The use of exemplars in English writing classrooms: from theory to practice

Recent literature on the use of exemplars in the context of higher education has shown that exemplar-based instruction is implemented in various disciplines; nevertheless, how exemplar-based instruction can be implemented in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing classrooms in higher education institutions remains under-explored. In this connection, this article reports on a textbook development project which adopts an exemplar-based instruction approach to be used by university English instructors to prepare students for IELTS writing (academic module). The goal of the textbook is to cultivate students’ understanding of the assessment standards of the two IELTS writing tasks through the design and use of exemplar-based dialogic and reflective activities. In this article, theoretical underpinnings of the use of exemplars, namely tacit knowledge, assessment as learning and dialogic feedback, will first be discussed in detail. Then, an overview of an ongoing project which aims to develop an exemplar-based IELTS writing textbook will be given. The last section of this article suggests practical strategies for ESL writing teachers who are interested in using exemplars to develop students’ understanding of assessment standards.     

Argumentative writing: theory,assessment, and instruction

Reading and Writing - Despite the early emergence of oral argumentation, written argumentation is slow to develop, insensitive to alternative perspectives, and generally of poor quality. These...     

An assessment of ESL writing placement assessment

What are the best assessment practices for ESL and international students who must be placed into first-year composition courses at both two- and four-year institutions in the United States? In this article, I examine this issue in three ways. First, I enumerate the stances in the literature; following that I submit results of preliminary research which questions modes of writing assessment and their relationship to final grades in composition classes. Finally, I present results of an internet search of one set of prominent American institutions’ placement practices. From this data, it might be inferred that we use multiple instruments to place ESL students into composition classes rather than resorting to a multiple-choice test (especially a standardized instrument) as the sole means of determining placement.My primary purposes in this paper are to argue that second language composition specialists need to examine our placement practices and aim for a reconciliation of these practices with our classroom pedagogies. Further, if we are not involved in placement decisions at our various institutions, we must strive to be included in important decisions concerning our students and to be advocates for second language writers.     

隐喻理论与篇章教学

隐喻理论不仅可以应用于词汇教学,而且可以应用于篇章教学。本文从隐喻的认知功能出发,分析了中心隐喻与篇章教学的关系,并以大学英语《锁之国》为例,来说明隐喻理论在篇章教学中对于认识篇章的连贯以及篇章所传递的中心信息方面的重要性。     

Feed-forward assessment,exemplars and peer marking: evidence of efficacy

The paper reports the findings of evaluative research that attempted to rigorously assess the efficacy of a feed-forward, formative assessment intervention. The aim was to improve participants’ conceptions of quality, and hence improve the quality of a complex piece of summative assessment, by asking them to mark exemplars produced by former students. Feed-forward assessment has theoretical support in the literature, but empirical confirmation has been slight. Research findings were encouraging. A statistical model incorporating feed-forward was developed which accounted for a large effect in the improvement of results for the summative item. Importantly, there was improvement across student ability levels. Students, in the main, made accurate judgements about different levels of exemplar quality, although they had some difficulty discerning different pathways to high-quality products. Qualitative analysis indicated improved student conceptions of coherence and integration in the summative piece.     

评价理论与大学英语写作

培养学生在英语写作中有效理解和使用评价手段,有利于达成语篇评价意义主题明确、评价语义连贯性强的高质量作文,有利于培养学生恰当地使用收缩和扩展性介入手段表述自己的观点。     

衔接理论与大学英语写作教学的改进

根据Halliday关于语篇衔接的理论,通过定量的语料就衔接手段在两组作文中的应用进行横向及纵向的对比分析,发现学生习作在语法衔接和词汇衔接方面存在若干问题,建议教师从培养学生积极的写作习惯、思维模式、扩大词汇量等方面改进写作教学方法。     

Relationships between writing motivation, writing activity, and writing performance: effects of grade, sex, and ability

A convenience sample of 618 children and adolescents in grades 4 through 10, excluding grade 8, were asked to complete a writing motivation and activity scale and to provide a timed narrative writing sample to permit an examination of the relationships between writing motivation, writing activity, writing performance, and the student characteristics of grade, sex, and teacher judgment of writing ability. Female students and older students wrote qualitatively better fictional stories, as did students with higher levels of writing ability based on teacher judgment. With respect to writing activity, more frequent writing in and out of school was reported by girls, better writers, and younger students. In a path analysis, grade and sex directly influenced writing activity, while sex, teacher judgment of writing ability, and writing activity directly influenced some aspects of writing motivation. Overall, teacher judgment of writing ability, grade level, and motivational beliefs each exerted a significant direct positive influence on narrative quality, whereas performance goals exerted a significant direct negative impact on quality.     

