spellbound skills packages for english language learners the english language unit
TRANSCRIPT
SPELLBOUND
Skills Packages for English Language Learners
The English Language Unit
Background
English language impacts on the student’s whole learning experience and students who struggle with their English language development inevitably struggle with both their studies and their transition into university life.
This can affect the retention and progression, as well as the recruitment of future international students.
The typical international student
Enter Keele with an IELTS score of 6.0 Cram schools often mean that a ‘true’ score is
closer to 5.0 Learning main subject content + developing
English language skills = a sometimes insurmountable challenge
Stress, loss of face May turn to alternative methods to ensure
success May return to (e.g.) China during the long
breaks
Possible solutions
Increase the amount of time available for English classes = less time for main subjects
Increase pre-arrival contact with the ELUIncrease online resourcesIncrease contact with ELU during breaksIncrease in-class interactivityIncrease subject-specific resources
Deliverables
The ELU Welcome Web Innovative use of the Interactive Whiteboard Use of online resources via the KLE Interactive resources using Studymate and
Respondus Individualised corpora for PGR students E-tutorials using MSN/Skype for off-site
students
The ELU Welcome Web
The ELU Welcome Web
Pre-Arrival activities
Interactive use of the IWB – manipulating text
IWB = interactive analysis of texts
IWB use of teamwork
Online Resources – The ELU Noticeboard
Using the Academic Word List
Making learning enjoyable
Use of text-speech software
Subject specific vocabulary development
Use of individual corpora of PGR students – frequency lists
Concordancing – investigating the use of vocabulary in context
E-tutorials using msn and skype
Analysing the effectiveness
Student Feedback:“really useful – I feel more confident”“I use the e-tutorials a lot – they help me with my
research when I’m in Sri Lanka”“The whiteboard in my English class is nice. I feel
interested to look at it.”“I think the vocabulary development on KLE is useful. It
helps me a lot with my writing.”“The language I use for my research is very specific and I
cannot find it in a dictionary. The corpora that the ELU made for me is perfect because I can see which language is necessary and how it is used.”
Future Developments
Additional KLE-based resources.Additional subject-specific vocabulary
development.Design and implementation of individual
corpora focussing on different styles of research writing.