Embedding Academic Literacies in Higher Education: A Qualitative Research Synthesis into Processes and Roles Within Embedding Initiatives

The increasing need for academic literacy provision in higher education has led to discussion around how discipline-specific language can be embedded into curricula. While the Academic Literacies approach is commonly referenced in these discussions, few frameworks have been proposed regarding processes and roles involved in embedding initiatives. This qualitative research synthesis unveils the processes and roles reported in recent embedding initiatives, revealing a trend of EAP staff’s starting in the middle of the teaching cycle and the common practice of academic literacy provision being based around assessments. This leads to issues within the embedding process, especially surrounding the identification of discipline-specific literacies, their embedding into curricula and their teaching alongside content. The impact of the failure to consider academic literacies at curriculum design stage is examined, before a more robust embedding model is proposed. The Identify, Design, Teach (IDT) model promotes the embedding of EAP staff into faculties as well as their involvement in curriculum and assessment design, leading to the successful identification of discipline-specific literacies and their embedding into subject curricula and assessment. The benefits of the IDT model include the constructive alignment between learning objectives, teaching materials and assessments as well as academic literacy provision that helps students to engage with subject content.