Teaching English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP): A review of language teachers’ pedagogical initiatives

Abstract

Academics and research students around the world have increasingly come under pressure to publish in high-ranking English-medium international journals. At the same time, it has been widely recognised that English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP) pedagogical support can be crucial to the publication success of those scholars and students who use English as an Additional Language (EAL). There has consequently been a growing interest in developing ERPP instructional initiatives. This paper surveys existing reported ERPP pedagogical practices, aiming to answer the research question “What does the literature tell us about the contexts and pedagogical strategies of ERPP instruction led by language teachers?” A selection of 31 articles was retrieved as the focal literature and seven categories of meaning were derived: rationales and local contexts, theoretical underpinnings and pedagogical approaches, writing tasks, instructor and peer feedback, language focus, challenging issues, and specialised vs. specialist knowledge. In view of the huge demand for ERPP intervention, the field can still be considered as underdeveloped. By synthesising the relevant literature to date, this review is timely and will be of value to course designers and ERPP practitioners present and future.