Discourse relations, semantic relations and English in academic settings

Abstract

This paper describes the use of the notions of discourse elements, discourse relations and semantic relations in the teaching of English in academic settings. The paper provides an overview of these notions as well as makes suggestions for how they might be drawn on in the teaching of English for academic purposes. Working with these notions can help students create the kinds of texts they need to be able to produce in their courses of study as well as give them strategies they can draw on for reading and writing texts in their future academic and professional lives.