Training professional researchers in Romanian higher education – development opportunities for trainers and students alike

Abstract Summary

Abstract :

The development of English for Research Publication Purposes as a well-established type of ESP (Flowerdew, 2015) has generated the demand for programmes which prepare multilingual scholars to perform at internationally accepted standards in their fields of research (Corcoran, Englander & Muresan, 2019). Such programmes need to address a wide range of aspects deriving from the main challenges encountered by researchers. In what is potentially a complex curriculum, the development of research communication abilities in English often involves training in specific research genres, academic discourse and rhetoric as well as language accuracy. Such a task entails new responsibilities for English teaching professionals while it is equally a challenge and an opportunity for professional development. Building on the experience of training professional researchers within the framework of an academic development MA programme at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, this study explores the experience of ESP professionals to become ERPP trainers by interacting with fellow academics of different specialisations. The methodological approach opted for in this study involves the collection and analysis of narrative data triangulated with field notes. We have designed a guided-narrative instrument (a selective indication of professional development aspects to be addressed by the respondents in their written narratives) to facilitate the English language trainers' in-depth reflections on their learning experiences and the sharing of their views on challenges and benefits involved. By helping us identify specific strengths and limitations of narrative studies for revealing situated practices, the findings can inform both research design and the development of suitable pedagogical approaches in an ERPP context.







References[quotrightB?]¨







Corcoran, J., K. Englander, & L.-M. Muresan (Eds.) (2019). Pedagogies and Policies for Publishing Research in English. Local Initiatives Supporting International Scholars. London: Routledge.







Flowerdew, J. (2015). Some thoughts on English for Research Publication Purposes (ERPP) and related issues. Language Teaching, 48(2), 250-262.

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