Rhetoric and realities: on the development of university-wide strategies to promote student English language growth

Abstract

This article describes the results from a national project that investigated institutional approaches to the development of student English language capabilities in Australian higher education. The project aimed to identify the various approaches and strategies that higher education providers have established and to gauge whether they have been evaluated by those in the field as successful in attaining their objectives. The results of the study indicated that those institutions identified as successful had a number of elements in common, elements missing from those universities which were considered as less effective. The article concludes by identifying the key factors that were identified by project participants as being essential in the development of successful institution-wide strategies for promoting student language growth.

Language specialists' views on academic language and learning support mechanisms for EAL postgraduate coursework students: The case for adjunct tutorials

“…As well as the national focus on academic language and learning matters noted above, institutional concerns had prompted the implementation in 2008 of a whole-of-university approach to supporting EAL students. This institutional strategy is consistent with a growing call for university-wide approaches (Arkoudis & Doughney, 2014;Dunworth, Drury, Kralik, & Moore, 2014;Gunn, Hearne, & Sibthorpe, 2011;Kennelly, Maldoni, & Davies, 2010;Murray & Nallaya, 2014;Sheridan, 2011;Wingate, 2006). Dunworth et al (2014), for example, report "an overwhelming sense that a whole of institution approach was the most effective way of achieving progress" (p.11) while Arkoudis and Doughney (2014) cite it as critical to make ALL support the core business of university teaching and learning to assure graduates' English language proficiency outcomes.…”

“…Together the triangulated data from this mixed methods design would offer a rich picture to aid decision-making (Greene, Caracelli, & Graham, 1989;Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). The literature suggests that consultation with experts is a key ingredient for success in planning an all-of-university approach (Dunworth et al, 2014) and it is for this reason that the views of situated ALL experts who have worked extensively on such matters were solicited and constitute the focus of this paper.…”

From language learner to language user in English-medium higher education: Language development brokers outside the language classroom

“…Non-English-speaking students travelling to an English-speaking country for a higher education degree may experience pre-degree preparatory language classes as well as participating in language classes which run alongside specialist subject modules throughout the academic year. The latter, labelled in-sessional provision in the UK context, is unlikely to be resourced beyond two hours per week and varies across institutions in terms of (non) credit-bearing status, and (non) assessed format (Arkoudis, 2014; Dunworth et al, 2014; Murray and Nallaya, 2016). While traditional language instruction takes up a very small proportion of students’ exposure to English while studying for a university degree in an English-speaking country, a variety of other contexts is available in which students are immersed in the language and can actively engage in and seek support for language development.…”

Implementing a university-wide credit-bearing English language enhancement programme: issues emerging from practice

“…Dunworth et al 2014;Kennelly, Maldoni, and Davies 2010;Murray and Nallaya 2014;Sheridan 2011;Wingate 2006). However, there are many impediments to innovation on that scale.…”

“…A study by Dunworth et al (2014) identifies several factors that are common to successful institution-wide strategies for promoting students' academic language growth. They are as follows:…”