Description

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The idea of teaching writing through genres—rather than, say, through prescriptive forms, templates, and rhetorical modes—is intuitively appealing. Yet many teachers have questions, and they are absolutely right to ask them: What are genres? What is genre-based instruction? What do students write if they don’t write essays? Isn’t it easier to teach and learn five-paragraph essays? What’s the role of language in genre teaching? And many more. These are all excellent questions and ones that new and experienced teachers alike have also struggled with. This book sets out to tackle some of the most common questions that teachers, teacher educators, and administrators may have when moving toward a genre-based teaching approach.

About the Author

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Christine M. Tardy is Professor of English Applied Linguistics at the University of Arizona. 
Nigel A. Caplan is an Associate Professor at the University of Delaware English Language Institute. 
Ann M. Johns is Professor Emerita of Linguistics and Writing Studies at San Diego State University.

Praise For…

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"In short, I strongly believe that both seasoned and novice writing instructors, regardless of their previous familiarity with GBI theory, will consider this book a true gem due to its profound insights presented in the most accessible manner possible."
—System

— Wei Xu, University of Arizona

"This book offers reader-friendly, accessible answers to some of the most common questions writing teachers in higher education may have about genre and genre-based writing instruction. It does this without oversimplifying the complex nature of genre-based writing instruction. This book will be of use to educators at various stages of their career and with varying levels of familiarity with genre-based approaches. This is a book I know I will come back to regularly and will recommend to others often."
—Journal of Second Language Writing
— Angela Hakim, University of Arizona

"This volume offers a comprehensive and insightful exploration of the frequently asked questions and answers surrounding genre-based instruction (GBI). . . . Its comprehensive coverage, practical insights, and analysis of teaching materials make it an invaluable resource for educators seeking to implement effective genre-based instruction strategies."
—English for Specific Purposes
— Basim Alamri, English Language Institute, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia

"Genres are not set in stone; they always evolve to meet changing social needs. Genre Explained gives us the important insight that students are not just empowered by genre conventions; in fact, they can defy them to go beyond a prototypical representation of a genre and take actions appropriate for the 21st century."
— TESOL Quarterly, Sachiko Yasuda, Kobe University