Dustin Hosseini

Module 3 Assignment

EAP: Teaching Academic Writing

1 June 2010

The University of Bath

Cambridge ESOL Centre 50724

Word count: 4433

 Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Review and key issues! 3

2. Needs analysis background! 6

2.1. Learner profiles and learning styles! 6

2.2. Learner perceived strengths and weaknesses! 7

2.3. Diagnostic assessment defined! 8

2.4. Diagnostic testing and results! 8

3. The course! 10

3.1. Learning aims and objectives overview! 10

3.2. Constraints! 11

3.3. Course organization, content, and approach! 11

3.4. Materials! 13

4. Assessment ! 13

5. Conclusion! 16

6. References! 18

7. Appendix 1: Course Plan! 20

8. Appendix 2: Needs Analysis and Test Results! 28

9. Appendix 3: Completed Samples of Needs Analysis Instruments! 35

10. Appendix 4: Completed Diagnostic Tests! 35

11. Appendix 5: Samples of Assessments and Evaluation Tools! 35

12. Appendix 6: Samples of Course Materials! 35

2
 1. Introduction: Review and key issues

In a previous essay on writing (Hosseini, 2010), I had written that writing was neither
an area that received attention in my own formal language studies, nor was it an area
that I had focused on while teaching learners English as a foreign language (EFL).
However, the intense nature of undertaking simultaneously both the Cambridge Delta
and an MA TESOL has forced me to exercise my academic writing skills on a regular
basis.

In addition, during the last year I have been assisting a group of students in
developing and practicing their English L2 writing skills. As a result, my appreciation
for writing has been strengthened and it has reminded me that writing has been and
still is one of my better communication skills. Writing allows one to reflect, revise,
and ultimately express themselves before submitting the product, which is a tangible,
identifiable representation of a writer (Hyland, 2002:1092).

It is for these reasons that I have chosen to pursue EAP writing as my specialism for
the Delta Module Three Assignment, as I feel that learners who undertake academic
studies should be equipped with the tools to write effectively, which includes
understanding the strategies and processes that can be employed to construct
writing samples at length that are acceptable and appropriate to not only the learners
but their potential academic community.

General English language teaching (ELT) sometimes employs writing to convey

contexualized grammar items that can then be practiced (Hosseini, 2010) by getting
learners to produce postcards, short letters, or even e-mails. One example (Gairns
and Redman, 2002:27) has learners write a postcard with the goals of practicing
comparatives and superlatives and recycling holiday-related vocabulary. According
to Harmer (2004:330) this is writing-for-learning.

I feel this type of writing will likely assist learners in understanding grammar points
and possibly enable them to communicate with other speakers of English in a
relatively informal way, though it will not necessarily improve the skills needed for
writing academic essays or literature reviews for a university-level course of study.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 3

 However, after working on an exams preparation course, I was exposed to and
actively used writing-for-writing, or tasks that use writing as the main vehicle for
improving a learnerʼs written skills. An example of this is to have learners read a
book or article and write a review (Harmer, 2004:334), while another is to have
learners write a descriptive essay of their home or hometown. Such tasks do not use
grammar as a premise to writing tasks, but rather allow learners to write and develop
their skill.

Before moving on to the teaching academic writing, it is interesting that both teaching
general and academic writing often entail (Alexander et al., 2008; Harmer, 2004;
Hyland, 2002; Reid, 2001):

• employing eclecticism (e.g. various resources and techniques) to facilitate

the instruction of the basic writing skills that will allow learners to construct
texts independently (brainstorming, organizing ideas, etc.)
• raising the learnersʼ self-awareness of their own strengths and
weaknesses in writing and use this knowledge so that learners can
improve and strengthen their writing skills
• getting learners to understand the writing process (writing, revising, re-
writing, etc.)

However, academic writing differs in that the academic writer must carefully consider
the readership of the paper being composed. This includes the writer clearly
transmitting their intention(s) as well as fine-tuning the appropriacy of the message
for the readership (Alexander et al., 2008).

For example, a writer arguing for or against a position in an academic paper might
use various hedging devices and/or appropriate discourse markers to clarify their
position and their message (ibid). Additionally, various sources would be used and
likely referenced within the academic paper through direct or indirect citations to
bolster support for the position being argued (ibid).

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 4

 On the other hand, the same message typed to a friend in an e-mail or on an online
forum might not include hedging devices; it might be very direct and to the point.
Additionally, the above writer, I feel, is likely not to cite references or published works
in an informal e-mail. These, however, are just a few ways that general writing differs
from EAP.

Academic writing also involves getting learners to understand the various processes
involved in the organization, construction, and composition of an academic text,
which can enable learners to approximate and join the target discourse community
(Alexander et al., 2008; Hyland, 2006; Reid, 2001) of their academic field, to which
they will hopefully become contributors. One aspect of organization in English
language academic writing is that sections within a text often start from general point
and lead up to one that is specific (Alexander et al., 2008:208).

However, becoming a member of a specific academic discourse community does not

equate to joining a tribe (Alexander et al., 2008:5-6) as ʻdiscourses are not [entirely]
self-containedʼ (Hyland, 2002:1094) and often share some common features. In
addition, learners should not have to accommodate the demands and established
traditions of a discourse community without critical consideration (Benesch, 2001:39).

Some of the processes learners should be aware of if they wish to function effectively
in an Anglophone university are (Alexander et al., 2008):

• understanding where to get sources (e.g. journal articles, reviews, books;

from the library, Internet, InterLibrary Loans, etc.)
• knowing how to refer to sources used in oneʼs own writing and
understanding academic conventions on referencing outside information
(e.g. APA or MLA styles, etc.)
• understanding the potential implications of plagiarism and understanding
how to avoid it
• skimming/scanning techniques for extracting key/pertinent information
from text

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 5

 • understanding how to expand ideas in text and link them appropriately
(e.g. using written discourse markers, such as connectives/linkers like
however, furthermore, in addition)
• using a register appropriate to oneʼs field (e.g. register that is formal and
uses TEFL-related terminology, such as in this paper).

However, what learners should be taught depends on their level. This list is not
exhaustive and a needs analysis must be carried out, analyzed, and discussed
before a writing course can be created.

