Exploring Genre Awareness: L2 Learners’ Voices in Tertiary-Level Writing Contexts

Year 2024, Volume: 14 Issue: 2, 612 - 629, 30.07.2024

Sibel Söğüt İlknur Civan Serap Atasever Belli

https://doi.org/10.18039/ajesi.1366618

Abstract

This study explored tertiary-level L2 learners’ familiarization with genre-specific conventions in English writing skills. Employing a qualitative research paradigm, data were gathered via semi-structured interviews with 26 L2 learners. An inductive content analysis was conducted to elicit recurring codes and themes. The learners expressed strengths encompassing the recognition of genre-specific features, awareness of linguistic and organizational conventions in genre writing, and formality level. They highlighted the challenges in their orientation to genre identification, text organization, and genre-specific language choices. The learners established connections between these challenges and limited prior writing experience in L1 and L2 and their subsequent reliance on L2 formal knowledge. Further sources of challenges were linked to affective factors, language proficiency, genre convention mastery, and topic familiarity. They reported feeling anxious due to unfamiliarity with genre features, lack of interest in a given topic, inadequate pre-writing, and planning stage, the demanding nature of the process-genre writing instruction, and instructors’ expectations. They proposed suggestions regarding the mastery of lexical and grammatical knowledge, the provision of effective feedback from instructors to improve textual organization, and genre-specific language conventions. Accordingly, instructional implications for the cultivation of genre knowledge and awareness of tertiary-level writing skills are presented.

Keywords

genre knowledge, genre awareness, L2 writing, tertiary-level

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin İngilizce Metin Türü Farkındalığına İlişkin Yönelimlerinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Bu çalışma, üniversite öğrencilerinin İngilizce yazma becerilerinde metin türü bilgisi ve özelliklerine ilişkin yönelimlerini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Nitel araştırma paradigması kullanılan bu araştırmada veriler 26 üniversite öğrencisinden yarı yapılandırılmış gürüşmeler aracılığıyla toplanmıştır. Verilerde tekrar eden kodları ve temaları ortaya çıkarmak amacıyla araştırmacılar tarafından tümevarımsal içerik analizi yapılmıştır. Bu analiz sonucunda öğrencilerin metin türüne özgü özelliklerin tanınması, tür yazımındaki dilsel ve yapısal örüntülere ilişkin farkındalıklarını ve bu düzlemdeki bilgi düzeylerini içeren güçlü yönleri ön plana çıkardıkları bulgulanmıştır. Metin türlerini ayırt etme, metin türünü ayırt eden yapısal ve dilsel özelliklerin edinilmesine yönelik zorlukları vurgulayarak bu güçlükleri anadilde yazma deneyimlerinin sınırlı olmasına bağlamışlardır. Duyuşsal faktörler, İngilizce dil yeterliliği, metin türü bilgisi ve metnin konusuda dair sınırlı bilgilerinin olması deneyimledikleri zorlukların kaynağı olarak ön plana çıkmıştır. Öğrenciler, metin özelliklerine yatkın olmama, belirli bir konuya ilgi duymama, yazma öncesi ve planlama aşamalarının üzerinde yeterince durulmaması, yazma becerileri derslerindeki beklentiler, süreç odaklı metin türü yazma öğretiminin zorlu doğası nedeniyle kaygılı olduklarını belirtmişlerdir. Ayrıca öğrenciler, dilbilgisi ve sözcük bilgisine yeterince hakim olma, metnin yapısal özelliklerini geliştirmek için etkili geri bildirim alma konusunda önerilerde bulunmuşlardır. Bu sonuçlar doğrultusunda üniversite düzeyinde yazma becerilerinin öğretimi ve öğrenimine yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.

Keywords

metin türü bilgisi, metin türü farkındalığı, ikinci dil yazma, üniversite düzeyi

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