Teaching English for Academic Purposes - Term Paper Example

Students Name: Institution Name: Introduction EAP is a division of ESP in which the training content is coordinated to the needs of the students. It is also being seen to be ESP because it buys the Robinson’s concepts which are frequently alleged as being criteria to the ESP courses. The features of ESP includes; goal-directed, courses are grounded on the requirements evaluation which purposes to agree as strictly as possible to what the students have to work on via a medium of English, ESP students tend to be elders rather than the kids, students may be required to select the language, ESP is often selected at time for the course and finally in some instances a high level of expertise is not needed as long as the students can prosper in their objectives. (Robinson, 1991, pg.2-5). The course of the EAP is often pre-sessional. They even take place before the learner’s major academic aim courses commence. They can also be taken sometimes as the learners’ main academic course. They can also be seen as the as language support sessions since it free to drop anytime. EAP teachers or the lecturers usually discover they require to focus on the procedure of writing organizing, planning, proof-reading, re-writing, presenting etc. If a learner makes small grammatical errors, they get a little alteration. Nevertheless if there is a challenge with an organisation, they will acquire a huge question mark. Writing classes are usually work grounded and scheme work grants the learners to work on their individual ground (Bloor & St John, 1988, pg.56). Many of the EAP lecturers are participants in the testing their learners in higher education. This can consist of giving advice to tutors who are admitting on what the exterior English language exam are obtainable and what the mean score is. On consideration of the mean, the students can be rejected or accepted or even give the offers terms on attaining a given level of English. The exams can be managed jointly and it can test on the writing, academic writing, also listening, speaking and reports the stage of every experience. Text Book 1 The first EAP book choose is Writing Academic English by Ann Hogue and Alice Oshima the chapter is Contrast/Comparison Essays. In contrast/ comparison essay, one can explain the differences and similarities between two things. Contrast and comparison is a common pattern in most academic grounds. It is also a type of essay one might encounter in many questions. The aim of contrast and comparison essay is to examine the similarities and the differences of the two distinct units. A good essay does not only view out how the units are different or similar. But it uses the point to make expressive opinions about the topics. It can be intimidating at first to tactic this essay but with a lot of practice, one can write a good essay. When making a comparison of two items it usually involves telling about what is similar about them and when contrasting the two items it usually involves telling the differences between the two. The emphasis is on the variation but at times a paragraph describes both the differences and similarities (Oshima & Hogue, 2000, pg.111). There are two major methods to organize a contrast/comparison paragraph. One method is known as the block organization and the other method is the point-by-point organization. Block organization method all the similarities are organized into one block and the variations or the differences is also organized in one block. In a point-by-point organization, one write all the differences and the similarities by the subtopics. For instance, if writer is contrasting and comparing several topics one might contrast and compare on the subtopics. If there is a lot to mention about one subtopic, one might require writing a different paragraph for each one. The pattern of organization selected depends on the topic. Whether writer explain the differences or similarities or even both depends on the topic. The sentence of the topic for contrast or comparison paragraph should state the name of the topic and also show contrast or comparison organization. The conclusion of the essay may pardon the idea or make some recommendation about the topic. (Oshima & Hogue, 2000, pg.114). In formulating the argument writer must pick two topics that can be contrasted and compared, make sure that the topics can be meaningful describe, do some brainstorm of the topic, consider the major topics and create the thesis of the topic. In organizing the essay writer first have to decide on the structure he/she want to use either block or point-by-point organization, make the outline of the essay, then make the outline basing on the topic to topic on the body paragraphs or make an outline on the basis of point to point comparison, then make the paragraph body on contrast then compare and organizing the independent body paragraphs. Then finally put all together by using the brainstorming concepts previously outline and trying to expound on the essay. (Oshima & Hogue, 2000, pg.115). The sentence structure of the essay is that there phrases or words that help the reader to get more about the similarities and the differences. The connectors of the sentence can appear in different spots in a sentence for example likewise or similarly. “Also” usually located at the end or the middle of the sentence. “Also” cannot be used with a semicolon. For example, China is the heart of Asia, New York is also a central point in banking.” Too” often is appears at the sentence end. It usually comes together with the conjunction “and”. “As” is subordinating word. The word “just” makes stronger. The usage of a comma is employed when the unique clause comes first. These words act like prepositions or adjectives. “Equally” is an adverb which usually makes descriptions as an adjective it can also explain on another adverb or verb. The pair conjunctions are usually employed together. The words that come after the second conjunction must be also the similar part of the speech because the word that comes after the first conjunction. (Oshima & Hogue, 2000, pg.116). The contrast signals point out the variations the commonly used conjunctions, in contrast, is “yet “and “but”. In making contrast the sentence connectors linked two independent clauses, use of “but” is when the concepts are precisely the opposite. The use of “yet” is when the one concept is an unexpected or surprising continuation of the other concept. The use of