scholarly journals QUESTIONING EAP: A CRITIQUE OF THE ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES COURSES AT UNIVERSITY

2021 ◽  
pp. 401
Author(s):  
Natalia Fedorova
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
First Language ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Academic Environment ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Language Requirement

Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) courses are meant to prepare international students for their undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in an English-speaking academic environment. Prospective university candidates for whom English is not the first language are required to complete a pre-sessional EAP course if their IELTS score is lower than the admissions requirements. Even though, in terms of the language requirement, the lack of language proficiency is the only reason preventing international students from entering their degree programmes directly, the course they are required to take is an EAP course rather than a General English one, hence, not directly addressing their lack of general language proficiency. In this essay I question the need to impose such a course on international students: is EAP in its current shape necessary for their success at university or is it merely a product of neoliberalism in higher education?

scholarly journals Targeting Language Support for Non-Native English-Speaking Graduate Students at a Canadian University

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liying Cheng ◽  
Johanna Myles ◽  
Andy Curtis
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Academic Skills ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Need Support ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking

Universities and colleges in Canada and other English-speaking countries have become increasingly concerned with linguistic and cultural diversity and internationalizing their campuses, both to enhance local and international students' experiences on campus and to prepare them to function in their careers and the larger society. Most international students are non-native English-speaking (NNES) and need support to develop the English language proficiency required for engagement in the academic demands of the Canadian university milieu. This small-scale study at a Canadian university, by way of a survey and follow-up interview, addresses the gap in our understanding between academic skills that are required at the graduate level and those that learners of English find difficult. The findings suggest that by targeting academic skills that are both required and difficult, efficiency can be achieved in the design of programmatic supports for developing English for academic purposes (EAP). The findings further suggest that international students may lack independent strategies for advancing their English-language proficiency and that these too can be targeted in an EAP program.

scholarly journals English as Lingua Franca and First Language Comfort Zones at an Internationalized University in Warsaw

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 45-65
Author(s):  
Lucyna Aleksandrowicz-Pędich
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
English Language ◽  
First Language ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Student Community ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
English As Lingua Franca ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study has been to analyse the use of English as lingua franca at an internationalised university in a non-English speaking country, the challenges caused by the need to use English for academic and social purposes as well as the use of other languages by a multicultural student community. Methodology: The methodology was based on qualitative research and involved open-ended interviews with students of 14 nationalities as well as staff members, both local (Polish) and from English-speaking countries. Findings: The main findings indicate: a degree of mismatch between the self-perception of English language competence and the actual ability to use it; the key function of language for social bonding; frequent recourse to first language comfort zones rather than the use of the lingua franca. Value Added: The research focuses on English language issues in a non-English speaking country, an understudied area in higher education. It draws attention to the use of Russian as a secondary lingua franca among students for whom it is their other language of fluent communication. Recommendations: University level educators should be more aware of the specificity of the problems in the use of English by international students, including such as underestimated listening comprehension issues, tensions connected with the use of polite forms and the mismatch between communication skills in English and the academic needs. The impact of language identity on international students social networking should be taken into account as well.

scholarly journals Perceptions of the Effect of an EAP Course on English Self-efficacy and English Proficiency: Voices of International Students in China

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Michael Agyemang Adarkwah ◽  
Yu Zeyuan
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
English Language ◽  
Course Evaluation ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
English Students

The English language has become an essential means for communication and studies for international students globally. With the increasing number of international students trooping to China to study diverse courses which are taught in the English medium, there is a need to address challenges faced by international students from non-native English speaking countries. The study adopted an embedded mixed-method approach where face-to-face interviews and focus group discussions were conducted on freshmen international students taking English for Academic Purposes (EAP) in a specific faculty of a university in China. The interviews were supplemented by the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy (QESE) to measure their perceived English self-efficacy after the course. An online questionnaire on English Course Evaluation (ECE) was used to measure the students’ assessment of the course. The findings of the study offer insights into the effect of the intervention, challenges faced by students during the course, and suggestions on things to consider during the implementation of English courses for non-native English students in the future.

