ESL Student Identity and the Multigenre Research Project

Abstract

This article proposes to incorporate Freirean philosophy with a technique used in academic (monolingual) English courses: the multigenre research paper. When applying this technique in the ESL classroom, it is crucial to also use global and international texts of various genres in order to support students’ cultural identities and also instill a sense of social justice. The theoretical framework is based upon Freire’s ideas, with an overview of how the theory is implemented using the multigenre research project format in an advanced-level ESL Reading class. Results indicated that this method syncs with theory and that this format motivated students to read widely, validated their sense of self, and encouraged both independent and collaborative work in and out of class.