Smashing subject boundaries : the case for writing across the curriculum in Asia.

Abstract

The transfer of language skills, such as writing, often poses a challenge in English language courses in an academic environment in Asia. The English syllabus may be sound, and the teachers effective, yet students are simply not transferring writing skills they have gained under the guidance of the English department to other subjects, such as Psychology or Business Management. This presentation considers barriers to the transfer of these important skills in an international undergraduate programme in Thailand and examines the literature in Writing across the Curriculum (WAC) in suggesting means of overcoming these obstacles. WAC goes a step beyond content-based writing curricula; it also involves embedding language and critical thinking goals in subject-based courses like Psychology or Business Management. This presentation addresses these dual concerns: learning to write, and writing to learn as it builds a rationale for WAC and considers practical ways of implementing such a programme.