The English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course aims to develop English language proficiency, address academic culture, and foster the development of academic literacies. Integral to the success of the 6-week SC Model is a high degree of independent learning and collaboration.
This presentation will provide one example of a lesson created for the EAP unit, the capstone unit in the English Language Program offered by SCU College, which embodies the principles of independent learning and collaboration. This lesson can be the first time international students with English as an additional language (IEAL) have encountered this style of learning; many have experienced a teacher-directed classroom culture in their own countries. Therefore, they must adjust to this new learning academic culture.
The EAP classroom provides a safe environment to transition from teacher-dominated classrooms to student-centred ones, which can cause initial discomfort for some students. One of the major differences our students experience is self-directed learning, i.e. class work undertaken only in class to researching on own (Lea & Street, 2006; Wingate, 2007, 2015, 2018); utilising background knowledge (Andrade, 2009) to independent learning (Mathias et al., 2013; Wong, 2004); and introducing activities that build students’ confidence to take ownership of their learning (Lopez & Bui, 2014).
The EAP unit aims to acculturate international students to avoid IEAL students from becoming overwhelmed and negatively impacting their learning outcomes (Roche, 2016). The presentation focuses on a lesson involving a jigsaw reading, research, and collaboration, that raises awareness of the academic culture at SCU while utilising self-directed learning strategies.?
Andrade, M. S. (2009). The effects of English language proficiency on adjustment to university life. International Multilingual Research Journal, 3(1), 16-34. https://doi.org/10.1080/19313150802668249
Lea, M. R., & Street, B. V. (2006). The "Academic Literacies" model: Theory and applications. Theory Into Practice, 45(4), 368-377. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4504_11
Lopez, I. Y., & Bui, N. H. (2014). Acculturation and Linguistic Factors on International Students’ Self-Esteem and Language Confidence. Journal of International Students, 4(4), 314-329. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v4i4.451
Mathias, J., Bruce, M., & Newton, D. P. (2013). Challenging the Western stereotype: do Chinese international foundation students learn by rote? Research in Post-Compulsory Education, 18(3), 221-238. https://doi.org/10.1080/13596748.2013.819257
Roche, T. (2016). Assessing the role of digital literacy in English for Academic Purposes university pathway programs. Journal of Academic Language & Learning, 11(1), A71-A87. https://journal.aall.org.au/index.php/jall/article/view/439
Wingate, U. (2007). A framework for transition: Supporting ‘Learning to Learn’ in higher education. Higher Education Quarterly, 61(3), 391-405. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2007.00361.x
Wingate, U. (2015). Academic literacy and student diversity: The case for inclusive practice. Multilingual Matters. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/lib/scu/detail.action?docID=2000150
Wingate, U. (2018). Academic literacy across the curriculum: Towards a collaborative instructional approach. Language Teaching, 51(3), 349-364. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444816000264
Wong, J. K. K. (2004). Are the learning styles of Asian international students culturally or contextually based? International Education Journal, 4(4), 154-166. https://openjournals.library.sydney.edu.au/index.php/IEJ