Using a Modified Dictogloss to Improve English as a Second Language Learners’ Use of Genre-appropriate Conventions and Style

Abstract

This article explores the potential for using a modified dictogloss task to improve ESL learners' use of genre-appropriate conventions and genre-appropriate style in the context of genre-based instruction for writing. Dictogloss has been traditionally used to enhance learners' focus on lexical and grammatical features through discussions during the joint reconstruction of a text. The innovation of the current practice lies in its application to teach generic aspects specific to a particular text type, such as formatting, register, and organization. This practice is potentially important as it is a meaningful, productive task that raises learners' awareness of genre-related features of writing - an often-neglected but important aspect of learning to write. This practice was carried out in a secondary ESL classroom in Hong Kong, and the evaluation was based on an analysis of improvements in learners' genre-specific conventions and genre-specific style. Implications of this practice are discussed in terms of the possibilities for using model texts in dictogloss tasks within a genre-based approach to writing.