ABSTRACT
This chapter reflects on a pedagogical intervention introducing reflective writing to consolidate and improve performance of academic presentations. In an English for Academic Purposes course for first-year international science students at a Canadian university, presentations formed the focus for a semester, with content presented in three different formats. Using the dimension of Specialization from Legitimation Code Theory, this chapter reveals how, when students underprepared or under-participated before their first presentation, reflective self-assessments were introduced. Specifically, the 4-K model from Specialization is used to tease apart, in both pedagogy and student responses, emphases on content and skills associated with presentations, and emphases on confidence and interaction related to performance. By asking students to reflect on their preparation and participation for their first two presentations, the knowledge and practices of the course were consolidated and related to their achievement in performance.
