Student’s guide to academic English

k 2011

Student’s guide to academic English

HRADILOVÁ, Alena

Basic information

Original name

Student’s guide to academic English

Authors

HRADILOVÁ, Alena (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution)

Edition

CercleS Seminar: Ten years of the CEFR and the ELP, 2011

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Prezentace na konferencích

Field of Study

60200 6.2 Languages and Literature

Country of publisher

Czech Republic

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14640/11:00054425

Organization unit

Language Centre

Keywords in English

CEFR descriptors; pragmatic issues; autonomous learner

Abstract

V originále

The implementation of CEFR levels into new Language Education System of Masaryk University, Czech Republic opened the question of the position of LAP and LSP competences within the system of general descriptors stated by the framework. This situation led us to applying CEFR principles to language competences typically associated with LAP and LSP, thus extending CEFR with descriptions connected to subject related competences (e.g. subject related intercultural and pragmatic issues). These extended CEFR descriptions have become a valuable tool which helps both students to self-assess their language competences in the areas of LAP and LSP, and teachers as a reference relevant in testing and material development. The existence of such specific descriptions in combination with students’ lack of awareness of CEFR existence re-opened the question of producing relevant and useful materials especially for teaching EAP and ESP to undergraduate bachelor students who enter university at a lower than the expected B2 level of their language competences. These materials should serve not only as language teaching materials aimed at autonomous learners but they should also include explanation of the materials position within CEFR and lead the autonomous learner towards better understanding of CEFR descriptions and further to easier self-assessment. These CEFR related informative notes as well as explanations of other techniques students need to master are presented in their mother tongue as students at this level find especially autonomous learning with monolingual internationally published books difficult, stressful and discouraging. The paper further argues that while an open range of approaches, teaching methods and activities provided by monolingual materials is doubtlessly of great importance, it should also be supplemented with notes, explanations and exercises tailored for the target audience where specific typical “national” problems and mistakes can be taken into account and explained, and cultural as well as pragmatic differences touched upon. Such materials should guide the autonomous learner on their way to B2 CEFR (adapted to LAP or LSP) level. The aim of the paper is to introduce examples of such materials as well as the LAP and LSP extended CEFR descriptions and discuss their relevance in modern autonomous language learning.

Links

CZ.1.07/2.2.00/07.0442, interní kód MU

Name: Kompetence v jazykovém vzdělávání na Masarykově univerzitě - COMPACT (Acronym: COMPACT)

Investor: Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the CR, Competences in Language Education at Masaryk University - COMPACT, 2.2 Higher education

Citovat

HRADILOVÁ, Alena. Student’s guide to academic English. In CercleS Seminar: Ten years of the CEFR and the ELP. 2011.

@proceedings{962375,
   author = {Hradilová, Alena},
   booktitle = {CercleS Seminar: Ten years of the CEFR and the ELP},
   keywords = {CEFR descriptors; pragmatic issues; autonomous learner},
   language = {eng},
   title = {Student’s guide to academic English},
   url = {http://www.cercles.org/en/main.html},
   year = {2011}
}

TY  - CONF
ID  - 962375
AU  - Hradilová, Alena
PY  - 2011
TI  - Student’s guide to academic English
KW  - CEFR descriptors
KW  - pragmatic issues
KW  - autonomous learner
UR  - http://www.cercles.org/en/main.html
N2  - The implementation of CEFR levels into new Language Education System of Masaryk University, Czech Republic opened the question of the position of LAP and LSP competences within the system of general descriptors stated by the framework. This situation led us to applying CEFR principles to language competences typically associated with LAP and LSP, thus extending CEFR with descriptions connected to subject related competences (e.g. subject related intercultural and pragmatic issues). These extended CEFR descriptions have become a valuable tool which helps both students to self-assess their language competences in the areas of LAP and LSP, and teachers as a reference relevant in testing and material development. The existence of such specific descriptions in combination with students’ lack of awareness of CEFR existence re-opened the question of producing relevant and useful materials especially for teaching EAP and ESP to undergraduate bachelor students who enter university at a lower than the expected B2 level of their language competences. These materials should serve not only as language teaching materials aimed at autonomous learners but they should also include explanation of the materials position within CEFR and lead the autonomous learner towards better understanding of CEFR descriptions and further to easier self-assessment. These CEFR related informative notes as well as explanations of other techniques students need to master are presented in their mother tongue as students at this level find especially autonomous learning with monolingual internationally published books difficult, stressful and discouraging. The paper further argues that while an open range of approaches, teaching methods and activities provided by monolingual materials is doubtlessly of great importance, it should also be supplemented with notes, explanations and exercises tailored for the target audience where specific typical “national” problems and mistakes can be taken into account and explained, and cultural as well as pragmatic differences touched upon. Such materials should guide the autonomous learner on their way to B2 CEFR (adapted to LAP or LSP) level. The aim of the paper is to introduce examples of such materials as well as the LAP and LSP extended CEFR descriptions and discuss their relevance in modern autonomous language learning.
ER  -

HRADILOVÁ, Alena. Student’s guide to academic English. In \textit{CercleS Seminar: Ten years of the CEFR and the ELP}. 2011.

Detailed Information on Publication Record