Supporting Undergraduate Student Learning through Reflective Journal Writing in a Service-Learning Subject: An Interdisciplinary Collaborative Approach

Abstract

This chapter reports the findings from the preliminary evaluation of an English Across the Curriculum (EAC) initiative in a Hong Kong university to implement discipline-specific academic English language support materials in a service-learning subject adopting an interdisciplinary collaborative approach. Student survey results, focus group interviews with both students and content teachers, and written reflections by students are presented and analysed. Findings indicate that students and teachers generally acknowledge the value of this interdisciplinary collaboration to improve the learning experience and the quality of assignments. Challenges that the EAC team has encountered in the process of collaborating are also discussed. Compared with previous studies, this chapter attempts to contextualise the strategy for integrating the teaching of content for a service-learning subject with discipline-specific academic English writing skills to undergraduate students with English as a Second or Foreign language (ESL/EFL) in Hong Kong.