REFINING INTERPERSONAL STANCE IN ELLS ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS WITH R2L METHODOLOGY

Abstract

Researchers (Ilyas et al., 2015) have found out that PELLs face the problem of integrating perception and lexico-grammar to build an authoritative stance on a given issue. In addition, the ways proficient writers construct interpersonal meanings by evaluating evidence and persuading the reader are not made explicit
to students. This paper examines the Reading to Learn (R2L) approach to build a persuasive, authoritative stance on undergraduate Pakistani English language learners’ (PELLs) argumentative writings. It has with two-group pre and posttest design on a sample of 36 students in each group. Then, it
evaluates R2L efficacy by comparing linguistic analysis of the interpersonal stance in pre and posttest argumentative essays of PELLs. The linguistic analysis used Appraisal theory based on systemic functional grammar. The Pretest revealed that PELLs constructed a stance with inappropriate Appraisal
System subsystems. They ignored dialogic control to establish reader alignment for an authoritative stance. After a four-month intervention, the posttest analysis showed that the experimental group's performance had significantly improved. This experimentation provides a concrete academic assessment
of R2L genre pedagogy in the Pakistani context. It could help teachers to teach stance-taking in their argumentative writings.