1.

1 Overview

1. Introduction

I have chosen the specialism of English for Academic Purposes (EAP) as I feel that my skills
as a teacher, and career in general, will benefit greatly from the research and designing of
EAP courses. I have taught IELTS preparation courses for several years in two universities,
and my goal in undertaking this study and assignment is to create a course which can run in
parallel with an IELTS course in my university, the British Higher School of Art and Design
(BHSAD) because the current course does not cater for the students needs satisfactory.

Commented [LB1]: At this point you can specific your

narrowed down specialism eg EAP writing.

1.2 What is EAP

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is the method of educating students in a manner which
facilitates their ability to study in their chosen discipline. This is achieved by developing specific
language and technique courses which take into account the communication and practical abilities
that the students already have and making these better for their disciplinary studies in real-time. In
order for this to be achieved, EAP is driven by Needs Analysis, which forms the starting point of EAP
courses. In this sense, EAP differs to General English courses which tend to neglect the individual or
collective needs, and aligns with traditional English for Specific Purposes.

This branch of ESP has been widely studied and debated over since its emergence in the 1980s, and
there are currently two main schools of thought which divide the pedagogical philosophy of EAP.
This division takes place in regards to the specificity of EAP courses, with the less specific titled
English for General Purposes (EGAP) and the more specific being English for specific purposes (ESAP).
The latter has seen a rise in popularity in present times, and this narrow-angled approach to EAP
tuition is more appropriate for the in-sessional course which this paper despite the many arguments
presented for a wide-angled approach.

Spack and other academics argue that EGAP fulfils a common-core which exists within all disciplines
and are transferrable to different fields of study. However, the writer feels that IELTS is an example
of such a course, and this has proven only partially satisfactory in his experience in universities as a
pre-sessional and in-sessional teacher for several years. EGAP courses, and the common-core theory
tend to learn towards a more decontextualized approach, and the writer feels this fails to address
the current needs of students in university as they need to be immersed in as much authentic
material and tasks as possible. The idea of a common-core is accepted in limitation as Second
Language Acquisition theory does not particularly support learning in a structured general way but
supports that it would be acquired through an ESAP as and when needed by the student. A focus on
EGAP essentially takes the focus away from what is at the heart of EAP, and that is to replicate the
disciplinary subject tasks in order to allow the learners to be better accustomed.

Commented [LB2]: Keep font etc consistent

Commented [LB3]: Not sure that this adds anything here
Commented [LB4]: Add a reference if possible

Commented [LB5]: As soon as the examiner reads this he

will wonder if you can give examples. So whenever you
describe something as mentioned or discussed in the
literature, aim to give an example reference.
Commented [LB6]: As above

Commented [LB7]: ? this is not clear.

Commented [LB8]: Provide the reference: Spack (2016: 1)

and others (eg AAA 2015 and BBB 2014) OR cite the
secondary source where you accessed such information.
Commented [LB9]: ??

Commented [LB10]: we usually recommend first person

in much of this assignment you need to talk about yourself
and your planning quite simply. You can and should - avoid
really formal style.

Commented [LB11]: Note that IELTS is an exam not a

course. And you cant really talk about a generic IELTS
preparation course. MOREOVER this is straying into a
different specialism: EXAM PREPARATION. So I recommend
that you dont talk about IELTS prep courses - except in your
intro where you sy that you want to design a parallel or
complementary course in academic skills.
Commented [LB12]: Make it clear if this is all from your
own experience or if you have also some evidence from the
literature.

Commented [LB13]: A strong claim: so argue the case more

strongly. Avoid making statements without a rationale

1.3 Writing in EAP

Commented [LB14]: Sentence structure?? I cant read this

point really

Commented [LB15]: Another big claim that would need to

be argued more strongly. And with reference to the
literature is possible.

Academic success depends upon the mastery (REF Ken Hyland and Lyonns) of writing as it is
through this medium that learning is mediated in the academic setting (Hyland). When students
write for EAP, their voice must be heard in their text, and they just keep in mind their audience and
purpose so that their text can be fine-tuned (Harmer, 2004; Alexander, Argen, & Spencer, 2008).
Some argue that the process of writing is secondary to reading (Ref A.M.J), but in the digital age of
today, reading is quickly being supported by tools such as Google Scholar which takes off the load of
some reading tasks, and therefore, it is in fact writing which should take precedent in EAP courses
with reading integrated (shin).

