Dr. Ahmed Kadhum Fahad
Thi-Qar University, Iraq
This presentation examines the dynamics of second language academic writing for Iraqi students using English in their studies. It considers the platform of transnational and translanguage learning/teaching, as represented in the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Iraqi graduate students often lack curricular opportunities to develop second language writing competencies in their areas of academic interest. Iraqi students lack opportunities to employ their English language skills in their graduate programs. The presenter emphasizes the importance of effective and meaningful exposure to content-focused English academic text through MOOCs. Iraqi graduate students’ confidence in their academic writing may be affected by their exposure to the academic language used in MOOCs. Using Bandura and Vygotsky’s sociocultural theories as the basis of learning through a social process, this study illustrates how MOOCs can help international students navigate through language challenges/barriers and gain confidence in their content knowledge and writing skills. This helps students succeed in their writing which they mostly needed to write their theses and to publish papers. Studies have shown that international students develop positive identity and experience higher self-efficacy when communicating with experts and English speaking professors and students through online modes. Drawing on sociocultural and self-efficacy theories, this study investigates the dynamics of such academic discourse and how it can positively shape non-native English-speaking students’ identities and enhance their self-efficacy and improve their academic writing.
The above abstract is a part of the article which was accepted at The Second International Conference on Current Issues of Languages, Dialects and Linguistics (WWW.TLLL.IR), 1-2 February 2018, Ahwaz.
