Nkateng, Unity (2013) An investigation into written genres used by professional social workers and taught to social work students in Botswana. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

Professional communication is growing in the field of applied linguistics. A lot of
research has been done on business communication in different work places.
However there is not much done on Social work professional communication in
Botswana.
This study analysed the types of texts produced by social workers in their
professional setting, in order to find out whether there is a relationship between the
writing done by professional social workers and the writing taught to social workers
by the Communication and Study Skills department at the University of Botswana.
The research method for this study combines two major research tools in qualitative
inquiry which are text analysis and interviews. A range of documents were collected
from social workers, these included informal documents, hand written during
interviews with clients, to more formal reports that were addressed to relevant
officers in the position of making decisions recommended in the reports. The
documents were analysed using a new rhetoric approach to genre. I used a
combination of text analysis and interviews in order to investigate the contexts in
which the texts were produced.
Academic texts produced by students during their fieldwork placement were also
explored. The texts that the students write are long and unlike the reports produced
by professionals, which focuses on the client’s story, they describe what the students
have done and achieved. The significance is that; this discrepancy raises questions
about the extent to which students are being prepared for professional writing.
Students have indicated that their academic writing varies according to the preferences of individual lecturers rather than the requirements of the work situation
and that after internship they are never given feedback about their performance and
they also need additional training before they engage in fieldwork. I found that both
formal and informal documents are written following a set format which reflects the
precise institutional function of the text, but experienced social workers can
manoeuvre the format creatively to communicate effectively about their clients. I
have also found that professional genre has 9 moves while the students had 6 moves.
This study aims to improve knowledge of writing of professional social workers and
the writing of social work students on fieldwork placements in Botswana which
might also be applicable to other settings. It will also provide a detailed discussion of
effective pedagogies that will help social work students develop more of the
competencies that are recognised in the workplace.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Social work education -- Botswana, Communication in social work -- Botswana, Social case work reporting -- Botswana
Official Date:	November 2013
Dates:	Date Event November 2013 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Applied Linguistics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Wharton, Sue; Ushioda, Ema
Sponsors:	University of Botswana
Extent:	xiv, 353 leaves.
Language:	eng

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