Episode 6: Academic Storytelling in Writing

This episode addresses the challenges of academic writing for EAP students. Laura discusses the idea that academic writing is storytelling but with different structures and conventions compared with personal and fiction writing. Many students in higher ed EAP classes are not struggling to write, but rather to tell a compelling and engaging story, to have a dynamic message. 

For students who are unfamiliar with English language study for communicative purposes, academic storytelling adds more complexities. However, students soon learn that the writing conventions and expectations are less restrictive and more supportive than they thought. Students can use instruction and guidance as they stop using writing as a demonstration of their English and begin using it as a medium of storytelling and message transmission. As Laura points out, writing is not the end goal, but rather the medium for the message.