2. Needs analysis background

2.1. Learner profiles and learning styles

The group that I have selected consists of learners whom I have taught during the
past academic year. Our lessons were held once weekly for 60 to 90 minutes each
session. The main focus was on improving the writing skills of the learners since the
majority are potential postgraduate students. I have chosen this group because I
have an established relationship with them and felt that the mutual trust achieved
during the course would motivate the learners to readily participate in this study.

Most of the learners have a level of English roughly equivalent to an IELTS 5 to 5.5.
Each learner has achieved a first degree in their respective home country; however,
their current motivations are to improve their English language skills, specifically
writing, to prepare for postgraduate studies in the U.K., which can be a linguistically
demanding process for English L2 learners. Most learners recognize the need to
improve their writing skills, as they are aware that postgraduate courses often require
extensive writing.

In brief, the learners form a relatively culturally and linguistically diverse group
representing six countries (P.R. China, Italy, Japan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and
Taiwan). The learnersʼ L1ʼs consist of the following: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese,
Italian, Japanese, and Russian. The learnersʼ ages range from the early twenties to
late thirties, and are all potential postgraduate students who might pursue courses
ranging from engineering to literature.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 6

 Turning to the learning styles questionnaire (a completed sample can be viewed in
Appendix 3: Completed Samples of Needs Analysis Instruments), the questions
relate to learner study preferences and styles. Most learners are happy to work
either collaboratively or independently, and half of the learners would do ʻsome
homeworkʼ while the other half would do ʻa lot of homeworkʼ to improve their writing
skills.

Regarding multiple intelligence-related styles that assist in facilitating learning, a third

prefer writing things down or using their hands to facilitate learning, another third
prefer using logic and enjoy solving problems, while the last third would be assisted
by having oral explanations of ideas. More detailed information on the learners can
be found in Appendix 2: Needs Analysis and Test Results (this consists of
General and statistical information about the learners, Learning Styles,
Perceived learner strengths and weaknesses, and Learner strengths and
weaknesses as evidenced by the data).

2.2. Learner perceived strengths and weaknesses

The needs analysis partly consists of open-ended questions, and this forms a kind of

diagnostic self-assessment (Harris, 1997:13) that would assist me in creating the

course and compare the learnersʼ perceived views with the data taken from the

diagnostic writing tests. In addition, this diagnostic self-assessment would serve to

raise the learnersʼ awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses in writing

through critical reflection.

According to the detailed data tabulated in Appendix 2, learners are generally aware
of their own weaknesses and strengths. Listed here are some of the self-identified
learner perceptions:

• a lack of vocabulary impedes expression in writing

• improving vocabulary (e.g. choosing the appropriate word) can assist
learners express ideas more clearly
• organizing ideas before/during writing is problematic

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 7

 • learners require further practice in structuring an essay
• linking ideas within an essay presents difficulties
• drafting and revising oneʼs own work is difficult.
In sum, most learners believe they need to improve accuracy in writing, which
includes organizing and linking ideas. Additionally, learners feel that their knowledge
of vocabulary must be expanded as a prerequisite to facilitating writing skills, but also
recognize the need to understand the drafting and revision processes in writing.

Detailed information on the learnersʼ self-perceptions can be found in Appendix 2.

2.3. Diagnostic assessment defined

Several experts (Alexander et al., 2008; Knoch, 2007; Brindley, 2001) note that the
purpose of diagnostic assessment is to identify learner strengths and weaknesses.
This kind of assessment can help place a learner into an appropriate level before a
course begins. Diagnostic assessment falls under formative assessment, whose
goal is to improve instruction (Brindley, 2001:137) and is less formal (Alexander et
al., 2008:305-6) than proficiency assessment, which comes under summative
assessment. This will be discussed further in section 4.

2.4. Diagnostic testing and results

To defined the needs analysis of the learners of the future writing course, I used two
writing tasks from the IELTS exam, specifically question one and question two.
Question one involves deciphering information presented in a graph and writing a
short ʻreportʼ of 150+ words based on this information within 20 minutes, which
usually requires language related to trends (increase, drop slightly, etc.) Question
two requires learners to compare and contrast a viewpoint, which requires knowledge
of linking devices and how to organize ideas logically in a longer essay of 250+
words, and is to be completed in 40 minutes.

These were chosen as I felt that the results from the tasks would complement each
other and provide a better picture of what the learners are capable of, and to highlight
areas in which the learners require improvement. I feel that these tests are
appropriate since they appear to provide a relatively good gauge which can measure
the learnersʼ writing samples for university level studies.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 8

 As evidenced in Appendix 2 and Appendix 3, there are four objectives that must be
addressed to improve the learnersʼ writing skills, and these are listed below:

A. Development of the learnerʼs ability to expand their vocabulary base to

facilitate expression in writing
B. Development of the ability to organize of ideas before and during the
writing process (e.g. pre-, during, and post-writing skills)
C. Development of the ability to link ideas coherently through appropriate use
of written discourse markers to assist both the writer and reader through
the writing sample
D. Development of skills related to drafting and revision of written work would
assist learners in becoming self-aware of their own mistakes and errors

Each of the above would be achieved through equipping learners with the theory,
which they could then apply to practice. Regarding “A,” one example of this includes
raising learner awareness of word families and derivations, with the goal of getting
them to put what they learn to practice.

These points, along with the learner-perceived strengths and weaknesses should be
taken into account both to present a clear picture of the learners need, and provide a
background for the creation of the writing course, which will be discussed in the
following section.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 9

 3. The course

3.1. Learning aims and objectives overview

While the overall learning goals of the course are reflected in the results of the
diagnostic tests and needs analyses in the above section and in the appropriate
appendices (1-3), there are two key aims (Richards, 2001:120) of the course. By the
end of this course, each learner should have:

• developed the ability to write a variety of coherent and cohesive texts (e.g.
compare/contrast, argumentative) that approximate those in academic
writing
• greatly expanded their active and passive academic vocabulary base

The objectives (Richards, 2001:123) for the course are those listed in section 2.4,
and in addition, they are cross-referenced in pages 22-27 of Appendix 1: Course
Plan.

The underlying idea of the course are based on three overarching principles
(Alexander et al., 2008:87-8):

• a developmental approach towards the aims and objectives

• ongoing revision and consolidation (e.g. recycling) of course content
• transferability of what is taught/learned in the classroom across the
academic spectrum.

