision of the individual tutorials, as it is at this stage that students have the opportunity to work and explain their concepts in an egalitarian way, and not be caught up in the clearly defined master-apprentice status inherent in the supervisory role. Finally, it reflects on how these experiences are being translated into online discipline-specific writing support. By the time students arrive at the stage of concentrating on writing their dissertation, thesis, or exegesis they are likely to have completed a research methods course, to have been exposed to a range of academic texts in their field, to have written assignments in taught courses as well as their research proposal, and to have had discussions with their supervisor about approaches to research and writing. However, research reveals that students do not always possess the knowledge of discourse expectations necessary for success in writing the thesis (Bitchener and Basturkmen,