1. 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
Helsinki 2010
Yelena Zascerinska

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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 and
seven researchers from different countries.
Qualitative evaluation research design
Helsinki 2010
Yelena Zascerinska

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. Thank you for your attention!
Jelena Zascerinska
Department of Pedagogy, Faculty of Education and Psychology
University of Latvia
Helsinki 2010
Yelena Zascerinska