In other words, the aims and objectives can be achieved when an incremental
approach to learning is taken, which means, for example, learning about essays
through processes or about words through word parts. Continuous recycling and
exposure of material to learners should assist in acquisition of new concepts. Finally
what is learners take from this course should apply to their further academic studies
(e.g. learning the process of writing and applying it to academic writing). However,
there are a few constraints to consider.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 10

 3.2. Constraints
This course is expected to take place at a university in southwestern England during
the summer months when most mainstream students are not attending university.
The main constraints of the course might include budgetary issues and number of
learners enrolled, timetabling of rooms, staff on hand, as well as the purchasing of
texts for this course.

With a majority of mainstream students away, most classrooms should be available

for booking. The English language unit has several staff on hand who can teach the
course, and most staff have previous experience of teaching academic English
courses. All texts used on the course can be found ordered through Amazon.co.uk or
may be ordered directly through the respective publishers.

3.3. Course organization, content, and approach

The suggested course as designed (Appendix 1) is the first 30 hours of a longer
course of 225 hours, which would last approximately 15 weeks. It would convene
three hours daily (Monday through Friday) from 0930 to 1100 and 1130 to 1300, with
a 30 minute break in between sessions ʻAʼ and ʻB,ʼ each of which runs 90 minutes. I
suggest 30 hours per week over 15 weeks because I feel that these learners will
need ample time and input in order to improve their writing skills before the start of
their postgraduate studies in the U.K.

The ʻAʼ sessions are primarily focused on raising awareness of and developing
writing skills and the ʻBʼ sessions focus more on skills related to vocabulary, but some
overlap is expected and planned as shown in appendices 4 and 5. The end of each
ʻBʼ session contains a built-in review slot of 20 minutes, whose purpose serves to
allow learners to ask instructors to review areas most difficult for them.

This slot can also be used to extend instruction of vocabulary, if needed, and to allow
instructors to bring in other activities which might assist the learners in achieving the
course aims and objectives, especially those which present particular difficulties for
the learners.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 11

 I would identify the content and organization of the course as reflecting those of a
multidimensional, process-type syllabus. Hedge (2000:339-40, 410) explains a
multidimensional syllabus as one that combines a few organizing principles, which
might include skills related to functions, structures, and vocabulary. In my course,
structures might be those commonly found in a compare/contrast essay. Functions
might include the ability to write a compare/contrast or argument essay, and
vocabulary would include understanding and expanding word families through
affixation.

Regarding approach, according to Hutchinson and Waters (1987:72-73) this course

takes a learning-centered approach, which takes into account that the learners and
their situation have influence upon the course syllabus. As noted in the needs
analysis, development of vocabulary and writing are clearly two key areas of concern
for the learners. That said, the course is not composed of these areas only and
learners will not spend their time only reading and writing. The course anticipates
and expects learners to engage each other and the instructor through discussion of
new ideas.
One example of this might take place when learners brainstorm, organize, and
collate ideas for an essay, and another might be when learners conduct peer reviews
and editing of each othersʼ work. Further still, vocabulary will be expanded in context
through reading and discussion of academic passages, as will the instruction of
written discourse markers.

By instructing learners through a variety of interweaved threads (e.g. grammar,

vocabulary, reading, writing, etc.) learners are more likely to effectively learn what is
being taught (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). Thus, this relates to a process
approach (Hedge, 2000:359), in that the course is focused on how the learners
acquire language through what they experience and do in the classroom, and this is
called experiential learning (Alexander et al., 2008:87).

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 12

 3.4. Materials
Since this course is the first I have created independently, I have decided to err on
the side of caution and use a variety of published materials, effectively taking a
relatively eclectic approach to the course.

The following resources are used in the course:

• Academic Writing (Zemach & Rumisek, 2003)

• EAP now! (Cox & Hill, 2004)
• Focus on Vocabulary (Schmitt & Schmitt, 2005)
• Uncovering EAP (McCarter & Jakes, 2009)
• Writing, Second Edition (Hedge, 2005)

I feel that taking an eclectic approach to teaching means using a variety of source
materials in the classroom, which should allow learners to obtain the maximum
amount of varied input from which students can generate output. I have chosen the
aforemetioned resources because I feel that when aspects of the materials are
combined, as reflected in Appendix 1, they directly address the identified areas of
concern in the needs analysis, and directly address the overall course aims as
mentioned in section 4.1.
For example, Focus on Vocabulary addresses not only vocabulary needs but also
functions as a launching point for discussions and essay writing. Activities borrowed
from Writing and Uncovering EAP provide a variety of tasks that the instructor can
synthesize to suit the learnersʼ changing and emerging needs, and the overall aims
of the course. Lastly, Academic Writing provides a variety of activities that can get
learners to understand the processes involved in academic writing. Examples of
these resources are listed in Appendix 6: Samples of Course Materials.

4. Assessment

Now turning to the last section, I will discuss assessment and how learners will be
assessed in this course. Reid (2001:31) notes that research on writing assessment
is ongoing, and that research conducted has concentrated mainly on identifying
writing assignment choices and assessment criteria for instructors and learners as

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 13

 well as the fairness of evaluation of writing. That in mind, I will need to consider
which types of writing assessment to give learners during the course that will assess
their writing skills in a relatively consistent and fair way.

I will define writing assessment criteria by adapting/borrowing a current set of criteria

(e.g. IELTS) to which the learnersʼ writing samples can be compared and graded; this
is a form of criterion-referenced assessment (Hughes, 1989:17). Doing this should
allow for the assessment process to be more transparent and help maintain fairness
for all involved, as well as give the learners something tangible to aim towards.

When considering assessment in this course, I have had to consider what kind of
assessment to implement. As discussed in the needs analysis, there are formative
and summative approaches to assessment (Brindley, 2001:137). The diagnostic
tests used are designed to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the learners
(Hughes, 1989:13) and are reflective of integrative tests in that they required
learners to plan, organize, and write a response at length rather than merely
selecting a correct response, as is common with discrete items tests (ibid). In
addition, these diagnostic tests are direct (Hughes, 1989:15) as they require learners
to perform the measured skill: writing.

