Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T15:02:51.467Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genre awareness for the novice academic student: An ongoing quest

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 April 2008

Ann M. Johns
Ann M. Johns*
Affiliation:
San Diego State University, USAajohns@cox.net
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Genre, the most social constructivist of literacy concepts, has been theorized and variously applied to pedagogies by three major ‘schools’: the New Rhetoric, English for Specific Purposes, and Systemic Functional Linguistics. In this paper, I will discuss my long, and ongoing, search for a pedagogy drawn from genre theories for novice academic students. With others, I am trying to find or develop an approach that is coherent and accessible to students while still promoting rhetorical flexibility and genre awareness. I will first define and problematize the term genre. Then, I will briefly discuss what each of the three genre ‘schools’ can offer to novice students – as well as their pedagogical shortcomings. Finally, I will suggest two promising approaches to teaching genre awareness: learning communities and ‘macro-genres’.

Type
Plenary Speeches
Information
Language Teaching , Volume 41 , Issue 2 , April 2008 , pp. 237 - 252
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aridjis, H. (2003). 1492: The life and times of Juan Cabezon of Castile. Albuquerque, NM: University of New Mexico Press.Google Scholar
Bawarshi, A. (2003). Genre and the invention of the writer. Logan, UT: Utah State University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bazerman, C. (1997). The life of genre, the life in the classroom. In Bishop, W. & Ostrom, H. (eds.), Genre and writing: Issues, arguments, and alternatives. Portsmouth, NJ: Boynton/Cook, 19–26.Google Scholar
Berkenkotter, C. & Huckin, T. N. (1995). Genre knowledge in disciplinary communication: Cognition/culture/power. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Bhatia, V. J. (1993). Analyzing genre: Language use in professional settings. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Bhatia, V. K. (2004). Worlds of written discourse: A genre-based view. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Carter, M. (2007). Ways of knowing, doing, and writing in the disciplines. College Composition and Communication 58, 385–418.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chen, R. & Hyon, S. (2005). Faculty evaluation as a genre system: Negotiating intertextuality and interpersonality. Journal of Applied Linguistics 2, 153–184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christie, F. (1991). Literacy in Australia. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 12, 142–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coe, R. M., Lingard, L. & Teslenko, T. (eds.) (2002). The rhetoric and ideology of genres. Cresskill, NH: Hampton Press.Google Scholar
Derewianka, B. (1990). Exploring how texts work. Maryborough, Victoria: Australian Primary English Teaching Association.Google Scholar
Devitt, A., Reiff, M. J. & Bawarshi, A. (2004). Scenes of writing: Strategies for composing with genres. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Eggins, S. (2004). An introduction to Systemic Functional Linguistics. London: Continuum.Google Scholar
Faltis, C. J. & Wolfe, P. (eds.) (1999). So much to say: Adolescents, bilingualism and ESL in secondary school. New York: Teachers College Press.Google Scholar
Feez, S. (1998). Text-based syllabus design. Sydney: Macquarie University.Google Scholar
Feez, S. (2002). Heritage and innovation in second language education. In Johns, (ed.), 43–72.Google Scholar
Flowerdew, J. (1993). A process, or educational approach to the teaching of professional genres. ELT Journal 47, 305–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flowerdew, J. (2002). Genre in the classroom: A linguistic approach. In Johns, (ed.), 91–104.Google Scholar
Freedman, A. (1993). Show and tell? The role of explicit teaching in the learning of new genres. Research in the Teaching of English 27, 222–251.Google Scholar
Grabe, W. & Kaplan, R. B. (1996). Theory and practice of writing. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Harklau, L. (1999). The ESL learning environment in secondary school. In Faltis, & Wolfe, (eds.), 42–60.Google Scholar
Hasan, R. (1985). The structure of text. In Halliday, M. A. K. & Hasan, R.. (eds.), Language, context, and text. Geelong, Victoria: Deakin University Press, 52–69.Google Scholar
Hyland, K. (1998). Hedging in scientific research papers. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyland, K. (1999). Talking to students: Metadiscourse in introductory textbooks. English for Specific Purposes 18, 3–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyland, K. (2005). Stance and engagement: A model for interaction in academic discourse. Discourse Studies 7, 173–192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyon, S. (1996). Genre in three traditions: Implications for ESL. TESOL Quarterly 30, 693–722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johns, A. M. (1997). Text, role, and context: Developing academic literacies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johns, A. M. (2001). An interdisciplinary, interinstitutional, learning communities program: Student involvement and student success. In Leki, I.. (ed.), Academic writing programs. Alexandria, VA: TESOL, 61–72.Google Scholar
Johns, A. M. (2002a). Destabilizing students' literacy theories. In Johns, (ed.), 237–248. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Johns, A. M. (ed.) (2002b). Genre in the classroom: Multiple perspectives. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Johns, A. M. (2007). AVID college readiness: Working with sources. San Diego, CA: AVID Center.Google Scholar
Johns, A. M. & Price-Machado, D. (2001). English for Specific Purposes (ESP): Tailoring courses to student needs – and to the outside world. In Celce-Murcia, M.. (ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd edn.). Boston, MA: Heinle & Heinle, 43–54.Google Scholar
Macbeth, K. P. (2006). Diverse, unforeseen, and quaint difficulties: The sensible responses of novices to learning to follow directions in academic writing. Research in the Teaching of English 41, 108–207.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Macken-Horarik, M. (2002). ‘Something to shoot for’: A Systemic Functional approach to teaching genre in secondary school. In Johns, (ed.), 17–42.Google Scholar
Martin, J. R. (1993). Genre and literacy – modeling context in educational linguistics. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics 13, 141–172.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohan, B. & Slater, T. (2006). Examining the theory/practice relation in high school science register: A functional linguistic perspective. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 5, 302–316.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paltridge, B. (2001). Genre in the language learning classroom. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paltridge, B. (2006). Crossing the boundaries of genre studies. Journal of Second Language Writing 15, 234–249. [Co-written with Johns, A. M., Bawarshi, A., Coe, R. M., Hyland, K., Reiff, M. J. & Tardy, C. M..]Google Scholar
Rose, D. (2006). Learning to read: Reading to learn. Handout, University of Sydney.Google Scholar
Russell, D. (1997). Rethinking genre in school and society: An activity theory analysis. Written Communication 14, 504–554.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russell, D. & Fisher, D. (forthcoming). On-line multimedia case studies for professional education: Revisioning concepts of genre recognition. In Giltrow, J. & Stein, D. (eds.), Theories of genre and the internet. Amsterdam: Benjamins.Google Scholar
Samraj, B. (2004). Discourse features of student-produced academic papers: Variations across disciplinary courses. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 3, 5–22.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schleppergrell, M. & Oliveira, L. C. (2006). An integrated language and content approach for history teachers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 5, 254–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Short, D. (1999). Integrating language and content for effective sheltered English programs. In Faltis, & Wolfe, (eds.), pp. 105–137.Google Scholar
Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Swales, J. M. (1998). Other floors, other voices: A textography of a small university building. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.Google Scholar
Swales, J. M. & Feak, C. B. (2004). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills (2nd edn.). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.Google Scholar
Widdowson, H. G. (1984). Explorations in applied linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar