Bob Neilson

WORKSHOP: Putting grammar into use in academic writing

NESB students who plan to attend university in English-speaking countries often enrol in courses with names such as English for Academic Purposes because they lack many of the language skills - particularly writing skills - required at university level. Many have studied English grammar formally, but can’t translate their ability to do well in grammar exercises into an ability to create coherent and effective academic texts. What kind of grammar can best help them to deal with the problems they face, how best can it be taught, and how do they incorporate it into their working knowledge of how to create written English? How can grammatical knowledge help them to “feel” what works and to know what choices they have at any point in their writing? Teachers need to avoid simply teaching about the language, but how can they do this while ensuring that students develop the knowledge and the terminology to discuss the structure of English and to analyse and edit their own writing? The workshop will give examples of student writing and promote discussion of strategies for activities that develop a practical awareness of English grammar. The presenter is a practising ESL teacher who has spent many years experimenting with teaching English for Academic Purposes using a systemic functional approach.