MARINDUQUE STATE COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

Boac, Marinduque

Marieneth L. Malubag MAEd – Language Teaching

EDL 222: ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP) Second Semester: A.Y. 2019-2020
Theory, Methods and Materials

Reading and Writing: An Existing EAP Course

Reflection No. 2 for Session 1

Knapp & Seidlhofer (2009) and Candlin & Mercer (2001) do have the same claim about

EAP that is an educational approach in ELT with a totally different approach from General

English courses. I have considered from their assertion that EAP greatly focuses on reading and

writing, while General English concentrates on speaking and listening. With that, we can simply

aver that EAP courses tend to teach formal-academic genres rather than conversational and

social genres. Based from the present curriculum in the Philippine’s educational system,

“Reading and Writing” subject is being used in preference to EAP course. It is very gladly to

know that there is an existing subject that is a complement for EAP to the Senior High students

to prepare them for their latter life. In this reflection paper, the status of the students (by

observation) in reading and writing will be shared—as well as the role of such EAP courses that

aims to improve and enhance the mentioned skills.

As we all know, college students have already accomplished pre-intermediate level of

English during their secondary life. It was, thereupon, worthwhile for the betterment of the

students’ four macro-skills in English to ensure their well-preparedness for their tertiary

education or vocational training and, soon, occupational life. In my observation then, the

speaking and listening skills

 MARINDUQUE STATE COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Boac, Marinduque

of most of the college students today are of acceptable level because of their persistent exposure

to media which are widely engaged in the English language. Moreover, most students are

familiar with the English slangs because of the American movies or any kind of recording

moving images where they can hear or watch those—then stimulation happens. Also, some

students have been taught conversational English in the early years of their lives. However, the

biggest obstacle that the students encounter is their writing skills. What the students (and, also,

teachers) hugely aim for in writing skills are the correct grammar and structured sentences. On

the other hand, most students started practicing their reading skills since their very first

educational level. Hence, reading is easily done for most. The only problem that commonly

arises among the students today is their reading comprehension. As a strong reference, Filipino

students ranked last in a global survey of reading comprehension conducted by the Program for

International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development (OECD). These two skills—writing and reading skills—are the most common

talked problem in a MAEd-Language Teaching classroom which the teachers have observed and

found among their students.

Well, EAP course such as ‘Reading and Writing’ subject was then designed to help the

students overcome those kinds of problems in the mentioned skills and to achieve those skills’

main goals, too. Enriching writing skills together with mastering the styles of every writing

types, understanding these styles and making sense of how the system works are essential

features of such EAP course that will enable the students to succeed in their soon academic

work. Furthermore, in regard to their reading skills, students are commonly instructed on how to

obtain information quickly from textbooks and other reading materials to fulfil the requirements
 MARINDUQUE STATE COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
Boac, Marinduque

of the course. Before the lecture begins, students are required to read on technical issues, thus the

ability to select and remember necessary information are essential for the survival and thriving of

these students. Students, as well, are also provided with other academic learning skills such as

presentation skills, essay writing skills, communication skills and note-taking skills.

All in all, we can conclude that reading and writing skills are really necessary to be

fully-enhanced thru an EAP course for the future careers of the students. (Thanks to the ‘Reading

and Writing’ subject.) Thus, it is worth mentioning that EAP is the pre-sessional pathway where

learning skills are provided to students to engage them into academic environment. As the

learning needs and the psychological features of this group of students, it is also the teachers’

responsibility to ensure that learners are well-prepared for their tertiary or vocational education

in terms of academic English performance.

References:

 Candlin, C., & Mercer, N. (2001). English language teaching in its social context: a

reader. New York: Routledge

 Knapp, K., & Seidlhofer, B. (2009). Handbook of foreign language communication and

learning. Berlin: Walterde Gruyter.

Date Submitted: April 16, 2020