Transcript Ei dian otsikkoa - Helsingin yliopisto

Models of language support for
instruction given in English:
Examples from Forestry, Natural
and Social Sciences
Roy Siddall & Anu Virkkunen-Fullenwider
University of Helsinki
Language Centre
Background
 Internationalization in higher education
 Increasing student mobility
 Rising number of international students at Helsinki
University
 Concurrent increase in teaching through English
 Communication difficulties can interfere with teaching and
learning of the subject
Analysis of language needs
 1998-9: Detailed analysis of potential need for language
support to facilitate teaching through English (TTE)
 Strengths and weaknesses of Finnish and foreign
students
 Support needed by students
 Support needed by instructors
 Development of support systems
Aims of this presentation
 Describe 3 examples of TTE support in separate faculties
 Examine the advantages and disadvantages
 Present the outcomes from the language teacher
perspective
1. Forest Products Marketing (FPM)
 Department of Forest Economics
 One-year programme
 Oldest
programme in taught in English (>10 yrs)
 4 business English courses taught in English
 All
compulsory if English elected
 Additional
to degree language requirements
 Each course separately assessed
 Final grade for business English is weighted course
average
FPM Language support
 Students mostly Finnish
 Arrangement with Language Centre teachers ~5 yrs ago
 Individual support given in all courses
 special
emphasis on productive skills
 Seminar papers written in English: checked by LC teacher
 No systematic support given to subject teachers
Advantages of FPM Language support
 Advanced business English in both receptive and
productive skills
 Easier for course teachers to:
 Understand
 Be
their students
able to read their papers
 Increases student confidence
 Better cross-comparability with similar programmes taught
elsewhere
Disadvantages of FPM language support
 Grading papers highly problematic
 Lack of in-depth integration of subject and language
teaching
 (Regular
meetings with course instructors)
2. Boreal Biota and Ecology Programme (BBE)
 Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences
 One-term study programme, established 1993
 All courses taught in English (~36 ECTS total)
 Caters for Finnish and foreign exchange students
BBE language support
 In-depth analysis of the programme and language support
needs in 2001
 Teacher observation, analysis of handouts and other
material
 Individual and group conferencing with the instructors in
the programme
 Analysis of all courses: Reports given to the instructors
 Negotiated language support based on the analysis
BBE language support
 Cultural awareness training
 Academic writing instruction
 Pronunciation (ecological terms)
 Individual support focused on a single course
 reading
 writing
 oral
comprehension
assignments
presentation
Advantages of BBE language support
 Integration of subject and language teaching
 Good working relationship
 Compulsory English language requirements fulfilled
 Extremely positive feedback
Disadvantages of BBE language support
 No language credits for exchange students
 Voluntary participation in language support activities
 Limited resources: focused individual support
3. Argonaut Study Programme (ASP)
 Dept of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences
 International programme established 1996: 50-60 ECTS
 Cooperation with Language Centre ~2 yrs
 Mostly foreign students; few Finns
ASP language support
 Support focused on seminar-based course; many
separate speakers (NNS)
 Cultural awareness training for staff and students
 Support for group presentations (video-recording and
analysis)
 Individual support with writing assignments
Advantages of ASP support
 Close cooperation between language and subject
teachers
 Cultural awareness training helps group dynamics to
develop
 Language teachers “spot teach” during the course
 Individual writing support
 Compulsory English language requirements fulfilled
Disadvantages of APS language support
 Lack of individual support for presentations
 Very heterogeneous group
 No support for course teachers
Overall outcomes
 Positive attitude of teachers and students towards working
with language teachers
 Language teacher (LT) has a better opportunity to
concentrate on the particular needs of the students
 Development of working relationship between LTs and
departments
 Lifelong learning for LTs
Recommendations
 Integrate language support with subject teaching
 (Language
credits)
 Greatest needs for developing productive skills in English
 If resources limited, focus rather than spread the support
 Increasing need to support staff teaching through English
Thank you!
 For further information see our project web site:
http://kielikeskus.helsinki.fi/TTE