scholarly journals English language support: A dialogical multi-literacies approach to teaching students from CALD backgrounds

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Berniz ◽  
Andrew Miller
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Landscape ◽  
English Language ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Language Support ◽  
The University ◽  
University Settings

Abstract Students in Western university contexts require multiple literacies, numeracies, and critical capacities to succeed. Participation requires a blend of English language capacity, cultural knowhow, and cognisance of the often-hidden racialized assumptions and dispositions underpinning literate performance. Students from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds transitioning to Western university settings from local and international contexts often find themselves floundering in this complex sociocultural web. Many students struggle with the English language preferences of their institutions despite meeting International English Language Testing System (IELTS) requirements. Once enrolled, students from CALD backgrounds need to navigate the linguistic, semiotic, and cultural landscape of the university, both physically and virtually, to enter the discourses and practices of their chosen disciplines. Universities cannot afford to allow students to ‘sink or swim’ or struggle through with non-specialist or ad-hoc support. In response to a clear need for explicit and ongoing English language support for students from CALD backgrounds, the Student Learning Centre (SLC) at Flinders University in South Australia created the English Language Support Program (ELSP). The ELSP sets out to overcome prescriptive and assimilationist approaches to language support by adopting an eclectic blend of learner-centred, critical-creative, and multi-literacies approaches to learning and teaching. Rather than concentrate on skills and/or language appropriateness, the ELSP broadens its reach by unpacking the mechanics and machinations of university study through an intensive—and transgressive—multi-module program. This paper outlines the theoretical and pedagogical challenges of implementing the ELSP.

scholarly journals Developing intercultural learning capabilities

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-145
Author(s):  
Fiona O’Neill ◽  
Jonathan Crichton ◽  
Angela Scarino
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Intercultural Learning ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Learning Capabilities ◽  
Teaching Unit ◽  
The University

Abstract This paper reports on a semester-long study that explored the experience of a group of local and international students from multiple disciplines, and their teachers, in a core Intercultural Communication undergraduate course of 550 students in which there is an orientation to learning, teaching and assessment that seeks to develop students’ intercultural learning capabilities. To capture the experience of learning, teaching and assessment in a highly diverse Australian university, data were collected over the life cycle of the course. The research design was ethnographic and collaborative, involving the research team, members of the teaching staff, and members of the university’s learning and teaching unit. The data include interviews with students and teachers, students’ written assessments, and observations of weekly teaching staff meetings. The overarching finding of the study is that, to enable students to develop their intercultural learning capabilities, there is a need to rethink notions of experience and engagement, specifically to attend to the central role of language/s and culture/s in all students’ experience of learning, teaching, and assessment. Analysed examples from the data are used to illustrate four specific guiding principles underpinning this (re)orientation to learning. The study was one of two case studies funded by the University of South Australia as part of a larger project: Developing English Language and Intercultural Learning Capabilities.1

scholarly journals Learners’ Attitudes toward Foreign Language Practice on Social Network Sites

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 145
Author(s):  
Jhonny Villafuerte ◽  
Asier Romero
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Social Network Sites ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Everyday Activities ◽  
Comprehension Skills ◽  
The University

This work aims to study learners’ attitudes towards practicing English Language on Social Networks Sites (SNS). The sample involved 110 students from the University Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabi in Ecuador, and the University of the Basque Country in Spain. The instrument applied was a Likert scale questionnaire designed Ad hoc by the researchers, to assess the dimensions: (i) Integration of SNS into learners’ academic everyday activities, and (ii) Learners’ attitudes towards English Language practices on SNS. All the data was analyzed using SPSS V24.00 of IBM. The findings showed corelationships between learners’ attitudes and the factors: learners’ sex, age, and country. The results also confirmed that both Spanish and Ecuadorian university students prefer YouTube, and Google+ for their easy access, and flexibility to strengthen listening, reading and comprehension skills in English. In addition, Facebook, and Whats App can be used to motivate reading, writing, and speaking practices in English.

Language Problems of First Year Science Students

2011 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Felicia Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
International Student ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
First Year ◽  
Student Body ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
University Of Technology ◽  
Language Needs ◽  
The University

The chapter discusses the background of a project which aimed at addressing the language needs of a diverse student body (both domestic and international student body) by embedding strategic approaches to learning and teaching in first year sciences in tertiary education. These strategies consisted of active learning skills which are widely used in language learning. The disciplines covered by the project were Biology, Chemistry and Physics and involved the University of Canberra, University of Sydney, University of Tasmania, University of Technology, Sydney, and University of Newcastle in Australia. This project was funded by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC).

scholarly journals Perspectives on the Strategies for Teaching and Learning English as a Second Language at the University of Juba, South Sudan

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-225
Author(s):  
Majok Mabor Matoc Apadier
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The North ◽  
Government Education ◽  
English Speaking World ◽  
The University

In line with South Sudan’s vision of a self- governing community, much hope was invested in the English speaking world thereby making a shift from Arabisation from the North. As a result, the English language was adopted a marker of identity and opposition to Arabic, language of government, education as well as international communication. As part of South Sudan’s look south policy, English was made to be a second language as opposed to a foreign language. In tandem with this country’s vision the University of Juba is not spared from the adoption of English as the language of instruction and a learning subject.  Due to the democratisation of schooling and education for all, enrolment in the learning of English is increasing and resultantly large classes are emerging.  In view of this, the paper therefore examines and provides preliminary results on the nature and feasibility of some teaching and learning of English in large classes at the University of Juba. This was done in light of the principles and concepts of Richards and Rodgers’ (2001) Communicative Language Teaching approach. It emerges from the findings that in the absence of a teaching framework there is no uniformity on the strategies that being adopted by both learners and teachers in the learning and teaching of English as a second language.

scholarly journals Analysing the Situation of ESL Teaching and Learning in Large University Classes in Pakistan

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Abdul Hameed Panhwar ◽  
Shah Nawaz Barich ◽  
Syed Khuram Shahzad
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Esl Teachers ◽  
Large Classes ◽  
Language Support ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
Large Size ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The University

The present study is based on a chapter of the PhD project conducted by the main researcher. It aims to explore the ESL teaching and learning practices in a Pakistani university by focusing on difficulties perceived and confronted by learners and teachers, and solutions suggested by them. One of the most significant issues at the university is large classes-exceeding to 100 and more students on average. The main researcher, being an ESL teacher at the target university, faced the same problem of large size and found it difficult to teach these classes. He embarked on analysing the situation so that he might come across some solutions through the suggestions and experiences of the ESL teachers and students of the same university. The design of the study is descriptive and the results of the present study come from the quantitative data collected through student and teacher questionnaires. The Student-participants were 300 undergraduate students from various major subjects attending English language support classes and 22 ESL teachers teaching these English language support classes at different institutes of the university. The data were analysed descriptively and presented with help of the boxplots. The views, commonly held by teachers are supported by the study’s findings i.e., large classes are likely to endorse teacher-centred approaches of teaching; very little significant student-student and teacher-student interaction is practised because of the inadequate physical environment; majority of learners remain off-task and appear to be unruly and they are given little, if any, feedback on their in-class and home tasks. Conversely, many teachers and learners reported that the adoption of group/pair work is likely to be an effective technique to use in these classes. Albeit a few teachers revealed having adopted group work infrequently, none used it all the time.

Thai University Academics’ Challenges of Writing for Publication in English

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 681 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sureepong Phothongsunan
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Research Support ◽  
Writing For Publication ◽  
International Reputation ◽  
Emerging Themes ◽  
University Lecturers ◽  
The University ◽  
University Settings ◽  
Thai University

This study examines challenges faced by Thai university lecturers with regards to publishing their academic works in English. 18 academics from two university settings in Thailand were involved in this investigation. The interviews were used to understand the lecturers’ perceptions of the issues in writing for scholarly publication in the English language. Particularly, the aim of the research sought to discover what hindrances Thai university academics experienced and how they handled them. In addition, their needs for successful publishing were explored. The findings revealed three salient emerging themes, including (1) the need for publication in English; (2) difficulties in writing in English; and (3) the need for strenuous research support. The study suggests that university lecturers need more encouragement and support to publishing their academic works as a means of securing professional development, enhancing research culture and maintaining and increasing the national and international reputation of the university along with quality assurance.