As evidenced by the course overview and the suggested daily plan (Appendix 1),
this course employs both assessment types, but tends to utilize formative
assessment more frequently, especially regarding assessment of writing throughout
the course.

For example, students are expected to write a type of essay (e.g. compare and
contrast) for homework after learners have been exposed to that kind of essay
through practice in the classroom. These essays are then used in the class, and
serve as a the basis for peer editing and redrafting. This process in itself is the
formative assessment which is ongoing throughout the course, as the learnersʼ
writing is constantly being assessed. In addition, this can motivate learners to
become better as it is a form of classroom assessment (Alexander et al., 2008:321).

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 14

 Regarding vocabulary assessment (samples in Appendix 5), this is also formative as
weekly vocabulary tests are planned, which will directly assess the extent to which
the learners have acquired vocabulary studied during the week through.

However, the vocabulary is also recycled throughout the week by having learners
read and re-read the texts. This is done not only to (re)expose learners to new
vocabulary items, but also to provide a basis for writing some of the essays. In
addition, learners are encouraged to create vocabulary cards, which can then be
used in class for further recycling activities.

Vocabulary would not be assessed in a summative manner, as this would involve

creating a large test based mainly on vocabulary, which would both time-consuming
to construct, administer, and mark. In addition, if learners understood that there
would be a large vocabulary test looming at the end of the course, they might feel
pressured to study and learn every word by heart. Thus one effect of a large
vocabulary test might be negative backwash.

The end of course writing assessment would be summative in nature and would use
different IELTS writing questions one and two (samples can be found in Appendix 4
and Appendix 5). In other words, the assessment would remain the same, with the
actual tasks changed. This is done to standardize pre- and post-course assessment,
and so that the results could be cross-referenced against IELTS writing criteria.
As I noted in section 3.3, IELTS question one requires learners to answer a question
in 20 minutes based on interpretation of data presented in a graph, and IELTS
question two requires learners to compare and contrast or argue for/against that topic
within 40 minutes.

In my opinion, these assessments are reliable, practical, and valid. If a different set
of learners were to complete these tests under the same conditions, the results
would likely differ mainly in relation to the language level of the learner. The
questions and rubric would likely be very similar, and marking of the assessment
would likely retain a similar standard.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 15

 Regarding validity, these tests assess writing directly, and look like a writing
assessment (see samples in Appendix 4). Lastly, the tests are highly practical and
should not consume excessive time or resources.

Overall, the effects of assessment through the vocabulary tests and writing
assignments should lead to beneficial backwash (Hughes, 1989:2), as vocabulary
and writing will be directly tested.

Turning to course evaluation, this will be done through reviewing each learnerʼs
progress on a weekly basis. This entails their progression in formulating coherent
and cohesive essays in and outside of the classroom, as well as how well they do on
vocabulary tests. Evaluation would also be done through weekly one-to-one
interviews, drop-in sessions, as well as informal discussions with the learners
(Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). The review slots during each lesson could also
serve to identify areas of the course that require adjusting or fine-tuning.

5. Conclusion

As discussed in the first section, writing-for-writing is an important part of any writing

course, but for academic writing, it is one of the keys to a studentʼs success.
Learning and understanding the realities of academic writing through writing
exercises, as well as developing and strengthening a learnerʼs writing processes, are
perhaps the just a few keys to getting English L2 learners to approximate the
discourse of their future academic community of choice.

From the needs analysis, several key weaknesses have been identified and the
course is designed to address these. Some of the benefits of this course for the
learners would include the objectives of the overall aims as identified in section 3.1.

In sum, by the end of this course, learners should have a greater understanding and
appreciation of the skill of writing overall, as well as a better understanding of how
they can help themselves to study and acquire new vocabulary items.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 16

 While the course as planned is for the first thirty hours, other areas relevant to
academic writing (e.g. referencing, plagiarism) would be included later in the course
and learners would be exposed to other types of academic writing, such as reports
and longer essays, as learners will very likely have to produce text at length in their
future academic course of study.

One possible limitation is that learners can be unpredictable at best. While the
learners may have performed at a certain level in the diagnostic test, this level may
not reflect their actual level. In other words, they might have done poorly on the
diagnostic test, but may have higher level, and the opposite is also likely. Another
might be that the materials might be too far above the level of the learners.

In conclusion, this is the first academic course I have ever created. I recognize that
there are some limitations, but I feel it would benefit this group of learners.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 17

 6. References

Alexander, O., Argent, S., & Spencer, J., (2008). EAP Essentials: A teacherʼs guide
" to principles and practice. Reading: Garnet Publishing Ltd.
Benesch, S., (2001). Critical English for academic purposes: theory, politics, and
" practice. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.!
Brindley. G. (2001). Assessment. In R. Carter & D. Nunan, (Eds). Cambridge Guide
" to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge
! University Press, Ch. 20.
Cox, K. & Hill, D. (2004). EAP now! Frenchs Forest, New South Wales: Pearson
! Education Australia.
Gairns, R. & Redman, S. (2002). Natural English Intermediate Studentʼs Book.
! Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Harmer, J. (2004). How to Teach Writing. Essex: Pearson Education Limited.
Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching, Fourth Edition.
" Essex: Pearson Education Limited.
Harris, M. (1997). Self-assessment of language learning in formal settings. !
! ELT Journal, 51(1), pp.12-20.
Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford:
! Oxford University Press.!
Hedge, T. (2005). Writing, Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hosseini, D. (2010). LSA 3 Systems Essay: Writing. Unpublished manuscript,
! Cambridge ESOL Centre 50724, Bath, U.K.
Hughes, A. (1989). Testing for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge
! University Press.
Hutchinson, T. & Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes: ""
" A learning-centred approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hyland, K. (2002). Authority and invisibility: authorial identity in academic writing.
! Journal of Pragmatics, 34, pp.1091-1112.
Hyland, K. (2006). English for Academic Purposes: An advanced resource book.
" Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
IELTS Writing Samples Task 1. (2008). Retrieved from ! ! ! !
! http://www.scribd.com/doc/5208947/ielts-writing-samples-task-1

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 18

 Knoch, U. (2007). Diagnostic Writing Assessment: The Development and Validation
" of a Rating Scale (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ! ! !
! http://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz
McCarter, S. & Jakes, P. (2009) Uncovering EAP: How to Teach Academic Writing
" and Reading. Oxford: Macmillan Education.
McCarter, S. & Whitby N. (2006). Improve Your IELTS: Writing Skills. Oxford:
! Macmillan Education.
Reid. J. (2001). Writing. In R. Carter & D. Nunan, (Eds). Cambridge Guide to
" Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge
! University Press, Ch. 4.
Richards, J.C. (2001). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge:
! Cambridge University Press.
Schmitt, D. & Schmitt, N. (2005). Focus on Vocabulary: Mastering the Academic
" Word List. White Plains, New York: Pearson Education, Inc.
Zemach, D.E. & Rumisek, L.A. (2005). Academic Writing: from paragraph to essay.
! Oxford: Macmillan Education.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 19

!