words like “whereas” and “while” are the exact opposite. The two words can commence either with the clause and always is use a comma when the unique clause comes first. The use of other words like “even though”, “though” or “although” when one concept is an unexpected or surprising continuation of the other concept. These words can at times begin with clause either. “From” and “unlike” are both the preposition and noun or phrase are put after them. “Differently” is an adverb which is also used. (Oshima & Hogue, 2000, pg.117). The audience for the text is the learners who want to write the essay or the writers of the essay. The proposed level of the study is undergraduate since it is one of the easiest essays which can easily understand and written. The features of the academic discourse are that it has formality, precision, objectivity and accuracy. In terms of formality the essay is relatively formal, it has some organization which can block or point-to-point. It requires writer to state the comparison and contrasts. Precision the essay requires the facts which can be difference or comparison. In terms of objectivity is that the topic requires the information one want to give and arguments which need to be made. In terms of accuracy, the essay wants one to be specific whether to be difference or comparison. The language feature of the text is word choice the essays must use some particular words in order to make sense. The other language feature which text used is simile and metaphor in making comparison (Hyland, 2006, pg.1-12). Text Book 2 The second book is Academic Writing for graduate students essential tasks and skills by Christine B. Feak and John M. Swales chapter three problem, process and solution. Problem solution texts consist of four parts which are the; contextual info about rights for research English, motives for suspecting the correctness of the figured, alternate facts leading to more correct figures and the valuation of the virtues of the planned answer. The language focus is the mid position adverbs. For example if “today” had been used in a sentence it would occur directly after the verb. The language also focuses on the agents and verbs of the solution. The passive voice usually plays a significant role in process description, according to the study the use of by and human agents if rare in the formal academic except when telling the story in the ground. The use of “by” plus a process make the sentence or statement more informative by substitution of the noun expression with one or more verbs phrases, for example, learning can be enhance by increasing service teaching. (Swales & Feak, 2004, pg.85). It is good to note that verbs put together can lead to ambiguity so the verbs are needed to change. These procedures require the active voice more so if the description uses the verbs that show a variation of the condition such as cool, rise, form and expand. For example, The Sun sets in the west and rise in the east. The cause and effect clause can also essential in writing a problem-solution text. The –ing clauses of the result can be used as an alternate to the usage of the sentence connectors such as a result and therefore, unpremeditated associations can be also specified by –ing clauses of the result. For example the lava streams into the holes of the rocks; as a result, the rocks rupture or the lava flow into the holes of the rocks, thereby making them to rupture. Combine concepts presented in each statement using the –ing clause of result usually work together. The language can also focus on the indirect questions which obey the standard order that is the subject-verb order. Indirect questions do not need the subject-verb agreement to be inverted. The indirect questions also usually end with a full stop other than a question mark. An example of an indirect question is; she inquire what the time was. The other problems that are common in the sentences are missing of the verb “to be” which are normally common in problem solution texts. Another one is using the words like nevertheless or however as a sentence connector. The introduction of the solution can base by the following skeletal sentences; one way to address this problem is to…, various alternatives are available to address this challenge…, however, the best one seems to be…, Solutions to this challenge are now widely explained. One remedy id t… etc. (Swales & Feak, 2004, pg.94 - 115). The audience for the text are the individuals who are not the native speakers of English who are still learning for the graduate degrees via the medium of English. The text is for people who are at the level of studying the degrees for doctoral and masters. This text is helpful to the graduate students who are studying using the English language. The features of the academic discourse selected for attention are complexity, precision, formality, objectivity, explicitness, accuracy and organization. In complexity, the text can use fewer verb phrases and more noun phrases. The written texts are not that long and the language has much grammatical complexity including the passive voices and clauses like result –ing clause. In the formality, the text is formal that it agree on the subject-verb agreement and also uses a lot of indirect questions than the direct question. In precision, the text leads in eliminating the problems and give a better solution. Objectivity- the text tend to use a lot of nouns and adjectives other than the use of verbs or even the adverbs. The text seeks to give explicitness in the sentences and statements. Organization- the text is well organized as it flows from one phase to the next phase (Bhatia, 2006, pg.161-174). Text Book 3 The third EAP book is English for Academic purposes by David Hill and Kathy Cox. Discussing chapter eight which is a global connection economics. This unit focus on reading and writing, speaking and listening, writing, reading and critical thinking, English for the internet age, grammar, and the student independence and study skills. Reading and writing section deals with two major things the compare and contrast essay and the cause and effect. Compare and contrast essays are essays in which the writer has two or more concepts about a subject, the writer must be in a position to contrast the concepts in a way that the learners can get the point on what is compared and why. Should the concepts express the various point of views, all the viewpoints must be analysed. This essay uses some contrast and comparison words for