Description
This presentation explores a two-phase pedagogical intervention that bridges Academic Reading Circles (ARC) and what we have termed Academic Writing Circles (AWC) in a UK foundation EAP programme. Designed to support multilingual learners in navigating academic literacy, the approach moves beyond a pedagogy of belonging, which can imply assimilation into a dominant culture, toward a pedagogy of mattering, where learners feel seen, valued, and impactful within their academic communities (Seary et al., 2024).In the first half of the semester, learners engage with academic texts through structured ARC roles (e.g. Summariser, Connector, Critic/Analyser), fostering critical reading and peer dialogue. These roles are revisited in the second half of the semester through Academic Writing Circles, where students use the same framework to give and receive feedback on their own writing.
The familiarity of the structure provides an inclusive scaffold for peer interaction, while the evolving roles reflect students’ shifting academic identities. Framing the classroom as a dialogic and collaborative space positions learners as knowledge co-creators. Drawing on academic literacies theory (Wingate, 2015) and the concept of mattering (Gravett et al., 2024), this session shares practitioner reflections and practical guidance to illustrate how role-based circles cultivate community, agency, and recognition in meaningful ways.
Participants will leave with practical strategies for fostering mattering through
structured, student-centred interaction in EAP contexts.
| Period | 15 Nov 2025 |
|---|---|
| Held at | British Association of Lecturers in English for Academic Purposes, United Kingdom |
| Degree of Recognition | National |