Classroom contexts for academic literacy: The intersection of language and writing development in secondary ESL classrooms

This dissertation focuses on the construction of “literate identities” by secondary school second language learners and the pivotal role played by the classroom culture as constructed through its discourses, and its social and pedagogic practices. Working from a social constructionist perspective, the study considers the intricate relationship of discourse, power, constructions of knowledge and identity in the development of literacy and second language acquisition. It reconsiders key notions of progressivist writing pedagogy, such as “natural” development, voice, relevance, and “student-centered” classrooms, bringing to light some of the unexamined assumptions and tensions which emerge in classrooms as a result of these Discourses.;Drawing upon three areas of research—second language acquisition, composition theory and literacy theory—this study takes as its foundational premise the notion that language and literacy practices are socially, historically and politically situated. In addition, it takes into account the multiple identities of participants, and the ways in which they situate themselves in both discourse and social practice. The findings highlighted several areas of tension within classroom discourse, as both teachers and students attempted to negotiate the ambiguities inherent in institutional roles and expectations, which were often in conflict with the goals of “student-centered” writing pedagogies. Discourse analysis of students' written texts focused on the development of identity, role and voice, and how these intersected with the broader sociocultural Discourses positioning students as immigrants and second language learners, an intersection which often constrained their choices as writers.;The findings of this study illustrate that the unproblematic: acceptance in second language classrooms of dominant pedagogic frameworks such as “the process writing approach” warrants a closer look. They also suggest a need to critically examine the social practices that constitute literacy, as well as society's “common-sense” assumptions which frame students within fixed and potentially limiting identities. Finally, it argues that literacy and language learning in schools needs to be understood within the sociocultural Discourses constructing these practices, for without this understanding it will be impossible to adequately address issues of access and equity in public education.