Constructionism-Based Framework of English as a Second Language Academic Writing for Chinese International Master Students in Thailand

Abstract

It has become increasingly important for graduate students worldwide, especially international graduate students, to write about their research in academic English. This study aimed at identifying the domain knowledge which affects the proficiency of English as a second language (ESL) academic writing and developing the constructionism-based framework for Chinese international master students in Thailand. A systematic literature review with VOSviewer visualization was conducted to identify the general domain knowledge of ESL academic writing. Six hundred twenty research articles published between 2018 to 2022 were screened, and 120 of them were included in the synthesis. Then ESL academic writing from 11 Chinese international master students in Thailand was collected to do error analysis. Based on constructionism, a framework was developed to guide the instruction design. The findings of this study would contribute to the body of literature on the learning theory of constructionism and yield insightful implications for andragogy on ESL academic writing, which can hopefully benefit international students in higher education.