Rethinking Multimodality in ESL and EFL Academic Writing Classrooms

• In Event: Second Language Research SIG Poster Session

Abstract

As the unbalanced and decontextualized academic writing instruction has been problematized with the emerging importance of integration of reading, speaking and listening with second language writing, this paper uses a qualitative classroom-based research design to examine how such integration of writing with the three language skills emerge and how it impacts on the academic enculturation processes in American ESL and Chinese EFL academic writing classrooms with undergraduate students. The findings suggest there are attempts to implement multimodal connections in both ESL and EFL classrooms. Despite largely teacher-led instruction, multimodal connections emerged in various forms to support academic enculturation especially suggesting multimodal connections not only as support but also as concrete pathways that can bridge learning-to-write to writing-to-learn.

Authors

• Esther Yoon, The Ohio State University - Columbus

• Hyun Jung Joo, The Chinese University of Hong Kong