PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING ACADEMIC WRITING: THE EXPERIENCE OF A FACULTY READING GROUP

Abstract

Professional development in academic writing in English can be challenging for university instructors in non-English speaking countries. These challenges may be caused by a lack of experts in the field to conduct professional development, budgeting issues, access to training, and motivating and meeting the needs of faculty who may already be overburdened by high teaching loads. In this article, the authors describe conducting a year-long reading group focused on professional development in the teaching of academic writing. The goal of the group was to advance participants’ understanding of how to teach academic writing. To achieve the goal, the group was designed to increase awareness of writing pedagogy theories, construct a clearer understanding of the concept of academic writing, and critically examine current practices in teaching academic writing within the context of higher education in Russia. The authors describe the design, facilitation, and outcomes of the group. They also consider the benefits and limitations of engaging in this form of professional development. Finally, they offer implications for continuous professional development for university language instructors in a collaborative environment.