Approaches to simplifying academic texts in English

English teachers’ views and practices

Bibliographic Data

ID21580230
AuthorsIrina Rets (0000-0001-8832-0962, The Open University, corresponding author), Lluïsa Astruc (The Open University), Tim Coughlan (0000-0002-0891-5438, The Open University), Ursula Stickler (0000-0002-8754-7134, The Open University)
Year2022
Volume68
Pages31-46
Publication date2022-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEnglish for Specific Purposes (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0889-4906 • E-ISSN: 1873-1937
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.esp.2022.06.001
OpenAlexW4283388914
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited34

Reading academic and specialised texts in a foreign language is a difficult process, and support for making materials more linguistically accessible is scarce. Approaches used in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching could inform responses to this, as in EFL academic texts are routinely simplified to make them more comprehensible. However, there is a lack of research on the most used method of making texts more accessible – intuitive text simplification. In this study, 24 experienced EFL teachers with Spanish, Chinese and Russian language backgrounds were asked to simplify two academic texts in an online task and then to explain their rationale for each change in a follow-up stimulated recall interview. The study showed that despite the reliance on subjective approximations of comprehensibility in intuitive simplification, there is a shared understanding among teachers as to what constitutes a more accessible academic text in English. The study creates a clearer conceptualisation of the processes involved in intuitive text simplification and suggests a set of pedagogical guidelines that can be used in language teacher training for both general and specific English teaching purposes, as well as in training and support of English-medium instruction (EMI) teachers

English as a foreign language · English for academic purposes · Foreign language · Linguistics · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Recall · Computer Science · Psychology · Second Language Acquisition and Learning · Text Readability and Simplification

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access