Writing and Writing Instruction in Different Academic Contexts SocioCultural Context of Writing
GLOBAL SPREAD OF ENGLISH IN ACADEMIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON WRTING INSTRUCTION IN TURKISH UNIVERSITIES
Hacer Hande Uysal
Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
The global spread of English in academia and its pedagogical consequences have been of interest in recent scholarship. Therefore, this paper first historically analyzes Turkish state policies of scholarly publishing, increasingly supporting publishing in English. Second, a field study explores the influences of state policies on academic writing instruction in two major universities in Ankara because studies of language policies in practice are needed and education is a critical vehicle for language spread. First, the courses with an academic writing component were identified, curricula/syllabuses, textbooks, and assessment rubrics were obtained. Kaplan & Baldauf’s (1997; 2005) languageineducation policy descriptions for access policy (what is learned and when), curriculum policy (time allocated in the curriculum, intensity of instruction, objectives, approaches, and methods), and materials policy (content of the textbooks) were used as a framework in data analyses. Then, interviews with students and instructors were conducted. The results indicate that the state policy has largely influenced the literacy planning and practices at universities as more courses aiming at developing English academic writing skills and according to AngloAmerican norms are offered while academic writing in Turkish is neglected and English seems to gain a higher status and hegemony in scientific literacy.
References
KAPLAN, R. B. & BALDAUF, R. B. (1997). Language Planning: From practice to theory . Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.
KAPLAN, R. B. & BALDAUF. R. B. (2005). Languageineducation policy and planning. In E. Hinkel (Ed.). Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning (pp. 10131034). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum.