New CAECE dictionary of academic terms

Academic writing

In order to introduce the New CAECE dictionary of academic terms, it is relevant to define what academic writing is. Academic writing may be defined as a skill that requires specific formal elements regarding style, register, and genre and also includes the use of provoking views, discussions and responses on the part of the reader and writer. According to Pintos and Crimi (2010), academic writing “challenges students’ cognitive capacities” (p.9), therefore, learners should be able to construct knowledge through the exploration of new insights through writing in academic contexts.
For instance, Silva (1990) states that “academic writing should aim at helping to socialize the students into the academic context” (as cited in Pintos & Crimi, p.11). As a consequence, students should become familiar with the format of academic texts, such as, book reports, outlines, summaries or journals among others.
Furthermore, academic writing has specific characteristics stated by Mac Donald (1994, as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010), which delimit its context and requirements, they are:
- Academic register
- Formal style
- Proficiency in language
- Ability to integrate information from other sources
- Ability to integrate types of academic genres
Morra de la Peña (1995) argues that teachers should make students aware of the different characteristics, and types of expository texts to diminish failure and the negative consequences of lack of knowledge and practice in writing academic texts (as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010)


Given the definition and main characteristics of academic writing, it can be concluded that writing academically is a skill which requires the use of a specific formal style, register and genres. Thus, in order to become part of the academic community, it is of prime importance for learners to be able to build their knowledge based on the implementation of specific academic writing conventions.


References

Pintos, V., & Crimi, Y. (2010). Unit 3: Academic writing. Retrieved September 2010, from
http://caece.campusuniversidad.com.ar/mod/resource/view.php?id=7392


Advanced literacy and professional development

To understand the role of advanced literacy in professional development, the following section of the New CAECE dictionary of academic terms aims to provide an understanding of what advanced literacy is in academic contexts. The term advanced literacy can be defined as the acquired ability to read and write in academic settings. As a consequence, advanced literacy is a useful tool that may help students and professionals to develop formal skills necessary to interact academically. As posed by Schleppegrell and Colombi (2002), advanced literacy is the process of creating and exploring meaning, thus, critical thinking skills play a major role in the development of advanced literacy (as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010).

The term advanced literacy has come to be applied in academic contexts where the formal instruction of English is provided. For instance, the term advanced literacy may be found in Schleppegrell and Colombi (2002), who state that teachers should “enable [students] to contribute to the evolution of knowledge by …. challenging current practices and developing new ways of using language in advanced literacy contexts”(as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2010, p.35).

With reference to the current use of the term, it is used in academic settings to address to the requirements that students and professionals have to fulfill in order to be able to have access to contexts where academic writings are constructed. Formal requirements as well as internal thinking processes are concepts that are closely attached to the term advanced literacy. As argued by Pintos and Crimi (2010), “in order to develop advanced literacy, students should go beyond the basics; they should construct arguments and critique theories.”(p.35)


This brief overview of the term advanced literacy, shows that in order to take part in academic settings, participants should be able to acquire knowledge of formal requirements, and be able to interpret, construct and reconstruct meaning. Schleppegrell and Colombi (2002, as cited in Pintos & Crimi 2010), maintain that participants need to go beyond their current level of expertise to have “…..access, power and opportunity in today’s world”, particularly in academic contexts.


References

Pintos, V., & Crimi, Y. (2010). Unit 1: Building up a community of teachers and prospective teachers. Retrieved August 2010, from
http://caece.campusuniversidad.com.ar/mod/resource/view.php?id=7214