Transfer of knowledge from first-year-English writing classes to writing in the disciplines

Abstract

The present study aims at exploring the transfer of knowledge from first-year writing classes to writing in the disciplines. It examined the students’ performance in the writing class as well as in the other modules which require a written form; the main objective was to detect if students are applying the writing rules learnt during the writing class towards other modules, or not. Through a questionnaire administered to teachers (of different disciplines) at the Department of Letters and the English Language, University of Frères Mentouri. Constantine, plus our own examination of the 2nd year students’ exam papers in four modules namely: Written Expression, Linguistics, Literature and Culture, we intended first to check the teachers’ opinions about their students’ level in writing and how the transfer of the writing conventions through the disciplines is regarded in the Department of Letters and the English Language, University of Frères Mentouri. Constantine. Second, the study investigates to what extent students’ writings in different modules reflect the rules taught in the written expression classroom. The results of the present study show first, if students are aware of the close relationship which exists between writing and the other modules, and most importantly whether students transfer the writing conventions form one module to another when they are asked to write different assignments across different disciplines. Furthermore, the study tries to suggest some efficient methods to help both teachers and students to succeed in transferring knowledge across the disciplines.