Developing academic literacy through subject-oriented writing

• Developing academic literacy through subject-oriented writingAcademic writing presents difficulties for students (Ask, 2007) whilst writingproficiency is cited as a critical determiner of academic success (Dysthe, Hertzberg &Løkensgard Hoel, 2002). However, there is limited knowledge about the exact causeof these difficulties. The aim of this project is not only to help students improve their knowledge ofacademic texts, and develop their writing proficiency, but also to contribute to auniversity pedagogy course supporting academic writing. Theoretical perspectives are taken from several fields, with perspectives onintercultural communication in academia, including writing culture, subject/fieldculture and student culture: writing skills, writing processes, school genres, academicwriting, academic language and the teaching of subject-embedded academic writing(Dysthe, 1996; Løkensgard Hoel, 2001; Blåsjö, 2009, Halliday, 2003, Martin, 1993;1997, Applebee, 1984, Schleppegrell, 2005, Lea & Street, 2006, 2011; Wingate,Andon & Cogo, 2011; Hunter & Tse, 2013). Two groups of students have subject-embedded writing lessons. Student surveys,exit notes, interviews with teachers, plus comparative text analyses, provide insightsinto the effects of these lessons. Preliminary results emphasise the importance of subject-embedded writing exercisesand deliberative discussions about characteristics and expectations associated withacademic texts. When academic writing culture interacts with subject and studentculture, writing proficiency is developed.

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