Essay Writing Skills in German and English as a Second or Further Language: A Practical Guide

Written language proficiency represents a fundamental component of a language degree, complementing the other three key skills, speaking, listening, and writing. In British universities, essay writing constitutes a core academic requirement and an integral component of language education and many other subjects. The development of essay writing skills in any language cultivates a range of transferable competencies, including the capacity to communicate with clarity, precision and conciseness. Furthermore, it fosters the ability to think critically, to structure and articulate complex ideas, and to manage time effectively. Our own experience and observations also indicate that essay writing techniques and methodological approaches students acquire in their foreign language classes have an additional positive impact on their performance in culture-related modules, which are typically assessed through essays in their first language.

This study guide is the result of a sustained collaboration between the two co-authors, a partnership that commenced in 2022 during Dr Yuliia Lysanets’ fellowship at the University of Warwick. What initially began as an academic connection evolved into a dynamic scholarly cooperation, marked by the co-authorship of several research articles and conference presentations. This ongoing intellectual partnership ultimately led to the development of the present guide.