assessing the impact of an english for academic purposes course on the academic writing skills of

284 Pages·2017·25.93 MB·English

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF AN ENGLISH FOR

ACADEMIC PURPOSES COURSE ON THE ACADEMIC

WRITING SKILLS OF ENGLISH SECOND LANGUAGE

LEARNERS ATTENDING ECONOMICALLY

DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOLS: AN
INTERVENTIONIST CASE STUDY

Ben Mathew Schermbrucker
Student Number: 3518168

A thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Education,
University of the Western Cape

Supervisor: Professor Zubeida Desai
ABSTRACT

Academic writing skills are vitally important for South African learners in both high

school and tertiary contexts. The importance of such writing skills is even more

pronounced for English Second Language (ESL) speakers, as such learners often attend

low-performing schools (that inculcate poor levels of academic literacy), and also face
the challenge of writing in a non-native language. This study is an attempt to understand
how a specially designed English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course can improve the
academic writing of bilingual, economically disadvantaged high-school South African
learners.

The study analysed the effects of the EAP course on Grade 11 learners from two ‘no-
fees’ high schools located in Khayeltisha and Delft. Over a seven-week period Grade 11
learners from these schools attended the EAP course twice a week (after school hours
on their school premises) and submitted a total of fourteen written assignments (seven
rough drafts, and seven final drafts). These assignments required the learners to
formulate essay-like responses to literary and philosophical texts. The learners shaped
their responses by making reference to structured classroom discussions (led by the
EAP course instructor), as well as standardised notes and assignment instructions.

The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were mapped using a variety of
sources and materials. Whilst Hyland’s (2005, 2006) influential writings on EAP helped
the researcher situate the study’s academic writing skill’s course within an EAP
paradigm, recent theoretical and empirical advancements in cognitive science (in
particular by Tooby & Cosmides 1992; Gallistel 2000; Wagner &Wagner 2003) helped
to justify the specifically ‘modular’ approach to academic writing skills that the course
favoured. Finally, testimonies about the function of creative fiction (see Pessoa 2010;
Kafka 2013; Barnes 2012; Pinker 2011) played an important part in shaping the EAP
course's approach to text-orientated academic writing skills.

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Importantly, this study also aimed to describe and analyse various factors that
threatened the implementation of the acad emic writing skills course. In relation to
attrition – a phenomenon which clearly presented the single greatest threat to the

intervention – Bandura’s theoretical writings on the structure of agency (2006, 2005,

2004, 2001, 1998, 1997, 1994) provided a rich source of justification for many of the

conclusions that the study derived about the underlying factors that drove the high drop-
out rate.

Another key aim of this study was to transmit writing skills that would boost levels of
learner preparedness for matric and first-year university. To establish a link between the
course and the writing requirements of certain matric and university subjects, the
researcher compared the contents of the writing skills course to the contents of these
subjects. This comparative analysis relied heavily on matric and first-year university
source material (i.e. exam papers, memorandums, marking rubrics, departmental
handouts, etc.).

In terms of its findings, the study discovered many striking parallels between the Grade
11 learners at Khayelitsha and Delft. Firstly, in both experimental groups, a pre-
intervention writing task revealed that – prior to the EAP course’s inception – the
overwhelming majority of the learners were not in firm possession of virtually any of
the writings skills the EAP course aimed to transmit.

Secondly, in both groups, it was found that the EAP course significantly improved the
learners’ academic writing skills. Although this improvement was not especially visible
in the learners’ grade-based results for the EAP course (due, mainly, to absenteeism and
resulting missed assignments), a thorough qualitative analysis of the learners’ pre-
intervention, early and late EAP assignments demonstrated that – by the end of the
course – most of the learners had gained fairly high degrees of proficiency in a range of
critically important academic writing skills.

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Thirdly, qualitative data – derived from observations and interviews – established that
the high rates of attrition and absenteeism  that plagued both experimental groups was
chiefly due to a single cause: weak levels of agency.

On the basis of this study’s findings, a number of recommendations can be put forward.

