Teaching the Structures of Academic Writing through Peer Review: A Study on the Beginners of English Language Courses at BRAC University

Author(s):  
Md. Aftab Uddin Chowdhury ◽  
◽  
Mohammad Akteruzzaman
2021 ◽  
Vol VI (IV) ◽  
pp. 34-41
Author(s):  
Hina Iqbal ◽  
Muhammad Saeed

Academic writing plays a pivotal role in developing research proposals. The present study aimed to explore the grammatical errors that M.Phil/PhDs scholars commit in academic writing. The present study employed a qualitative case study designed to explore the challenges in the English language faced by the M.Phil and PhDs scholars. The 20 Ph.D. and 36 M.Phil scholars were selected by busing purposive sampling technique. Data were collected by using two self-developed semi-structured interviews protocol. Thematic analysis approach was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that all the participants reported that correct use of tenses was a big hurdle that entailed the other grammatical mistakes and reduced the report quality because all the lexical aspects are linked with these mechanics. The study recommended that English language courses be offered to postgraduate, M. Phil and Ph.D. scholars to learn the technical aspects of the language and provide students with online interactive programming.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (41) ◽  
pp. 172-182
Author(s):  
Wan Hurani Osman ◽  
Sabariah Abd. Rahim ◽  
Anna Lynn Abu Bakar ◽  
Nor Dawirah Rahman

Unlike Malaysian schools that use syllabi issued by the Education Ministry, Malaysia's public universities have full autonomy of their syllabi. English language courses and curricula in public universities are usually based on the needs of stakeholders; government, community, academicians, learners, and also parents (Avci, Ring, and Mitchelli, 2015). Traditionally, most English language courses focus on learners’ proficiency and aim to equip learners with general, social, academic, and employment language skills. In this century, there is a need to keep up with the learners’ latest needs and requirements which are closely related to technology and globalisation. This present quantitative study attempts to tap into the current needs, perceptions, and views related to academic writing in English of one of the stakeholders in a public university in Malaysia. A group of learners in a public university was given a questionnaire that contained questions related to academic writing and the English language at the undergraduate level. The findings of this study will help syllabus designers first identify the value and importance of the existing syllabi and then, if necessary, craft the syllabus based on the current needs and views of one of the university’s stakeholders.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 150
Author(s):  
Farzana Sharmin Pamela Islam

As 21st century is the era of modern technologies with different aspects, it offers us to make the best use of them. After tape recorder and overhead projector (OHP), multimedia has become an important part of language classroom facilities for its unique and effective application in delivering and learning lesson. Although in many parts of Bangladesh, a South Asian developing country, where English enjoys the status of a foreign language, the use of multimedia in teaching and learning is viewed as a matter of luxury. However, nowadays the usefulness and the necessity of it are well recognized by the academics as well as the government. The study aims to focus on the difference between a traditional classroom void of multimedia and multimedia equipped classrooms at university level by explaining how multimedia support the students with enhanced opportunity to interact with diverse texts that give them more in-depth comprehension of the subject. It also focuses on audio-visual advantage of multimedia on the students’ English language learning. The study has followed a qualitative method to get an in-depth understanding of the impact of using multimedia in an English language classroom at tertiary level. For this purpose, the data have been collected from two different sources. Firstly, from students’ written response to  an open ended question as to their comparative experience of learning  lessons with and without multimedia facilities; and secondly, through  observation of English language classes at a private university of Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The discussion of the study is limited to  the use of multimedia in English language classroom using cartoons, images and music with a view to enhance students’ skills in academic writing, critical analysis of image and critical appreciation of music. For this purpose, cartoons in English language, images from Google and music from You Tube have got focused discussion in this paper.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Yaser Mohammad Al Sawy

The study aims at understanding the relationship between the use of IT applications in the Learning Resources Centers (henceforth, LRCs) at the university and increasing the academic achievement of the English language students at the Faculty of Education and Literature at the Northern Border University? The researcher relied on the research methodology of the field study, which allowed him to collect the views of a random sample of the English language learners at the university to measure and analyze the effectiveness of the use of IT within the LRCs. The study showed that the IT within the LRCs is one of the most important strategic resources at the level of educational institutions and the main factor in the development of its sectors. There is an interest from the Northern Border University on upgrading and supporting the IT infrastructure, especially in education for it is the basis for community development. A high proportion of English Language students at the university are keen on using and applying many of the technological learning media within the LRCs as a constitutive factor in understanding mental processes such as visualization, thinking, learning and creativity which is the first step towards knowledge and innovation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-43
Author(s):  
Yu.V. Lysanets ◽  
O.M. Bieliaieva ◽  
L.B. Slipchenko ◽  
K.H. Havrylieva ◽  
H.Yu. Morokhovets

The article discusses the features of academic writing in English based on the recommendations from the British Council in Ukraine in the framework of the “Researcher Connect” project, aiming to facilitate the transition to academic standards of English and improve the academic discourse produced by non-native language users. The authors outline major tendencies in the modern English language as pertains to written discourse and provide recommendations for rendering academic writing persuasive. It is a well-established fact that academic writing in English possesses unique features, which must be respected and taken into account. Hence, a transfer of academic norms from a person's mother tongue to English can be a challenge, which may impair the quality of academic writing. Presenting the research results without consideration of academic norms, grammar, and lexical features of English academic writing can lead to mistakes and misunderstanding, and result in a written work of poor quality, even if the research findings are valid. The mechanisms of improving the academic writing skills during the study of English for Academic Communication with due account for relevant grammar and lexical peculiarities have been explored. Therefore, the major challenge for researchers is the difficulty in transition to academic standards of a foreign language. The article discusses the surface and the deeper purposes in any academic writing; the significance of understanding one’s audience; the concepts of persuasion, clarity, and conciseness, as well as grammar and lexical means for achieving them. Developing the communication skills of Ukrainian scientists is crucial for successful international communication and cooperation. The study of potential difficulties, which the Ukrainian medical professionals may face in the process of academic writing in English, is important for developing the guidelines to eliminate possible mistakes and avoid misunderstanding in a medical setting. Further study of the peculiarities of academic writing in English will contribute to the optimization of international professional communication, the expansion of inter-institutional dialogue, and the integration of Ukraine into the world community.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 181-200
Author(s):  
Judit Borszéki

International (operational and training) activities carried out by law enforcement officers have been accompanied by the growing realisation of the fact that it is essential for those involved in them to communicate efficiently, in one common language, basically English. However, even in the last few years, the gaps between the foreign language skills of the law enforcement professionals and the need for further foreign (mainly English) language training courses have been underlined several times in international professional and legal documents. Also, the fact that specific-purpose English language courses continue to be important content elements of the curricula both of national law enforcement training institutions and the two largest EU agencies involved in the training of police officers, as well as border and coast guards (CEPOL and Frontex), proves that this problem still exists. Using the qualitative research and providing an overview and evaluation of the most significant e-learning trends and tools used in teaching English for Law Enforcement by CEPOL and Frontex in the last decade, the paper discusses the progress made in this field in terms of both quality and methodology. It presents technical limitations of certain e-learning tools and points to the course developers’ ensuing realisation that the virtual or real presence of the teacher is indispensable in language courses.


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