A Multimodal Approach toward Teaching for Transfer: A Case of Team-Teaching in ESAP Writing Courses

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 academic member of Shahid Chamran Univ

2 English Department of Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

3 Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed examination of learning transfer from an English for Specific Academic Purposes course to authentic discipline-specific writing tasks. To enhance transfer practices, a new approach in planning writing tasks and materials selection was developed. Concerning the conventions of studies in learning transfer that acknowledge different learning preferences, the instructional resources were designed to be multimodal to engage all participants in construing the principles of academic writing. To promote the relevance of writing practices and their transferability to future professional settings and to ensure the success of the multimodal presentations, a practice of team-teaching between the English Language and content lecturers was rigorously embraced. A sample population of 28 postgraduate medical students from Jondi Shapur University of Medical Sciences in Ahvaz participated in this research. The data were collected through interviews and writing samples throughout a whole semester and were subsequently analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively based on James' (2009) checklist of writing outcomes. The results indicated that the instruction did stimulate transfer from the course to the authentic tasks notably in the skills associated with organization and language accuracy; however, the transfer of some outcomes appeared to be constrained particularly the use of punctuation marks. Implications of the findings for theory, practice, and future research in discipline-specific writing practices are discussed.

Keywords

References

Abasi, A. R., Akbari, N., & Graves, B. (2006).Discourse appropriation, construction of identities, and the complex issue of plagiarism: ESL students writing in graduate school.  Journal of Second Language Writing, 15(2), 102-117.
Aidinlou, N. A. (2011). A discourse-based teaching of writing for Iranian EFL students: A systemic perspective. Journal of English Language Teaching and Learning, 3(8), 53-70.
Anderson, R. (2014).  A parallel approach to ESAP teaching. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 136, 194-202.
Baily, S. (2010).Academic writing: A handbook for international students.  London: Routledge.
Baradaran, A., & Sarfarazi, B. (2011). The impact of scaffolding on the Iranian EFL learners’ English academic writing. Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, 5(12), 2265-2273. 
Barnett, S. M., & Ceci, S. J. (2002). When and where do we apply what we learn? A taxonomy for far transfer. Psychological Bulletin, 128(4), 612-637.
Bjork, L., Brauer, G., Rienecker, L., & Jorgensen, P. S. (2003). Teaching academic writing in European higher education: An introduction. New York:  Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Camiciottoli, B. C., & Fortanet-Gómez, I. (2015). Multimodal analysis in academic settings. London: Routledge.
Cohen, M., & DeLois, K. (2001). Training in tandem: Co-facilitation and role modeling in a group work course. Social Work in Groups, 24(1), 21-36.
Conderman, G., & McCarty, B. (2003). Shared insights from university co-teaching. Academic Exchange Quarterly, 7(4). Retrieved from https://www.questia.com/library/journal/1G1-114168055/shared-insights-from-university-co-teaching
Evans, S., & Green, C. (2007). Why EAP is necessary: A survey of Hong Kong tertiary students. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 6(1), 3-17.
Fenollera, M., Lorenzo, J., Goicoechea, I., & Badoui, A. (2012). Interdisciplinary team teaching. In B. Katalinic (Ed.), DAAAM International Scientific Book (pp. 585-600). Austria: DAAAM International.
Fregeau, L. A. (1999). Preparing ESL students for college writing: Two case studies. The Internet TESL Journal. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Articles/Fregeau-CollegeWriting.html.
Friend, M. (2008). Co-teach! A manual for creating and sustaining effective classroom partnerships in inclusive schools. Greensboro: Marilyn Friend.
