An Information Structure-Focused Approach to Teaching L2 Learners Reading and Writing Skills

This chapter discusses the embedded theories and practicalities of a cognitive meta-linguistic information structure-focused approach to the teaching of reading and writing skills to Vietnamese students. These students are university non-English major learners at the CEFR B1 level and above who take English as a medium of instruction (EMI) courses. Specifically, this approach involves knowledge of English information structure in conjunction with the differences in English and Vietnamese information structures being explicitly given to the learners on the assumption that such knowledge can help them overcome their reading and writing problems. Previous studies have shown that such knowledge is related to meta-knowledge of information structure and has an impact on the development of their reading and writing skills. The approach is thus most applicable in EFL contexts where learners do not have sufficient opportunities to acquire initial procedural knowledge in a naturalistic way. The study identifies three issues as requiring attention in terms of its application in language teaching. Discussions concerning these three issues provide theoretical foundations for the lessons designed to enhance learners’ understanding of English information structure and are therefore intended for pedagogical purposes. Also expounded in the chapter are the specifications of the approach including its theoretical models, teaching principles, targeted knowledge and skills, classroom tasks and activities. The feasibility and fitness of this approach for Vietnamese tertiary education students are proposed based on an empirical study involving the adoption of this approach in a Vietnamese university.