Teaching Written Communication

Reflecting on the Institutional Frameworks of Three Colombian Universities

Abstract

The present article conducts an analysis of the way written communication is taught in three Colombian universities, with a view to ascertaining the extent to which the respective institutional objectives of these universities are being met. The article’s objectives are twofold: firstly, to examine the institutional frameworks that underpin writing instruction strategies, and secondly, to evaluate the coherence between these approaches and the practices implemented at each university. The methodology comprised a comparative study of institutional documents, curricular and extracurricular strategies, and an evaluation of interventions for the development of writing skills. The results indicate that each university adopts a differentiated approach that is consistent with its institutionally declared vision. The article is structured as follows: Firstly, a review of the institutional documents is conducted, with the aim of ascertaining the extent to which each university is committed to specific visions on academic writing. In the following section, the pedagogical actions and strategies employed by the three universities to train students in written communication are presented. These strategies are then examined to determine their degree of coherence with the respective institutional frameworks. The article concludes with the presentation of its findings.