Technology-enhanced socialisation into disciplinary writing in L2: insights from the perceptions of MA TEFL students

Abstract

In order to obtain qualifications to teach English as a foreign language (TEFL), teacher candidates often need to commit themselves to writing a master’s (MA) thesis. In efforts to shed light on how MA thesis supervisors can support supervisees in the writing process, drawing on the theoretical framework of language socialisation, this article presents part of an ongoing action research study, exploring how MA TEFL students perceived technology-enhanced socialisation, i.e., developments in their competence, beliefs and practices, into disciplinary writing in English. Six first-year Polish MA TEFL students enrolled in MA thesis-oriented courses reflected on the process of becoming more competent MA thesis writers by answering online survey open-ended questions. The study reveals that thesis writing in L2 can be an overwhelming process, during which the students struggle emotionally, but which they are determined to complete. The results suggest that MA supervisors can support the socialisation of MA TEFL students – novice disciplinary L2 writers – by mindfully providing the students with guidance on and access to relevant and quality materials, by allowing for regular writing opportunities, as well as making space for supervisor–students and student–student interaction and feedback. As digital tools mediate the relationship between individual students and their social–material learning environment, technology is an important element of this environment and course design needs to include blended learning experiences to enhance the process of socialisation into disciplinary writing in L2.

Keywords:

• Academic writing
• thesis writing
• technology-enhanced language socialisation

Acknowledgement

I thank the anonymous reviewers for their careful reading of my paper and their many insightful comments and suggestions for improvement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joanna Pitura

Joanna Pitura is Assistant Professor in the Department of Technology Enhanced Language Education at the Pedagogical University of Cracow. Her current research interests revolve around technology-mediated language learning and teaching, academic literacy, and research methods in language education.