Arab Educational Information Network

The development of L2, English as a second language, writing instruction can be seen as a succession of major approaches that have occurred in more or less historical progression all of which are proposed in English as the first language L1 theory and practice. Based on the relevant existing literature, three approaches are still dominant and influential. They are: product approaches, process approaches, and genre approaches. The current writing instruction to teach EFL writing at the Arab tertiary level is characteristically inspired by product approaches. Such approaches have come under serious scrutiny for a number of reasons. The purpose of this paper is to propose the introduction of an integrated process-genre approach as an alternative one in this context. To achieve this end, the paper demonstrates a critical review of the theoretical and pedagogical drawbacks and strengths of each of the three approaches. Such review has become significant and relevant for two reasons: First, it helps derive what counted as the best merits of the two approaches to be amalgamated in the proposed approach. Second, it hopefully offers writing researchers and teachers’ insights into the major themes that have historically developed in the field of writing theory and practice and the issues that are still unresolved. Rationales for the choice of a process-genre approach are introduced. The paper concludes with a summary. (Published abstract)