The impact of introducing foreign language requirements on the Spanish higher education system: The case of Córdoba University

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio R. Raigón Rodríguez
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
Bologna Process ◽  
Higher Education System ◽  
Foreign Language Requirement ◽  
Language Requirement ◽  
Spanish Higher Education ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe requirement that students achieve accredited foreign language proficiency at B1 level in order to graduate from university or enrol for some postgraduate courses has prompted changes in language teaching in higher education in Spain. Given the clearly ineffective tuition received at earlier stages of their education, Spanish university students are finding it difficult to meet this new requirement. Society does not see language learning as a priority, and the aforementioned lack of effective teaching places Spaniards in a weak position with regard to language learning. Motivated by the Bologna Process, which seeks to foster the acquisition of multiple skills by students, the B1 requirement comes at the end of students’ education, regardless of what they were actually taught at primary and secondary level. This article examines the perceptions of a group of students enrolled in the master’s degree in secondary teacher training and analyses data on accreditation in general in order to draw relevant conclusions. The article focuses particularly on the options chosen by students at the University of Córdoba in order to meet the new foreign language requirement, and more specifically on the role played by the university’s language centre. Data was collected through a survey based on a validated

Language Proficiency, Use, and Maintenance among People with Vietnamese Heritage Living in Australia

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharynne McLeod ◽  
Sarah Verdon ◽  
Cen Wang ◽  
Van H. Tran
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Identity ◽  
Language Proficiency ◽  
First Generation ◽  
First Language ◽  
Cultural Economic ◽  
First Generation Immigrants ◽  
The Us ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Watching Tv ◽  
Older Siblings

Multilingualism provides cultural, economic and social benefits to individuals and societies. Many people with Vietnamese heritage have migrated to English-speaking countries such as Australia, Canada and the US. This study describes language proficiency, use and maintenance of 271 adults with Vietnamese heritage living across Australia. The majority were first-generation immigrants (76.6%), spoke Vietnamese as their first language (94.3%), and indicated Vietnamese was their most proficient language (78.5%). The majority were more likely to use Vietnamese (than English) with their mother, father, older siblings, Vietnamese-speaking grandparents, relatives in Vietnam, and Vietnamese friends. They used English and Vietnamese with their partners, children, younger siblings and English-speaking grandparents. They were more likely to speak English when working, studying and watching TV, but used English and Vietnamese equally on social media. The most important reasons for maintaining Vietnamese were: maintaining bonds with relatives, maintaining Vietnamese cultural identity, and building friendships.

scholarly journals Task-Based Language Teaching and English for Academic Purposes: An Investigation into Instructor Perceptions and Practice in the Canadian Context

2015 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Roy Douglas ◽  
Marcia Kim
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Teaching ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
English Language Proficiency ◽  
Student Expectations ◽  
Common Pathway ◽  
Canadian Context ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Classroom Time

