Transforming the Teaching of Writing from a Skills-Based Approach to a Knowledge Construction Approach in a University in Singapore

Composition Studies. Available from: English Department, UMass Boston. 100 William T. Morrissey Blvd, Boston, MA 02125; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://compstudiesjournal.com/

Y

5

Writing Instruction; Teaching Methods; College Students; Foreign Countries; Instructional Innovation; Communication Skills; Critical Thinking; Curriculum Design; Writing Assignments

1534-9322

The medium of instruction is English in all universities in Singapore. Typically, in engineering, science, and technology degree programmes, academic writing is taught through one or two distinct or 'stand-alone' modules delivered in the first year of students' undergraduate programmes to help them cope with the writing needs of assignments in their disciplines. Often such modules are designed and delivered by teachers in language and communication centres like the Centre for Communication Skills [CCS] at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT), Centre for English Language Communication [CELC] at the National University of Singapore, and Language and Communication Centre [LCC] at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). Some faculties in these universities may have their own small core of language teachers who specialize in teaching writing that is specific to the needs of students who take their degree programmes, but by and large, teachers at language centres such as the ones mentioned above teach academic writing to students across faculties and disciplines in these universities. This paper describes a process of transformation of the teaching of academic writing to SIT students from using a skills-based approach to one that focuses on knowledge construction (Lillis) and the development of disciplinary values (Latour and Woolgar; Lea and Street; Lea and Stierer; Yancey) at the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT).

ERIC

2022

EJ1337472