Genre-related episodes: A tutorial for L2 writing teachers

Abstract

Within second language writing studies, genre scholars continue to advance theoretical frameworks, research methods, and recommendations for the teaching of both genre-specific knowledge and broader awareness of genres. One recent advancement in genre research methods is that of genre-related episodes (GREs), an analytical tool which can be used to observe students’ emerging genre knowledge through the analysis of students’ dialogue and negotiation around a target genre. The uses of GREs for research purposes have been discussed in a few recent publications, but GREs can also be employed to inform genre-based writing instruction. This methods tutorial aims to provide guidance, a discussion of important considerations, and an example of how GREs can be applied to teaching. This tutorial will be useful for second language writing practitioners, in particular, and may be of interest to genre researchers interested in the teaching-research nexus; it may also be of interest to genre scholars, writing researchers, and more generally to applied linguistics researchers interested in classroom-based research and action research.