It is the purpose of EAP to provide learners with the confidence needed to foster successful and
effective academic writing (silva), and this is a timely process needing much support (Alexander,
Argen, & Spencer, 2008, p. 191). For this to occur, teachers must introduce the formal style and
academic conventions which are necessary in the university setting (alexander et al). Alexander
further suggest building up written competence from short simple sentences (25) to ones of higher
complexity containing complex noun phrases typical of academic style (30). These suggestions fit
well with initial and previous observations of students within the BHSAD as they typically produce
the opposite to this recommendation from Alexander (202) resulting in long unfocussed sentences
and paragraphs and errors on both a local and global level. Students need to experience the norms
of their discourse community and they can gain this support by exploring models taken from their
disciplinary field (Alexander 201). These samples can be deconstructed b the teacher (Jordan) and
the complex sentences and rhetorical structures analysed to nurture the learning of them
(R.R.Jordan) (Harmer, 2004, p. 92). They can acquire genre specific rhetoric and vocabulary, or what
Harmer calls register of a genre, and ultimately replicate the samples (2004, p. 17) However, this
focus on the product of writing is one which is debated in the field of EAP, and Spack (1988) suggests
it is not enough as a sole approach.
The idea suggested by Spack is to use a process approach to writing which focusses less on the end
product of writing, and more on the process which a writer actually goes through to get to the end
product. This is the most widely used form of writing instruction and takes centre stage in GE classes
as teachers typically feel at ease in the use of this practice (Gillet). Indeed, the process approach to
writing will be essential to students in the BHSAD as they often lack coherence, but there is also a
solid case for the Genre or Product approach as it will enable the acquisition of regularities and
discourse forms necessary for their learners discipline (Darcia). The latter approach will enable the
students to find commonalities and learn what Swales and Chatia in (Brown) call the moves and
steps of writing. Moves refers to the parts of a piece of writing like the introduction or conclusion,
and within each of these can be found the Steps which form the building blocks. This understanding
will prove useful in gaining an understanding of organisation norms within their discourse
community (Harmer). There is, however, a fundamental problem with a focus on genre, and that is
that styles differ even within a community, see (Silva, Nigel and Gregory, Dudley-Evans, Hyland,
Hyland and Lyons), and this is the why many academic suggest leaving specific writing to the tutors
of a discipline. While this argument is fairly sound, there are many constraints which mean it is not
possible within the BHSAD, and moreover, it is felt that Process skills and Rhetorical awareness
cannot be divorced (Hyland), and a combination of the two can be used (Alexander, Argen, &
Spencer, 2008, p. 199; Harmer, 2004, pp. 92-93).
One other area of concern for EAP teachers (Flowerdew) is that of plagiarism, which is typically
frowned upon in the Anglophone Academic Discourse Community (AADC), see (Diane, Flowerdew),
and considered theft (Mallon 1989 in W.S.S P88) or copying without permission (88) of the
thoughts or works of another. This issue is one of cultural importance because it is not a universally

Commented [LB16]: Should?? Actual point not really clear

Commented [LB17]: Im afraid I have to say this very

sentence is a bit long and unfocussed. In this assignment,
you can be and need to be much more concise in your
written style. You can be less formal. As you are aware the
word limit is tight and you need to make the very most of it.
Commented [LB18]: Punct of multiple refs:
Commented [LB19]: Ok as do many others aim to add a
more recent ref to this one.
Commented [LB20]: I suggest you start by making the point
itself and then provide references and also comments from
your own experience. This will avoid any sense of
summarising of sources, which is not required or valued as
such.
Commented [LB21]: Example of sentence that can be much
more concise: focusses more on the process of writing eg
drafting, editing

Commented [LB22]: Aim to make it explicit if you are

commenting from your own experience as well as from your
reading.

Commented [LB23]: Good that you have oriented this

issue to teaching and course design see comments on
points below.

shared view of writing from sources, with many cultures outside the AADC encouraging intentional
imitation of ideas, see (Shen, Pennycook, Bloch and Chia, Dickert, Barker, Matalene). The ease of
which sources are now available online, the collective culture (Barker) and rote learning of Russian
society means that plagiarism occurs both intentionally and unintentionally within the BHSAD. It may
be what has been coined Patchworking (Howard, Flowerdew), a form of using others texts blended
with ones own while a learner finds his own voice in Academic English writing, that has been
occurring within the university. If dealt with correctly by the teacher, learners can emerge from this
phase of novice writing to become stronger more autonomous individuals (EDP, Flowerdew,
Howard).

1.4 Student Autonomy

Student autonomy is when a learner is able to study successfully in their chosen field without the
total control of their Language tutor both inside and outside the classroom (Alexander, Argen, &
Spencer, 2008, p. 273), and far beyond the lifespan of the EAP course (Borg, 2012), and this is what
EAP courses should facilitate (Hyland & Hamp-Lyonsb, EAP: issues and directions, 2002). In addition,
Holec and Little state that students must take the initiative when it comes to being successfully
autonomous in university (2015). Moreover, learners must have a positive attitude, set clear goals,
take responsibility for their learning both in and out of class, understand the purpose of what they
are doing and where they are going, and be pro-active about self-management during their studies
(Little, 2015). More importantly, students must take the time to reflect on what they have learned
and how successful the strategies for learning have been (Borg, 2012), continually making use of
learned academic techniques, to be a communicative part of their discourse community.

1.5 Critical thinking

Critical thinking (CT) is the questioning of new information, the formation and presentation of own
ideas based upon evidence and other sources, and the bonding of accepted ideas with new
knowledge. A critical thinker will be a dominant reader, who does not absorb without reflection, and
questions a text for relevancy, accuracy and for placement in their repertoire of knowledge
(Alexander, Argen, & Spencer, 2008, p. 259). They will have in mind other sources connected to the
sphere which they are reading about, and be able to form relationships and find faults, which in turn
allows them to fully evaluate what has been read (Alexander, Argen, & Spencer, 2008, p. 254). When
they write, they take a stance on what they are writing about, but they use all of their knowledge
and academic experience to support their views (Alexander, Argen, & Spencer, 2008, p. 256)
Moreover, they seek originality in their writing, by showing new relationships between known ideas
(Alexander, Argen, & Spencer, 2008, p. 255). This essential thinking process is a prerequisite in the
U.K. education system, and therefore, in the BHSAD (Alexander, Argen, & Spencer, 2008, p. 251).

Commented [LB24]: Ok though Id start with this as a

teaching issue and try to avid starting with a general
definition.

Commented [LB25]: I would suggest a slight reorientation

to this valuable issue ie how courses and teachers can help
students to do this in general terms. I also think you would
be wise to orient it in part towards an EAP writing course if
that is your focus.
Commented [LB26]: This issue is well worth including. It
just needs a more practical orientation eg start with the
importance of helping students with this issue and as you do
that, refer to this literature. Try to avoid any sections
seeming detached from teaching.

Commented [LB27]: Part 1 should deal with general issues

in teaching academic writing and should not focus on yor
particular context You dont do it a great deal but you
could omit this in the general discussion.