Appendix 1: Course Plan

Course Plan:

Weekly &
Day Grammar Vocabulary Reading Writing Process/Product Homework
Focus

1 • Raise learnersʼ awareness of

what it means to know a word
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

Introduction to • Raise learner awareness of

• Practice skimming
the basics of how to learn and memorize
& scanning by • Have a discussion with
essay writing new word through vocabulary
1 reading an learners on what an essay
cards
introduction to entails
• Encourage learners to be
Process Writing
autonomous learners by
having them create their own
vocabulary dictionary

• Raise learnersʼ • Brainstorm, organize,

awareness of and outline ideas
• Raise learnersʼ awareness
the importance • Learners make flash
of pre-writing tasks, such
2 of cohesion by • Focus on building vocabulary
ary through reading cards from new words;
as brainstorming ideas,
providing • Practice skimming/scanning
g techniqu
technique perhaps assign
and organizing ideas
context and different learners
practice specific words

• Raise awareness of the

• Provide practice of • Make flash cards from
• Raise understanding
rstanding o
of the importance of word structure of a paragraph
3 reading for gist and new words and study
families • Practice writing a short
detail of a text those words
case study-type text

• Raise awareness
reness of te
text cohesion through discourse
scourse marke
markers of addition
n and contra
contrast, and practice • Further practice of the
4 skimming andnd scannin
scanning of text for specific info (discourse markers) importance of cohesion
• Introduce learners
arners to d
developing knowledge of collocations by recognizingng patterns within texts

• Further learner
rner underst
understanding of the various
• Introduce and apply peer
categories of written d
discourse markers used in
editing • Further practice of
5 texts (contrast,
rast, deduction,
deduct example, addition,
• Timed compare/contrast discourse markers
summation)
essay
• Vocabularyry assessmen
assessment
20
!

Weekly &
Day Grammar Vocabulary Reading Writing Process/Product Homework
Focus

2 • Raise awarenessss of the di

differences between
formal and informal
rmal style
1
Practicing the • Further practice
ce of compa
comparison/contrasting; raise
basics their awareness
ss of structu
structures related to this
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

• Expand learnersʼ vocabulary ry through skimming/

scanning of text for detailss and specific information
• Raise learnersʼ awareness ss of lexical se
sets through • Vocabulary expansion,
• Further compare/contrast
2 practicing identification of lexical sets under topical focus on affixation
essay practice
headings through reading
• Raise learnersʼ awareness ss of how affixe
affixes and root
words

• Further learnersʼ
knowledge and
• Vocabulary
ry activity base
based around affixation appreciation of redrafting • Vocabulary expansion
3
• Looking at words, figuri
figuring out meaning from context
ntext a text through flashcards
• Peer editing/redrafting
practice

• Expand awareness and

• Questionnaire and compa
comparative summary based
knowledge of word families
on results of the
e questionn
questionnaire
4 • Raise learnersʼ awareness of
• Conduct peer editing,
diting, redra
redraft, and revised based
collocations through use of a
on peer notes
text

• Introduce learners to
developing cause and
• Conduct vocabulary effect arguments • Further argument
5
assessment • Expand practice of cause/ essay practice
effect arguments through
writing
21
!

A suggested daily plan for executing the course

Key to Goal & Book Codes:

Code Description Code Description Code Book

Raising awareness of features of

Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

Raise awareness of vocabulary

A1 C1 written discourse (e.g. cohesion, EAPN EAP Now! (Cox & Hill, 2004)
expansion
register, linkers)

Academic Writing (Zemach

A2 Practicing expanding vocabulary C2 Application of theory to practice AW
& Rumisek, 2003)

Raise awareness of post-writing Focus on Vocabulary

Raising awareness of basic
B1 D1 skills, (e.g. drafting and revision FOV (Schmitt & Schmitt, 2005) text
pre-writing skills
techniques) or test booklet

Uncovering EAP (McCarter &

B2 Application of theory to practice D2 Application of theory to practice UEAP
Jakes, 2009)

Writing, 2nd Edition (Hedge,

HW2
2005

Sessions:

Each day is divided into Session A and Session B. It is expected that Session A will run from 0930 to 1100. Students will have a
30 minute break, and then return from 1130 to 1300 for Session B. The total hours of in-class study each day is 180 minutes.
Students will study in class for a total of 15 astronomical hours per week.

The last 20 minutes of each day can be spent reviewing problematic areas the learners find difficult. Alternatively, this can be used
as a time to consolidate vocabulary acquisition through various vocabulary-related activities. When possible, having learners do
timed writing tasks would also be very appropriate.

This plan reflects only the first 30 hours of a longer course.

22
!

Suggested
Day Session Goal(s) Suggested Activity and Resource(s) Suggested Homework
Time

• Have a discussion with learners on what an essay entails (EAPN,

B1 30 minutes
pp.11): 30 mins
A
• Practice skimming & scanning by reading an introduction to
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

B1 60 minutes
Process Writing (AW, pp.2-4)

• Raise learnersʼ awareness of what it means to know a word by

1 doing the Word knowledge quiz (FOV: pp.x-xii)
• Raise learner awareness of how to learn and memorize new word
A1 through vocabulary cards (FOV: pp.xii-xiii) 70 minutes
B • Encourage learners to be autonomous learners by having them
create their own vocabulary dictionary (HW2, p.143-144, task
4.12)

Review 20 minutes

• B1 Brainstorm, organize, and

• Raise learnersʼ awareness of pre-writing tasks, such as
outline ideas (FOV, p.14);
B1 brainstorming ideas, and organizing ideas; Pre-writing tasks (AW, 40 minutes
Understanding the reading,
pp.5-6, 8)
A task 1; EAPN, p.14)

• Raise learnersʼ awareness of the importance of cohesion by

C1 50 minutes
providing context and practice (EAPN, pp.25-6)

• A2 Target Words: (FOV pp.