Getting Personal

2014 ◽  
pp. 87-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna M. Velliaris ◽  
Craig R. Willis
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Professional Identity ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Teaching Profession ◽  
Teaching Improvement ◽  
Self Reflection ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Collaborative Action ◽  
The University ◽  
Objective Being

For educators, understanding what draws an individual to the teaching profession and, arguably more importantly, what keeps them there, involves recognition of how one's professional identity is located in the classroom. This chapter presents the findings of a pilot study focused on qualitative data stemming from an autoethnographic approach in which one author's own narrative of ‘professional identity' is presented alongside several teaching colleagues at the Eynesbury Institute of Business and Technology (EIBT) in South Australia. EIBT offers full fee-paying pre-university pathways for predominantly international students entering one of two partner universities; The University of Adelaide or The University of South Australia. The multiplicity of social, cultural, and educational factors that have influenced the professional identity of these higher education lecturers are shared with the main objective being self-reflection and collaborative action for learning and teaching improvement.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Online Mode of Teaching of English Language Courses in Tertiary Level Educational Sectors in Bangladesh

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadia Afrin Shorna ◽  
Iffat Jahan Suchona
Keyword(s):  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Educational Systems ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Online Mode ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Language Courses ◽  
The University

The aftermath of COVID-19 has affected the lives of Bangladeshi people and impacted dramatically on the educational systems. Due to the pandemic situation, the Bangladeshi tertiary education sector had to switch to an online learning and teaching model from the traditional ones. This paper aims to identify the obstacles encountered by the university teachers in online teaching during the pandemic in Bangladesh. An exploratory qualitative research methodology has been used in this paper. The study was conducted among the teachers working in several universities of Bangladesh. Open-ended questions and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted among 13 male and 17 female educators to collect data regarding the problems faced by them. The findings revealed four different categories of impediments that the teachers faced during the online mode of teaching and learning. The study results can be helpful to the regulatory authorities and employers of higher education institutions who are planning to adopt online teaching as a regular activity in the future.

scholarly journals Internationalisation in Higher Education and English as a teaching and learning tool: what are the implications in all Brazilian Education?

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. e4779108672
Author(s):  
Adriana Claudia Martins
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Medium Of Instruction ◽  
Global Knowledge ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
Language Knowledge ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The University

It is evident that there is no language better than other, however English seems to be necessary if people want to dialogue and take part in the global knowledge and civilization. This article has the aim to discuss about having English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in Higher Education, when there are implications about learning and teaching English in all Brazilian Education. For this, the methodology of this study is qualitative, considering publications in this thematic and focusing on debate considering two subtitles: Higher Education teaching in English as Medium of Instruction (EMI) - learnings and challenges; and, when the university internationalisation is affected by implications in all Brazilian Education. In this way, the debate has to be set up in all levels of Brazilian education because the English language knowledge taught at Brazilian Basic Education does not fit to the students’ needs when they are going to Brazilian universities to have disciplines mediated through English. It is necessary to study, in future investigations, if people from Brazilian institutions are really assuming the internationalisation and if this situation brings more quality and learning possibilities to all Brazilian education.

Content design of foreign language academic programmes for students at the musical universities

2019 ◽  
pp. 58-68
Author(s):  
Artur Maksaev
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Academic Program ◽  
Professional Communication ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Learning And Teaching ◽  
The Social ◽  
Vocal Art ◽  
The University ◽  
Content Design

Foreign language teaching to students of non-linguistic programmes, including musical institutions of higher education, is aimed at the development of foreign language communicative competence in the social, social and cultural communication spheres, as well as internal specialization. The content of the discipline “Foreign Language for Professional Communication” should reflect the specifics of the future professional activity of graduates of a particular programs and a specialty, and, thus, is aimed at forming a number of general cultural professional and professional competencies. The curricula analysis of a foreign language in musical universities indicates that in practice there is one single academic program in a foreign language for students, regardless of the programme. In practice, this ignores the internal specialization of the discipline “Foreign Language for Professional Communication”. We examine and develop: a) the main approaches to learning a foreign language for professional communication at the university (“Foreign Language for Special Purposes”, “Content and language integrated learning” and “Teaching specialized dis-ciplines in a foreign language”); b) analysis of studies on the selection of the subject content of curricula in a foreign language for professional communication; c) the author’s content of the dis-cipline “Foreign Language for Professional Communication” for students of the three programmes of a musical university: 53.03.02 – “Musical and instrumental art”, 53.03.03 – “Vocal art” and 53.03.04 – “The art of folk singing”.

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