Exploring Consciousness-Raising of a Genre-Based Pedagogy through Virtual Reality for Academic Writing Development in Iranian EFL Context

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

2 Ph.D. Candidate in Applied Linguistics, Department of English Language and Literature, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

This study innovatively reports on the use of a genre teaching course through virtual reality (VR) to enhance the writing proficiency of six Iranian EFL writers. The teaching and learning process was carried out in a cycle included setting the context, modeling, joint construction, independent construction, and comparing the texts. Notably, at the second stage of the cycle, virtual reality was capitalized for the deconstruction of the culture-bound conventions of the genre of information report as the focus of the study. Data were collected through learners’ pre-test and post-test writing samples, semi-structured interviews, and experts’ feedback. A genre analysis framework of the Sydney genre school was applied to examine the macro-level features, while micro-level analysis focused on lexical density and nominalization using principles from systemic functional linguistics (SFL). Findings reveal that VR-enhanced genre pedagogy significantly raised learners’ awareness of macro-structural and micro-linguistic features, yielding more coherent and informationally dense texts. The study demonstrates VR’s potential as a consciousness-raising tool in genre-based EAP instruction, offering practical implications for curriculum designers and educators seeking to integrate technologically enriched, culturally informed writing pedagogy.

Keywords

Applied Linguistics Inquiry
Volume 4, Issue 1
March 2026
Pages 72-87

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History

  • Receive Date: 29 January 2025
  • Revise Date: 15 August 2025
  • Accept Date: 16 September 2025

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