12-13), paragraphs 6-16;
2
FOV pp.14-15, Word
Meaning, tasks 7-12; FOV
• Practice skimming/scanning techniques
A2 70 minutes pp.15-16, tasks 1-12)
• Focus on building vocabulary through reading, Target Words: (FOV
• A2 Learners make flash cards
B pp.11-12, paragraphs 1-5; pp.14-15, Word Meaning, tasks 1-6)
from new words; perhaps
assign different learners
specific words
23
!

Suggested
Day Session Goal(s) Suggested Activity and Resource(s) Suggested Homework
Time

Review
20 minutes

• Check understanding of outlines; check homework of outline

B1 20 minutes
created for (FOV, p.14, understanding the reading, task 1)
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

A
• Raise learnersʼ awareness of the structure of a paragraph, its
• B1/B2 Topic sentences and
B1/B2 parts, and how to identify topic sentences 70 minutes
the main idea (AW, pp.14-15)
• Paragraph structure (AW, pp.11-13)
3
• A2 Learners make flash cards
• Introduce learners to word families and raise their understanding of
from new words; assign
A1/A2 the importance of word families 70 minutes
different learners specific
• Provide practice of word families (FOV, pp.16-18)
B words

Review
20 minutes

• Review pre-writing tasks (AW, p.16)

• Provide practice of reading for gist and detail of a text (UEAP, p.
19-20 - 1.1)
• Raise awareness of organization and language elements in a text • C1, C2 learners can finish
B1, B2,
A (UEAP, p.19-20 - 1.1; p.12 needs analysis questionnaire) 90 minutes their essays at home and
C1, C2
• Provide practice of peer interviewing based on needs analysis expand upon them if needed
questionnaire
• Practice writing a short case study-type text based upon
information gathered
4
• A1, C1 further practice of the
• Raise awareness of text cohesion through discourse markers of
importance of cohesion within
A1, C1 addition and contrast, and practice skimming and scanning of text 40 minutes
texts (EAPN, p.44-45 with
for specific info (discourse markers) (EAPN, p.48; FOV, p.12-13)
reference to p.48)
B
• Introduce learners to developing knowledge of collocations by
A1, A2 30 minutes • A1, A2 (FOV, p.18-21)
recognizing patterns (FOV, p.18)
24
!

Suggested
Day Session Goal(s) Suggested Activity and Resource(s) Suggested Homework
Time

Review
20 minutes

• D1, D2 this task can be

• Introduce peer editing to learners finished at home if needed
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

D1, D2 • Have learners peer edit the case study-type essay done yesterday 50 minutes • additionally, use (AW, pp.
(HW2, pp.139, 140, exercise 4.11) 21-24) for students to
consolidate at home
A
• Check homework on cohesion in texts
• C1, C2 have learners
• Further learner understanding of the various categories of written
continue this task at home,
discourse markers used in texts (contrast, deduction, example,
C1, C2 40 minutes using the chart on p.68 as a
addition, summation) (EAPN, pp.66-69)
guide for recording discourse
markers

• Remind learners of outlines/mind maps

• Using (FOV, p.21 ʻexploring the topic) have learners write a
B1, B2, timed (20 minutes) compare/contrast essay of 150 on how
C1, C2, emotions are expressed in different cultures 40 minutes
5 D2 • Conduct peer review/editing as a follow up

• Briefly check vocabulary homework

• A1, A2 Learners should note
• Conduct vocabulary assessment: (FOV, test booklet, Unit 1 Test)
A2 30 minutes all words they missed and
• Check answers
B focus on these for study
25
!

Suggested
Day Session Goal(s) Suggested Activity and Resource(s) Suggested Homework
Time
7
• Raise learnersʼ awareness of how affixes and root words affect • A1, A2 (FOV, p.23-24)
meaning and develop learnersʼ awareness of deciphering word Learners read ʻNuclear and
B meaning through analysis of affixes and roots in context Extended Familiesʼ or ʻThe
A1, A2 • Consolidate knowledge of affixes through discussion and making a 40 minutes Global Trend toward Nuclear
card activity of roots and affixes. Full activity can be found below: Familiesʼ with the aim to
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

• <http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ identify up to 10 prefixes or

improve-comprehension-word-game-1042.html> suffixes and their meaning.

Review 20 minutes

• Further learnersʼ knowledge and appreciation of redrafting a text

(UEAP, p.123-124).
A D1, D2 • Using the compare/contrast text the learners did for homework, 90 minutes
apply the practices of peer editing and redrafting in small groups

• Using the card activity created on the day previous, learners will
now play the card game. Full instructions can be found at: <http:// • A2 Learners continue to
8 A1, A2 www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ 45 minutes make flash cards for new
improve-comprehension-word-game-1042.html> words
• Follow up by having learners discuss how helpful this activity was.
B
• A2 This task can be
A1, A2 • Looking at words, figuring out meaning from context (FOV p.26-27) 25 minutes completed for homework if
learners do not finish.

Review 20 minutes

• Remind students of outlining (FOV & EAPN, p.14) as well as

cohesion in a text (EAPN, pp.25-6)
B1, B2,
• Learners complete a short questionnaire and will write a timed (40
A C1, C2, 90 minutes
minutes) comparative summary of 250-300 words based on this
D1, D2
information (FOV, p. 30)
• Conduct peer editing, redraft, and revised based on peer notes
26
!

