Efficiency of English for Academic Purposes Activity in Students’ Language Education: Developing the System of the External and Internal Perspectives Jelena Zascerinska Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education Psychology and Art University of Latvia Email: knezna@inbox.lv Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Efficiency of English for Academic Purposes Activity Outline Introduction Efficiency of English for Academic Purposes Activity Research Methodology Findings of the Research Conclusion Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Introduction Contribution of English for Academic Purposes activity to the enhancement of students’ learning outcomes becomes particularly important for the development of education and culture change in the constantly changing environment. The success of English for Academic Purposes activity in students’ language education requires to analyze efficiency of English for Academic Purposes activity for the improvement of students’ communicative competence within language education. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

State-of-the-Art Developing the System of External and Internal Perspectives as a Life Necessity External Perspective accentuates social interaction Internal Perspective accentuates cognition Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Definition of English for Academic Purposes Activity The use of Activity Theory for the implementation of English for Academic Purposes activity comprises both terms of English for Academic Purposes activity, namely, activity and studies. English for Academic Purposes activity is according to certain common norms, over some period of time, shared aim oriented joint activity that provides joint social interaction and cognition for each participant and increases opportunities of gaining social experience. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Novelty of English for Academic Purposes Activity Scientific novelty of English for Academic Purposes activity reveals the content development within gradual tertiary teaching/learning as the basis for the determination of each student’s social experience, namely, from the educator-student interaction with the existing contents through the peer-interaction with the content variety to the student’s action for the content improvement. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Efficiency of English for Academic Purposes Activity English for Academic Purposes activity is efficient if the inputs produce the maximum output with the focus on an outcome based process. Students’ communicative competence is the outcome criterion of English for Academic Purposes activity. Evaluation of students’ communicative competence comprises self-evaluation, internal evaluation and external evaluation. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Research Methodology Research questions: Has English for Academic Purposes activity been efficient? The sample of the research: two researchers and educators of Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy in the field of Language Pedagogy, 10 students within the English for Academic Purposes course in the professional Master’s study programs School Management of Riga Teacher Training and Educational Management Academy in 2007-2008 and seven researchers from different countries. Qualitative evaluation research design Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Findings of the Research Analysis of the Student’s Self-Evaluation of the Research Results: The structured interviews included three questions: 1. What is your attitude to the English for Academic Purposes studies? 2. What have you learned? 3. How can you apply this knowledge in your professional field? the answers of those 10 students in the sample are focused on the students’ positive experience in forming their communicative competence, thereby developing the system of external and internal perspectives. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Findings of the Research Analysis of the internal evaluation of the research results: Figure 1: Inter-connections of Survey 1 and 2 between the levels of each student’s communicative competence in terms of the average coefficient of each student’s social experience in General English, Professional Language and English for Academic Purposes Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Findings of the Research Analysis of the external evaluation of the research results: the non-structured interview included one question, namely, what is the researchers’ point of view on the present research on English for Academic Purposes activity for the development of students’ communicative competence. The use of the hermeneutic approach reveals the respondents’ positive evaluation of English for Academic Purposes activity for the development of students’ communicative competence. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Conclusions English for Academic Purposes activity applied to enhance the students’ communicative competence is efficient: Regarding quality assurance, the students’ communicative competence has been enriched. Regarding effectiveness of the educator’s contribution to the students’ communicative competence, the students widened their experience in interaction thereby developing the system of external and internal perspectives with the implementation of English for Academic Purposes activity. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Conclusions English for Academic Purposes activity for the development of students’ communicative competence influences and determines the students’ success or failure for acquiring tertiary language education and profession as illustrated in Figure: Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Conclusions The following hypothesis for further studies is put forth: students’ communicative competence develops within English for Academic Purposes studies if students use existing opportunities with other participants in English for Academic Purposes activity, the educator organizes various opportunities to interact thereby promoting the improvement of the students’ communicative experience, the gradual teaching/learning, namely, from the educator-student interaction with the existing contents to the student’s action for the content improvement through the peer-interaction with the content variety, that is the basis for the determination of each student’s social experience, is implemented within English for Academic Purposes activity. Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska

Thank you for your attention! Jelena Zascerinska Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education and Psychology University of Latvia Email: knezna@inbox.lv Helsinki 2010 Yelena Zascerinska