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programs designed to meet postsecondary English language proficiency requirements are a common pathway to higher education for students from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Grounded in a Canadian context, this study seeks to examine the prevalence of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in EAP, common examples of EAP tasks, and the benefits and drawbacks of this approach for EAP students. EAP professionals (n = 42) were recruited from the membership of TESL Canada, and participants completed a questionnaire on their perceptions of TBLT for EAP. Of those who participated, 69% reported using TBLT in at least half of their lessons, with 86% of the par- ticipants indicating that TBLT was suitable for EAP instruction. Further qualitative analysis of the data revealed that presentations, essays, and interviews were the top three tasks employed by EAP teachers; the practicality, effectiveness, and learner-centredness of TBLT were its major benefits; and mismatched student expectations, lack of classroom time, and excessive instructor preparation were TBLT’s major drawbacks. Ambiguity regarding what constitutes TBLT was also found in the data. It appears that TBLT is used by participants across Canada and is well accepted as a teaching approach. However, some concerns associated with TBLT in EAP remain to be addressed.Les programmes d’anglais académique visant à combler les exigences en matière de compétences linguistiques pour l’anglais au postsecondaire représentent souvent une voie vers les études postsecondaires pour les élèves allophones. Située dans un contexte canadien, cette étude porte sur la prévalence de l’enseignement des langues basé sur les tâches (ELBT) dans les cours d’anglais académique, des exemples courants de tâches dans ces cours, et les avantages et les inconvénients de cette approche pour les élèves. À partir des membres de TESL Canada, on a recruté des enseignants d’anglais académique (n = 42) et ceux-ci ont complété un questionnaire portant sur leurs perceptions de l’ELBT dans les cours d’anglais académique. Les résultats indiquent que 69% des participants emploient l’ELBT dans au moins la moitié de leurs leçons et que 86% jugent l’ELBT approprié pour l’enseignement de l’anglais académique. Une analyse quantitative plus poussée a révélé que les trois tâches les plus fréquemment employées par les enseignants d’anglais académique étaient les présentations, les rédactions et les entrevues. De plus, les participants ont indiqué qu’ils estimaient que les atouts principaux de l’ELBT étaient son aspect pratique, son efficacité et le fait qu’il est centré sur l’apprenant; comme inconvénients majeurs, ils ont noté une inadéquation des attentes de la part des étudiants, l’insuffisance des heures de cours et la formation excessive des enseignants. Les données ont également révélé une ambigüité par rapport à ce qui constitue l’ELBT. Il parait que l’ELBT est employé partout au Canada et est bien accueilli comme méthode enseignement; toutefois, il faudrait aborder certaines préoccupations quant à son emploi dans l’enseignement de l’anglais académique.

scholarly journals Planning needs analysis research for international students in higher education

Porta Lingua ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 109-118
Author(s):  
Ildikó Furka
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
International Students ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Language Education ◽  
English For Academic Purposes ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Materials Development ◽  
Attention To Students

Research-informed language education has been a valued trend in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) around the world (Hyland, 2014; Purpura − Graziano-King 2004; Akyel − Ozek, 2010; Rao, 2014) and in Hungary (Sárdi, 1997; Édes, 2008; Doró, 2011; Prescott, 2008). EAP instruction for international students in higher education in Hungary, however, is a fairly new phenomenon (Lannert, 2018). Due to the growing number of international students studying in Hungarian higher education institutions, faculties have started to feel the need for systematic attention to students’ skills development. As part of a larger research effort to provide course design, materials development and recommendations for language teachers and subject matter instructors, an inquiry into the current situation at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) was initiated recommended by previous practice (Hyland, 2014, Purpura − Graziano-King, 2004). The paper describes the stakeholders and the background of EAP instruction at BME, the initial identification of data sources, methods of data collection, and preliminary data analysis to inform the next step of the larger research effort. Results will inform the needs analysis instruments to be used to identify the required learning outcomes, the respective language content for the course design and materials development, and the recommendations for teachers involved.

scholarly journals Native vs. non-native EFL teachers: Who are better?

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 137-147
Author(s):  
Kurniawati Kurniawati ◽  
Dini Rizki
Keyword(s):  
Language Proficiency ◽  
English Language ◽  
Native Speaker ◽  
First Language ◽  
Quality Teachers ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Efl Teachers ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking ◽  
Native English Speaking Teachers

This paper discusses possible advantages of having Non-Native English-Speaking Teachers (NNESTs) to teach English as a Foreign-Language (EFL) especially in Asian countries when they are often regarded as inferior to their Native English-Speaking Teachers (NESTs) counterparts. A native speaker fallacy has emphasized that NESTs are better teachers of EFL and have put NNESTs at a disadvantage. Actually, NNESTs possess advantages that can make them better teachers for teaching English in an EFL/ESL setting connected with their own EFL learning experiences and with sharing the same first language and cultural background with their students. While considered to have lower English language proficiency and lower self-confidence compared to NESTs, NNESTs who have made the effort to become quality teachers can position themselves as ideal English teachers in their own environment.

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