purpose of combination or association of the ideas. This essay also uses the cause and effect or the result and reason. The contrast is what should be happening as contrary to what is happening. Another method to contrast and compare is through the use of the simile and metaphor. A metaphor calls one item and another thing while a simile compares the two items using words such as like or as (Cox & Hill, 2004, pg.178). Cause and effect look at the motives for something then discuss the outcome. They are sometimes referred to as the reason and result from an essay. There two major structures of the cause and effect are the chain and block structure. In block structure causes are listed first then the effects are listed afterward while in chain structures the cause is immediately followed by the effect. Writing section deals with discussion and argument. When doing tertiary learning in an English medium, one is expected to say essay using researchers’ data which argues a case for something. One must persuade the audience or the reader that one’s point of view is right. One point of view must persuade the audience or the reader. In argument individuals usually, take sides. The procedure of discussion ad argument is identifying the issue, defining the identified issue, exposition which is a reason that will direct one’s belief, claim or even contention. An exposition is an accurate text which conveys an argument or put forward one’s point of view. The third procedure is placing in predicting and exposition text content from the topic. (Cox & Hill, 2004, pg.181). Grammar section entails normalization which is an elimination of errors in academic writing. It can be normalization of verbs which is altering verbs forms to nouns. Elimination of personals from the writing for example removal of words like ‘we’, ’I’, ’us’, ‘they’, ‘them’ etc. Another task is the use of the multiple sketches that is unloading the meaning of nouns normalizations and nouns that are working from the academic back to non-academic to find the author’s original thinking. The opposite of moving from the active voice to passive voice to the normalized forms. Also, another task is unpacking the meaning. Speaking and listening section consist of the orientation discussion and listening to predict the major focus, getting the major points and making some notes. Orientation discussion involves task like discussion. Listening to forecast major focus, getting major points and making notes involves task like note taking, forecasting the focus of a lecture on the topic, listening for the discourse to get the main points and main concepts in a lecture. Notes can be taken from the recording or from listening for the first time. The other task is taking notes from a lecture. Reading and critical thinking consists of vocabulary and scanning and skimming for the major concepts. Vocabulary and scanning can be a 3 part task which is scanning the written materials, locating the words and writing paragraphs on where the words are located. Skimming for ideas is a task which takes less time and involves looking for the keywords or key phrases like conclusions and recommendation, issues, sequencing arguments like first, second.., the arguments and their counter arguments. (Cox & Hill, 2004, pg.186-193). The audience for this book chapter is the primary or the high school students studying on how to write essays, listening and speaking skills using the English language. The level of the study that can use the book chapter is the undergraduate level especially those in the high school or primary schools. The book uses simple words and does not contain any difficulties which can be easily understood by the primary and high school students. The general disciplinary focus is linked with the precise requirements of the students in a specific discipline. The features of academic features selection for attention is precision, objectivity, explicitness, responsibility, complexity, formality, accuracy, planning and hedging. In complexity written texts are shorter and the language has some complexity in grammar including some usage the passives and subordinate classes. Formality writing of the academic writing should be normal which means that the essay should avoid expressions and the colloquial words. In terms of accuracy, the academic essay has employed the vocabulary accurately. In planning the text is planned in stages using the task to be performed in each stage. In hedging, the text makes the essential decisions about the topic or strength of the claim one is making. The academic discourse nature it contains are text are explicit, the topic and argument are stated well. The language feature the chapter contains is use of simile and metaphor. (Bhatia, 2012, pg.161-174). Conclusion In conclusion, EAP is a significant area in ESP accounting for a huge amount the ESP works in the entire world. Many of the works take place to English language teaching in the world like universities and colleges. It is discussed in many articles, journals and at many conferences. The three chapter from the EAP textbooks has made a major significance in showing the various discourse communities, the genre, and the language features. It showed the various three approaches of the EAP which is the socialization, academic literacy and study skills. References: Robinson, P. C. (1991). ESP today: A practitioner's guide. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall. Bloor, M., & St John, M. J. (1988). Project writing: The marriage of process and product. Academic writing: Process and product, 85-94. .Robinson (Ed.), Academic writing: Process and product (ELT Documents 129, pp. 85-94). London: Modern English Publications. Oshima, A., & Hogue, A. (2000). Writing academic English. Longman. Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2004). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills (Vol. 1). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press. Cox, K., & Hill, D. A. (2004). English for Academic Purposes: Class Audio CDs: EAP Now! Pearson Education Australia. Bhatia, V. K. (2002). A generic view of academic discourse. Academic discourse, 21-39. Hyland, K. (2006). Disciplinary differences: Language variation in academic discourses. Brick, J. (2011). Academic culture: A student's guide to studying at university. Macmillan Education AU. Johns, A. M. (1998). Text, role, and context. Ernst Klett Sprachen. Allison, D. (2002). Approaching English language research. NUS Press. Read More