Monday, February 17, 2020

English for vocational purposes: Language use in trades education - book overview

This book, written by Coxhead, A., Parkinson, J., Mackay, J., and McLaughlin, E. and published by Routledge in 2019, is the academic output from the Language of the Trades project funded by Ako Aotearoa as a National project.

The Ako Aotearoa project report provides the 'nuts and bolts' descriptions along with the various outputs, including word lists and guides for trades teaching practice.

The book, along with several articles, are the academic outputs, providing deeper details of the scholarly underpinnings and findings from the project. As there is very little literature on the topic of literacy pertinent to the learning of trades work, the work is of great importance. Of note, is the project's work in identifying 'key words' or most commonly used words in a range of trades - building/carpentry, automotive engineering and engineering (fabrication and tool-making). The corpus of vocabulary is also extended into Pacific languages exampled by Tongan.

First chapter summarise the rationale for undertaking the project. The rationale include the importance of understanding the complexities of the specific language, used in the trades and the specialised terms prevalent in trades work but not often recognised as being difficult to learn.

Chapter 2 provide an overview of the project as per the Ako Aotearoa report. 

Chapter 3 uses a case study of automotive technology classroom practice and the ways tutors in NZ engage students in the trades language discourse. In short, a summary of situated learning as undertaken in workshop based learning across Aotearoa. 

In the fourth chapter, the builders diary is used as the data to better understand the writing requirements of trades learners.The builders diary is often used in NZ to track the learning of carpentry students and includes diagrams and 'reflective learning' collected as work-based learning progresses through apprenticeship.

Chapter 5 surveys the visual literacies requires in trades learning. How diagrams are prevalent in trades text – manuals, brochures, textbooks – and how visual literacies are taught and learnt. The spatial awareness required to match 2D diagrams to 3D objects is important in many trades. This is an area for extensive follow up and study.

The sixth chapter discusses the technical vocabulary of trades work. The specialised terms and the learning of these, provide opportunities for learners to become part of the trades community. Learning a trade is therefore not only learning the skills and knowledge but also learning to 'be' through learning and adopting ways of speaking and communicating which include the ability to use trades language in context.

Chapter 7 explores the listening and speaking skills required in trades work. Communicating whilst engaged in trades work is again, a vocationally/occupationally specific form of language use. Not only listening and speaking, but understanding the underlying body language and 'response' are learning requirements.

The eight chapter looks into reading in trades – what is required, how this is being taught within the situated learning context of trades classrooms and how this can be improved.

Chapter 9 draws the threads together to recommend how to apply the learning from the project into actual trades teaching and learning.

The last chapter draws the book to a conclusion with reflections, implications and proposes directions for future research.


All in, a worthwhile read covering a neglected aspect of literacy research. The research team has many possible follow up and extension projects. All to add to a better understanding of 'learning a trade' as more than just learning how to do, but to also learnig bow to become and be tradespersons.

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