Student writing,assessment, and the motivated sign: finding a theory for the times

This paper aims to encourage teachers in higher education to reflect on the criteria they apply when assessing students’ academic writing. Grounding its arguments in readings of postgraduate students’ texts, the paper identifies complexities that evaded the teachers’ assessments. These complexities are made visible by the development of particular theoretical perspectives. The concept of the ‘motivated sign’ is given central significance in view of its relevance to the increasing diversity of student histories and expectations in higher education classrooms in the UK.     

Learning to mark: exemplars,dialogue and participation in assessment communities

The problems of shifting from norm-referenced assessment to criterion-referenced assessment have been identified by several scholars in recent years. These important critiques touch on a number of areas, but neglect a key question about how assessors learn to accomplish what Shay calls a ‘socially situated interpretive act'. Research that does exist tends to focus on salaried, full-time academics. This overlooks the heterogeneity of the academic labour force in higher education and the substantial contribution made by contract (hourly-paid) lecturers, particularly in applied disciplines such as Business and Management. This study explores how nine newcomers to a UK Business School – including salaried and contract staff – attempt to understand local assessment practice. We use a situated learning lens to analyse their diary entries and interviews about their experiences of learning to mark. Drawing on scholars such as Sadler, we examine the suggestion that exemplars are important for newcomers coming to understand local assessment practice. We argue for the fundamental importance of dialogue about exemplars and other aspects of practice, both to develop inter-subject understandings of assessment ‘anchor points' and also to foster among newcomers (and especially contract lecturers) a greater sense of participating in, and being valued by, the local assessment community.     

Field placement issues: From theory to practice

The significance of the field placement's rolein the professional education of schoolcounselors is explored. A model is proposed formatching students with field placementsettings, to be used as a tool to facilitateother institutions. The article details with variousguidelines for organizing a field placementprogram in counselor education. Issues such asapplication procedures, selection of sites,evaluation, responsibilities of students andsupervisors, and the role of supervision arediscussed.     

Rubrics: Design and Use in Science Teacher Education

Journal of Science Teacher Education -     

A capacity theory of writing: Working memory in composition

The review examines ways in which working memory contributes to individual and particularly to developmental differences in writing skill. It begins with a brief definition of working memory and then summarizes current debates regarding working memory and capacity theories in the field of reading. It is argued that a capacity theory of writing can provide a framework within which to consider the development of writing skill, and relevant data are discussed. Effects of capacity limitations are documented in all three component writing processes: planning, translating, and reviewing.     

First-year students working with exemplars: promoting self-efficacy,self-monitoring and self-regulation

In this paper, we explore first-year undergraduate students’ experiences and perceptions regarding the use of exemplars, with reference to the development of student self-regulation. The study was carried out at a tertiary education institution in New Zealand where the second author was a lecturer. This author used exemplars with two classes of first-year students enrolled in a core introductory paper taught as part of the students' undergraduate business studies degree. Data were gathered through three complementary approaches: students’ responses to a short anonymous survey at the end of each of the four sessions where exemplars were used, written notes in the teacher’s Teaching journal and semi-structured interviews with student volunteers. When strategically employed as part of the teaching design, it was found that exemplars have the capacity to motivate, enhance students’ self-efficacy, promote understanding of task requirements, expand knowledge, understanding and skills in relation to the structure of academic tasks, support and advance subject knowledge, and develop evaluative and productive knowledge and expertise. We concluded the use of exemplars with these students demonstrated their potential as tools for the promotion of student self-efficacy, self-monitoring and to a lesser extent, self-regulation.     

论30年代乡土写作的抒情性

在20世纪30年代大时代背景下,乡土写作的抒情性给当时文坛带来了不一样的"风景"。主要表现在三个方面:乡土写作的抒情基调、诗化的语言写作和独特的文体表现。这种抒情性表达在某种程度上避免了30年代文学创作的模式化倾向。