Suggested
Day Session Goal(s) Suggested Activity and Resource(s) Suggested Homework
Time

• A2 Learners continue to
• Expand awareness and knowledge of word families (FOV, pp.
make flash cards for new
9 28-29) use this activity to build upon learnersʼ knowledge of word
A1, A2 30 minutes words
families
• Ask learners to bring all cards
made for the next lesson.
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

B
• Raise learnersʼ awareness of collocations through use of a text
A1, A2 40 minutes
(FOV, p.29; 23-24)

Review
20 minutes

B1, B2, • Introduce learners to developing cause and effect arguments using
C1, C2, the idea of drugs and their effects as a basis (HW2, p.102-103) 60 minutes
D1, D2 • Learners will be able to produce their first cause/effect argument

• The prompt the learner did

A
not choose can be set for
B1, B2,
• Expand practice of cause/effect arguments by having learners try homework. This cause/effect
C1, C2, 30 minutes
to write a 150 word argument using essay prompts (FOV, p.30) argument essay should be at
least 250 words in length,
however.
10
• Using the vocabulary cards made by the learners, get learners to
identify word families, collocations, and other areas in common that
A1, A2 40 minutes
words share
• Have learners identify the part of speech for words in a family

B • Briefly check vocabulary homework

• A1, A2 Learners should note
• Conduct vocabulary assessment: (FOV, test booklet, Unit 2 Test)
A2 30 minutes all words they missed and
• Check tests
focus on these for study

Review 20 minutes
27
!

General and statistical information about the learners

Appendix 2: Needs Analysis and Test Results
Number Hours per
Semesters/ Main focus of Activities/resources
Learnerʻs L1 & of years day spent on Main goals for
M/F Age years of study during used during
Name Nationality studied independent studying writing
formal study formal studies independent studies
English studies

to take the IELTS

Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

exam; to write an
Chizuko Japanese/ late 6 (20 watches BBC iPlayer or
F 2 semesters IELTS exam 8-9 hours essay of 300
Yamauchi Japanese 30ʼs years ago) TV, reads newspapers
words within 40
minutes

studying English
watches films in to write ʻcorrectlyʼ
was a part of
late English, writes because she will
Claudia Sechi F Italian/Italian 5 10 semesters the curriculum 4-5 hours
20ʼs summaries about what do a Ph.D. in the
in school and
sheʼs read U.K.
university

reads books in English

to improve this
Denis Russian/ early to speak and and uses English
M 10 3 semesters about an hour skill (for university
Shershenikhin Russian 20ʼs use English (speaking) on a daily
studies)
basis

to improve
grammar skills,
Mandarin to develop reads novels, watches
Doris late less than 2 as well as
F Chinese/ 16 11 years vocabulary and TV programs and
Kuang-Wei Liu 20ʼs hours vocabulary; to be
Taiwanese grammar movies
able to write
university papers

Mandarin to develop to do well on the

early speaks a lot to improve
Jiao Ao M Chinese/ 8 8 years vocabulary and 5 hours writing part of the
20ʼs his English
Chinese grammar IELTS exam

records new words, to do research in

Mohammed Arabic/Saudi early (?) through does a little bit of university; he will
M 6 years - 3 hours
Almadhi Arabian 20ʼs school years reading, writing, and have to write a lot
listening as a result
28
!

Learning Styles
What helps or does not help the Other learner thoughts on their
Learnerʻs Name Learning styles
learner study writing skills

• reading a lot of books can help

• living in the U.K. helps because the learner create well-formed
• I enjoy learning with others and learning on my own.
Chizuko English is everywhere and this sentences
• Working with my hands can help me learn better.
Yamauchi helps improve her English • modeling essay can help the
• To help my writing skills, I will do some homework.
language skills learner create well-formed
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

essays

• I enjoy learning with others and learning on my own. • deep knowledge of grammar
• Thinking about and solving problems helps me learn can help
Claudia Sechi
better. • having a large vocabulary can
• To help my writing skills, I will do a lot of homework. help

• online/computer programs can

help in studying English
• I enjoy learning with others and learning on my own.
Denis • classes can help
• Hearing an idea be explained can help me learn better.
Shershenikhin • not enough time after work/
• To help my writing skills, I will do some homework.
tiredness doesnʼt help in
studying

• for good writing, correct

• I enjoy learning with others and learning on my own. • reading can help
Doris grammar should be used
• Hearing an idea be explained can help me learn better. • when the teacher corrects the
Kuang-Wei Liu • good structure in writing is also
• To help my writing skills, I will do a lot of homework. learner this can help
important

• reading is important in studying

• I enjoy learning with other learners. • reading and hearing more
writing
Jiao Ao • Working with my hands can help me learn better. English can help the learner to
• we need to read more (e.g.
• To help my writing skills, I will do a lot of homework. study better
newspapers, articles, novels)

• I enjoy learning with others and learning on my own. • good time management can
Mohammed • Thinking about and solving problems helps me learn help
Almadhi better. • using the Internet can help
• To help my writing skills, I will do some homework. • reading books can help
29
!

Perceived learner strengths and weaknesses

Learner perceived strengths and Learner perceived areas of writing that Other areas the learner has self-
Learnerʻs Name
weaknesses in writing cause the most difficulty identified as problematic

• lack of vocabulary impedes expression in • speaking: specifically pronunciation

Chizuko writing skills • organizing ideas before writing needs improvement
Yamauchi • grammar is strong and this assists writing • choosing the best word to express an idea • listening: understanding native
skills speakers needs improvement
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

• sentence construction in Italian influences

the learnerʼs English L2 writing,
• organizing ideas before writing
specifically word order
Claudia Sechi • creating structure in an paragraph/essay
• example: È una lingua difficile. Literally
• drafting and revising own work for errors
ʻ(it) Is a language difficult.ʼ (It is a difficult
language.)

• can form ʻgood ideasʼ

• choosing the best word to express an idea
Denis • weaknesses include language accuracy,
• creating structure in an essay
Shershenikhin bad grammar
• drafting and revising own work for errors
• needs to expand vocabulary

• organizing ideas is an issue • choosing the best word to express an idea

Doris
• lack of vocabulary is an issue • arguing ideas • describing graphs
Kuang-Wei Liu
• a good grasp of grammar is a strength • drafting and revising own work for errors

• linking words cause difficulties, as learner

• choosing the best word to express an idea
Jiao Ao does not know how to use them correctly
• linking ideas together
• a lack of vocabulary is an issue

• choosing the best word to express an idea

Mohammed • feels that writing has improved since his
• linking ideas together
Almadhi arrival to the U.K.
• drafting and revising own work for errors
30
!

