In language education, we have been arguing whether our instruction has to be process or product based. I think in emphasizing the process only we could ‘throw the baby out with the bath water’; both the product and the process are necessary. It is particularly important we effectively design tasks for speaking and writing skills development that combine the product and the process, especially using the product as a model to display various language functions.

In relation to writing from the product Ann Burns (2001) makes the following comment: 

Because of its discovery learning, ego-centered base, progressive ESL pedagogy has failed to make explicit to learners the knowledge they need to gain to access socially powerful forms of language. It has emphasized inquiry learning, process and naturalism but has neglected to offer learners systematic explanations of how language functions in various social contexts. (2001:200)

Burns’ argument makes sense especially, in the ESL/EFL contexts where the learners cannot have the exposure to the natural models or functions that the native speakers enjoy every minute of their life. So we need to find ways of creating these opportunities in the classroom instruction.

Training academic (essay exam) writing through modelling

I have tried the idea combining product and process or modelling to train university students to write essay exam questions. Many students fail exams due to lack of understanding the key words and instruction words in essay questions. These words or phrases indicate the focus of the instructor in assessing students’ learning. Some subject lecturers are not transparent about their assessment tools. I know many of them don’t write good tests, because of lack of knowledge and experience in testing, but they at least do know what their students should be able to demonstrate. Having observed students’ difficulty in essay exam answering, I organized a writing conference in collaboration with the subject lecturers who realized the problems. During the writing session both the lecturers (the ones who set the questions) and the students participated in a three stage activity:

Step 1: Setting the essay questions

Before the workshop, I talked to subject lecturers about training students on essay exam writing. I asked a couple of them to set questions (mock exam) similar to the ones they ask in exams. The students (mostly the first year ones who are new to academic practices) and lecturers (of English and subjects) were invited to the workshop.

Step 2: Identifying the key words and instruction words

Different essay questions (mock questions) were distributed to the students and the lecturers. They were asked to identify the key words and instruction words in the question, and explain the intention of the lecturer in using them. A few answers from the students were displayed for comments by the lecturers and students. Then I displayed the answers of the lecturers’ (especially of the one who set the questions). We had some very useful discussion on how the lecturers could play with words.  Finally, both the lecturers and students came to the same level of understanding. 

Step 3: Outlining the answer

Since there was shortage of time to go through the whole composition process, both the teacher and students were asked to just prepare an outline of the answer for the essay questions, based on the understanding reached concerning the key words and instruction words. As in step 2, samples of the students’ outlines were displayed for comments and discussion. Then the lecturer’s sample outlines were displayed as models.

Conclusion

Writing from the product or model is an apprenticeship model that tries to make transparent the assessment demands in the university. The specialist lecturers can help their students become members of their academic communities by scaffolding academic thinking, such as writing essay exams. What I have dealt with here is EAP instruction; however, this same approach can be adapted to general English language instruction for different levels. Moreover, I have talked so much about ESL/EFL or resource poor contexts, it is because I have lived and worked here all my life. But I think the ideas can be adapted to the other resource rich and native speaker contexts.

Nigussie