Gee, J. P. (2005). Learning by design: Good video games as learning machines, E-Learning, 2(1), 5-16.
Gimenez, J. (2008). Beyond the academic essay: Discipline-specific writing in nursing and midwifery. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 7(3), 151-164.
Górska-Poręcka, B. (2013). The role of teacher knowledge in ESP course design. Studies in Logic, Grammar and Rhetoric, 34(1), 27-42.
Graziano, K. J., & Navarrete, L. A. (2012). Co-teaching in a teacher education classroom: collaboration, compromise, and creativity. Issues in Teacher Education, 21, 109-126.
Green, J. H. (2015). Teaching for transfer in EAP: Hugging and bridging revisited. English for Specific Purposes, 37(1), 1-12.
Guan, Y. H. (2009). A study on the learning efficiency of multimedia-presented, computer-based science information. Educational Technology & Society, 12(1), 62-72.
Hansen, J. G. (2000). Interactional conflicts among audience, purpose, and content knowledge in the acquisition of academic literacy in an EAP course. Written Communication, 17(1), 27-52.
Hirvela, A., Nussbaum, A., & Pierson, H. (2012). ESL students’ attitudes toward punctuation. System, 40(1), 11-23.
Hüttner, J. (2008). The genres of student writing: developing writing models. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 18(2), 146-165.
Institute for Learning Styles (2008). Overview of the seven perceptual styles. Retrieved from http://www.learningstyles.org.
Issa, N., Schuller, M., Santacaterina, S., Shapiro, M., Wang, E., Mayer, R. E., & Da Rosa, D. A. (2011). Applying multimedia design principles enhances learning in medical education. Medical Education, 45(8), 818-826.
Jamalinesari, A., Rahimi, F., Gowhary, H. & Azizifar, A. (2015). The effects of teacher-written direct vs. indirect feedback on students' writing. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 192, 116-123.
James, M. A. (2006). Teaching for transfer in ELT. ELT Journal, 60(2), 151-159.
James, M. A. (2009). “Far” transfer of learning outcomes from an ESL writing course: Can the gap be bridged? Journal of Second Language Writing, 18(2), 69-84.
James, M. A. (2010). Transfer climate and EAP education: Students’ perceptions of challenges to learning transfer. English for Specific Purposes, 19(4), 183-206.
James, M. A. (2012). An investigation of motivation to transfer second language learning. Modern Language Journal, 96(1), 51-69.
James, M. A. (2014). Learning transfer in English-for-academic-purposes contexts: A systematic review of research. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 14(1), 1-13.
Kalyuga, S. (2005) Prior knowledge principle in multimedia learning. In R. E. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Kalyuga, S., Chandler, P., & Sweller, J. (1999). Managing split attention and redundancy in multimedia instruction. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 13(4), 351-371.
Kuusisaari, H. (2014). Teachers at the zone of proximal development e Collaboration promoting or hindering the development process. Teaching and Teacher Education, 43, 46-57.
Larsen-Freeman. (2013).Transfer of Learning Transformed.  Language Learning, 63(1), 107-129.
Levine, B. (1980). Co-leadership approaches to learning group-work. Social Work with Groups, 3(1), 35-39.
Mayer, R. E. (2014). Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. In R.E. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning (pp. 31-48).New York: Cambridge University Press
Mayer, R. E., & Sims, K. (1994). For whom is a picture worth a thousand words? Extensions of dual-coding theory of multimedia learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(3), 389-401.
Mayer, R. E., Dow, G., & Mayer, R. E. (2003). Multimedia learning in an interactive self-explaining environment: What works in the design of agent-based micro-worlds? Journal of Educational Psychology, 95(4), 806-813.
Mayer, R. E. (2003) Learning and instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Mayer, R. E. (2005) Introduction to multimedia learning. In R.E. Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of multimedia learning (pp. 1-24).New York: Cambridge University Press.
Mayer, R. E. (2008). Representation of the dual-channel theory. American Psychologist, 63(8), 760-769.