Firstly, the many parallels between the two experimental groups suggest that the EAP
course designed by this study could achieve comparable results in other South African
township schools. Secondly, due to the difficulties that this study encountered in
relation to high absenteeism and attrition rates, it is recommended that future
implementations of the EAP course adopt a number of measures to improve learners’
perceptions of their self-efficacy. Finally, it is recommended that future versions of the
EAP course could include a ‘matric study skills module’.

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KEYWORDS / PHRASES

English for academic purposes

Academic writing skills

Agency
English second language speakers
Modularity
Attrition
Matric
Creative fiction
Economically disadvantaged
History
English first additional language
Frequency analyses

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DECLARATION

I declare that

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF AN ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC
PURPOSES COURSE ON THE ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS OF
ENGLISH SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS ATTENDING
ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED HIGH SCHOOLS: AN
INTERVENTIONIST CASE STUDY

is my own work, that all the sources I have used or quoted have been indicated and
acknowledged by means of complete references, and that this work has not been
submitted previously in its entirety, or in any part, at any other higher education
institution for degree purposes.

………………………………………...

BEN MATHEW SCHERMBRUCKER [March 2017]

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DEDICATION

This thesis is dedicated to:

my parents, Peter and Reviva Schermbrucker, who provided me with a home – as well

as moral and financial support – throughout the writing of this thesis,

my grandparents, Ivan and Leslie Schermbrucker, who went to prison for their beliefs
and inspired me to help those less fortunate than myself

my grandparents, Yehudit and Gershon, who have always cared for me and believed in
my abilities

my ‘uncle’ marc (as well as Syd and Tikky), whose support made the completion of this
thesis possible,

and last, but not least, Elaine – light of my life.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Writing a thesis is not a solitary enterprise, as it necessarily relies upon a range of

people giving their input and assistance. I would therefore like to thank the following

individuals for aiding me in the completion of this study.

Firstly, I would like to thank the Grade 11 Gonwa and Delta learners who voluntarily
took part in the EAP course. Without their cooperation, it would have been impossible
to implement this study. The principals, security guards, secretaries and teaching staff at
both schools also helped and supported me immeasurably, and I am much indebted to
them for this.

Secondly, I would like to extend a big thank you to my supervisor, Professor Zubeida
Desai. Her helpful feedback was always delivered timeously, and her many
contributions to our afternoon meetings ensured that this thesis came to full fruition.

Finally, I want to thank the UWC Education Faculty and the Sasakawa Foundation for
the funding grants they provided me with.

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LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

Tables

5.1 Academic Writing Skills Exhibited by Gonwa Learners

5.1.1 Academic Writing Skills Exhibited by Delta Learners
5.2 Gonwa Students Attendance and Completed Assignments
5.2.1 Delta Students Attendance and Completed Assignments
5.3.1 Gonwa Course Results
5.3.2 Delta Course Results

Figures

5.1 Academic Writing Skills Exhibited by Gonwa Learners
5.1.1 Academic Writing Skills Exhibited by Delta Learners
5.2 Gonwa Students Attendance and Completed Assignments
5.2.1 Delta Students Attendance and Completed Assignments

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS WITH EXPLANATIONS

General Terms:

BICS Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills

CALP Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency
DBE Department of Basic Education
EAP English for Academic Purpose
EGAP English for General Academic Purposes
ESAP English for Specific Academic Purposes
EFAL English First Additional Language
ESL English as Second Language
PEP Positive Education Practices
PP Productive Pedagogies
QUES Quarterly Employments Statistics

Academic Writing Terms:

[AR] Author Referral
[BRFMAP] Boosted Referral to First Main Argumentative Point
[BRSMAP] Boosted Referral to Second Main Argumentative Point
[CBHOTS] Conclusion Based Higher Order Thinking Skills
[DFMT] Development of First Main Theme
[DSMT] Development of Second Main Theme
[FMAP] First Main Argumentative Point
[FMT] First Main Theme
FQT] First Quoting Technique
[GOAM] General Outline with Attitude Markers
[GTAR] Genre, Title and Author Referral
[HOTS] Higher Order Thinking Skills
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