Learner strengths and weaknesses as evidenced by the data

Appendix 2 continued
Chizuko Yamauchi Claudia Sechi Denis Shershenikhin

Strengths in • the learner provides a good attempt

IELTS task 1 to achieve the task
• the essay is clearly divided into
• the learner achieves the task very well, • overall the task is achieved
logical paragraphs for each point
using appropriate language to describe • the learner clearly structures the essay
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

made
trends in the graph presented into four appropriate sections (intro, two
• good attempt made at linking ideas
• the range of lexis used meets the body paragraphs, and a conclusion)
with linkers (on the other hand)
demands of the task • ideas divided into the paragraphs,
• the overall use of words to describe
• the essay is written in a clear, logical order though they could be linked better
trends is appropriate, but some
improvement/clarification of such
words would help the learner

Weaknesses in • the learner exhibits problems forming

IELTS question 1 appropriate subject/verb agreement • the learner infrequently uses linking
• spelling errors indicative of the • the learner often drops definite articles devices where these might have assisted
learnerʼs L1 (Japanese are numerous (the) at the beginning of sentences or in connecting ideas
(firstry for firstly) does not use the plural form when • register is an issue at times - with the
• the learner slightly misunderstood the generalizing (e.g. Train started with a learner using ʻtillʼ for ʻuntil,ʼ as well as
task, which deals with one city, not point… instead of Trains) using contractions
travel to other countries • some words are created by the learner • where the present perfect simple might
• incorrect collocations are formed (go (the most high) where other forms already have helped clarify the learnersʼ
job, instead of go to work) exist expressed thoughts (e.g. expressing
• some words are pluralized and others • the essay is presented as a single trends), the present simple has been
are in the singular when the opposite paragraph, rather than broken down and used and this does not give the reader a
would be more suitable structured into smaller parts clear picture of the data
• some adverbs are misused (slightly •
for significantly or related word)
31
!

Chizuko Yamauchi Claudia Sechi Denis Shershenikhin

Strengths in • has knowledge of linkers and tries to

• overall, the learner achieves the task
IELTS task 2 use these in the passage
relatively well • overall the task is achieved
• uses linkers she has a knowledge of
• learner writes at length in a relatively • the learner writes at length in a relatively
in a relatively consistent and
coherent manner coherent manner
appropriate manner
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

• a wide range of vocabulary is used • the essay is organized into paragraphs,

• the structure and organization are
• sentences are well structured and written though the conclusion seems unclear as
relatively clear
at length it flows from the previous paragraph
• task is achieved overall, though more
detail could have been included

Weaknesses in • some linkers attempted are either

IELTS question 2 used too frequently (e.g. so) or are
• paragraphs could be divided up into
not formed using the right
smaller parts • Russian punctuation is sometimes used
components (e.g. ʼat a resultʻ)
• there is a lack of linkers used in (e.g. leading quotation marks close to the
• the learner uses some words
connecting the ideas of the text line rather than above it - ,,lazyʻʻ)
inappropriately (touch instead of
• contractions are used, though they • there are some spelling mistakes (this for
meet, and another instead of other)
generally should not be in academic these)
• there is a lack of relative clauses
writing • logical flow and parallel structures are
which would clarify meaning
• there are some spelling errors or not used where they could clarify
• there are some issues with subject/
confusion on words (ʼat the contrary) meaning
verb agreement (people has been)
• there are some errors involving subject/ • lack of relative clauses causes sentence
• some articles are not uses
verb agreement (if he or she choose) to be slightly wordy
appropriately or at all
• ʼwill can beʻ used for ʼwill be ableʻ
• there are a few spelling errors
• countable/uncountable words
32
!

Doris
Jiao Ao Mohammed Almadhi
Kuang-Wei Liu

Strengths in • the essay is clearly and logically

IELTS task 1 divided into different sections
• a relatively wide range of vocabulary
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

is used to describe the graph N/A

N/A

Weaknesses in • grammar errors impede the flow of

IELTS question 1 the essay
• sometimes ʼbeʻ verb forms are
omitted
• verbs are not always marked for
tense or conjugated correctly for
number/person
• subject/verb disagreement
• definite articles (the) used where they
N/A N/A
might not normally be
33
!

Doris
Jiao Ao Mohammed Almadhi
Kuang-Wei Liu

Strengths in • the task is well achieved for the learnerʼs

IELTS task 2 • overall, the learner attempts to level
• spelling is generally good throughout
construct the essay using separate • the essay is clearly divided and
• the learner understands the importance of
paragraphs connected by the theme ʻsignpostedʼ through usage of linkers
dividing ideas within an essay into
• the level of vocabulary is relatively • paragraphs are used, though some
Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing!

paragraphs
appropriate, though could be better could be divided into smaller parts
•

Weaknesses in • the task does not appear to have

IELTS question 2 been achieved, as the learner strays
slightly off topic in the beginning and • learner has errors in choosing appropriate
• the learner makes spelling errors
does not directly address the determiners and/or choosing the correct
• there are some errors with modals
question number to go with that determiner (e.g.
(maybe damage, for may damage)
• the learner has issues in formulating every countries vs. all countries)
• register/style is an issue (using maybe
correct subject/word agreement • the learner attempts the task but does not
instead of perhaps)
• the essay appears to lack cohesion; achieve the task because the question
• if-clauses cause some trouble for the
linkers are not uses consistently or remains unanswered
learner
where they could clarify points • the learner has issues with to infinitives (if
• some linkers are ʻcreativeʼ but not
• not using to infinitives is a commonly nobody to travel, instead of travels)
appropriate (e.g. in the start)
occurring error (e.g. choose [to] visit) • the learner confuses word forms (have to
• countable/uncountable words
occasionally used where -ing forms communication, instead of communicate)
would be more appropriate
• countable/uncountable words
34
 Appendix 3: Completed Samples of Needs Analysis Instruments

Please see the attached document of appendices.

Appendix 4: Completed Diagnostic Tests

Please see the attached document of appendices.

Appendix 5: Samples of Assessments and Evaluation Tools

Please see the attached document of appendices.

Appendix 6: Samples of Course Materials

Please see the attached document of appendices.

! Dustin Hosseini - EAP: Teaching Academic Writing! 35