386 / 2020-01-13 04:06:47

Exploring EFL learners’ academic literacy development in disciplinary-specific learning activities: An Activity Theory perspective

academic literacy; activity theory,disciplinary teaching and learning,content language integrated learning

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Academic literacy development embodying disciplinary specific ways of knowing, thinking and being bears huge significance for learners’ access to the potential resources and opportunities in particular academic and professional communities (Byrnes et al., 2010). However, while increased attention has been paid to ELL learners’ academic literacy development in bilingual education (Uccelli & Galloway, 2016; Duhaylongsod et al., 2015), few have addressed how disciplinary-based learning practices can influence EFL learners’ academic literacy development. Therefore, the study takes a Sociocultural Theory perspective (Engestrom, 1987) to investigate a cohort of EFL learners’ academic literacy development trajectories in a CLIL-framed academic writing class of language-related studies. Multiple data collection methods are adopted to investigate the profound interactions between individual learning, pedagogy and the larger sociocultural and institutional contexts. Preliminary data analysis results revealed a significant development in learners’ academic language ability, agency and autonomy which can possibly be attributed to the provision of ample instructional scaffolding and alignment of curriculum resources, which include: the integration of literacy learning and research activities, frequent individual conferences on students’ writing and research progresses, and the ample curriculum affordances for different courses to mutually enhance students’ learning. Results of the study can shed light on EFL learners’ academic literacy learning trajectories and inform the development of an effective pedagogy.

Key words: academic literacy, disciplinary learning activities, Sociocultural Theory, CLIL