TY - JOUR
T1 - Secondary teachers’ conceptions of integrated writing skills
T2 - Are teachers’ conceptions aligned with the curriculum objectives
AU - Li, Guan Ying
AU - Zhu, Xinhua
AU - Cheong, Choo Mui
N1 - Li, G.Y., Zhu, X. & Cheong, C.M. (2020). Secondary teachers’ conceptions of integrated writing skills: Are teachers’ conceptions aligned with
the curriculum objectives. Asia Pacific Education Review. 21 (3). 379-391. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-020-09629-x
PY - 2020/9/1
Y1 - 2020/9/1
N2 - Integrated writing skills that emphasize integrated use of language skills and multiple source materials have attracted increasing attention in language education globally and locally in Hong Kong. This study examines teachers’ conceptions of integrated writing skills and interviewed twenty-five Chinese language teachers. Three conceptions emerged from the data, representing writing as a composite of disconnected parts (Category1), a logical inquiry (Category 2), and a developmental process (Category 3). As the categories move up, the alignment between teachers’ conceptions and the curriculum objectives increases accordingly, with the purpose of writing instruction ranging from fulfilling examination requirements, enhancing reasoning skills, to developing integrated use of language skills. The findings also reveal that although the development of integrated writing skills has been a critical component of the Chinese language curriculum since the first public examination in 2007, teachers’ receptivity toward it still varied greatly. Insufficient professional training, the legitimacy of integrated writing as a curriculum component, and the fossilization of the public examination were the factors that accounted for the differing attitudes among the teachers. The discourse of integrated writing in the Hong Kong context has been centered around high-stakes testing. The unbalanced discourse resulted in an oversimplified view that conflated the teaching and learning of integrated writing with integrated writing assessment. The study contributes to the conversation between integrated writing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.
AB - Integrated writing skills that emphasize integrated use of language skills and multiple source materials have attracted increasing attention in language education globally and locally in Hong Kong. This study examines teachers’ conceptions of integrated writing skills and interviewed twenty-five Chinese language teachers. Three conceptions emerged from the data, representing writing as a composite of disconnected parts (Category1), a logical inquiry (Category 2), and a developmental process (Category 3). As the categories move up, the alignment between teachers’ conceptions and the curriculum objectives increases accordingly, with the purpose of writing instruction ranging from fulfilling examination requirements, enhancing reasoning skills, to developing integrated use of language skills. The findings also reveal that although the development of integrated writing skills has been a critical component of the Chinese language curriculum since the first public examination in 2007, teachers’ receptivity toward it still varied greatly. Insufficient professional training, the legitimacy of integrated writing as a curriculum component, and the fossilization of the public examination were the factors that accounted for the differing attitudes among the teachers. The discourse of integrated writing in the Hong Kong context has been centered around high-stakes testing. The unbalanced discourse resulted in an oversimplified view that conflated the teaching and learning of integrated writing with integrated writing assessment. The study contributes to the conversation between integrated writing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Implications for teacher professional development are discussed.
KW - Chinese language
KW - Curriculum objective
KW - Integrated writing
KW - Practical knowledge
KW - Teacher conception
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85085107279&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s12564-020-09629-x
DO - 10.1007/s12564-020-09629-x
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85085107279
SN - 1598-1037
VL - 21
SP - 379
EP - 391
JO - Asia Pacific Education Review
JF - Asia Pacific Education Review
IS - 3
ER -