McCourt, F. (2003). Foreword. In: L.Truss, (Ed.), Eats shoots & leaves: The zero tolerance approach to punctuation (pp. xii-xiv). New York: Gotham Books.
Meirink, J. A., Imant, J., Meijer, P. C., & Verloop N. (2010) Teacher learning and collaboration in innovative teams. Cambridge Journal of Education, 40(2), 161-181.
Memari Hanjani, A., & Li, L. (2014). Exploring L2 writers’ collaborative revision interactions and their writing performance. System, 44, 101-114.
Mohamadifar, M. (2002). Punctuation Guide. Tehran: Diba.
Montazemi, A.R. (2006). The effect of video presentation in a CBT environment. Educational Technology & Society, 9(2), 123-138.
Murata, R. (2010). What does team teaching mean? A case study of interdisciplinary teaming. The Journal of Educational Research, 96(2), 67-77.
Norman, G. Dore, K., & Grierson, L. (2012). The minimal relationship between simulation fidelity and transfer of learning. Medical Education, 46(7), 636-647.
Perkins, D. (1992). Smart schools: Better thinking and learning for every child. New York: The Free Press.
Pollock, E., Chandler, P. & Sweller, J. (2002) Assimilating complex information. Learning and Instruction, 12(1), 61–86.
Rasch, T., & Schnotz, W. (2009). Interactive and non-interactive pictures in multimedia learning environments: Effects on learning outcomes and learning efficiency. Learning and Instruction, 19(5), 411-422.
Reiter-Palmon, R. & Illies, J. J. (2004). Leadership and creativity: Understanding leadership from a creative problem-solving perspective. Psychology Faculty Publications, 15(1), 55-77.
Robinson, B. & Schaible, R. (1995). Collaborative teaching: Reaping the benefits. College Teaching, 43(2), 57-60.
Rothman, B. (1980). Study of patterns of leadership in group work field instruction. Social Work with Groups, 3(1), 11-17.
Ruiz, J. G., Cook, D. A., & Levinson, A. J. (2009). Computer animations in medical education: A critical literature review. Medical Education, 43(9), 838-846.
Salem, N. & Lawless, M., (2011). The effect of language differences on Arab learners’ ESL writing. TESL Ontario, 37(4), 21-24.
Sojudifar, Z., Nemati, A., & Falahati, M. R. (2015). A comparative study of the novel ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ and Its Persian translation in terms of textual cohesion: The cases of punctuation marks, sentencing and paragraphing. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 5(11), 2304-2314.
Souzandehfar, M., Saadat, M., & Sahragard, R. (2014). The significance of multimodality/multiliteracies in Iranian EFL learners’ meaning-making process. Iranian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 17(2), 115-143.
Staples, S., Egbert, J., Biber, D., & McClair, A. (2013). Formulaic sequences and EAP writing development: Lexical bundles in the TOEFL IBT writing section. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 12(3), 214-225.
Stuart, M. (2007).The complete guide to medical writing. London: Pharmaceutical Press.
Subedi, B. S. (2004). Emerging trends of research on transfer of learning. International Education Journal, 5(4), 591-599.
Swales, J. M. & Feak, C. B. (2012). Academic writing for graduate students. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
Sweller, J. (2010). Element interactivity and intrinsic, extraneous and germane cognitive load. Educational Psychology Review, 22(2), 123-138.
Taylor, R. B. (2011). Medical writing: A guide for clinicians, educators, and researchers. New York: Springer.
Tillema, H., & van der Westhuizen, G. J. (2006). Knowledge construction in collaborative enquiry among teachers. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 12(1), 51-67.
Truss, L. (2003). Eats shoots & leaves: The zero tolerance approach to punctuation. New York: Gotham Books.
Whitehead, A. N. (1929). The aims of education. New York: Macmillan.
Williams, J. G. (2003). Providing feedback on ESL students' written assignments. The Internet TESL Journal. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Williams-Feedback.html
Teaching English as a Second Language Quarterly (Formerly Journal of Teaching Language Skills)
Volume 35, Issue 4
March 2017
Pages 157-190

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 05 September 2016
  • Revise Date: 12 January 2017
  • Accept Date: 15 January 2017

Share

How to cite

Statistics