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Published bySydnee Debell Modified over 10 years ago
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Horses for Courses Fitting square pegs in square holes
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September 2005 – the context The arrangements between universities are not always clear Students cannot always access courses they wish to – unrealistic expectations English and American Studies allow very few Erasmus students on their programmes Level of English can be inadequate Many E.S. at the ULC registration exercise
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Our response To create more bespoke courses for E.S. We already had: credit-rated - Tandem (more of which later) Ethnography for International Students EAP course And generally – Cambridge Preparation classes (fee-paying) In-sessional Classes (but for non EU students)
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New courses developed Creative Writing Business English British Society seen through Film – a course for international students, with language support
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Questionnaire When in doubt, devise a questionnaire Results were not very surprising – but some useful information came through New courses suggested – Media Studies (television, press) British Cultural Studies And one important point made – no ‘Erasmus ghetto’.
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Tandem Learning – how we differ… Credit – rated Very large programme (1 st semester 180 students) French, German, Spanish, Italian Target Population – E.S., LEAP students but increasingly specialist language students Enquiry based element in second semester Consistently excellent student feedback
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Benefits of Tandem Learning One to one peer tuition Promotes independent learning Electronic component (part of U of M 2015 agenda) Most importantly for E.S., integration into British student society
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Other Forms of Tandem Learning L. Pal – for Arabic, Chinese and Japanese students of English and their English partners An asymmetrical scheme V-pal – an MSN/Skype Tandem for Italian, German and Japanese Electronic Tandem project with Barcelona (September 2006)
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Integration of Foreign Students Tension between students attending bespoke courses and their being part of the wider educational community It was ever thus – even in the 60s, with few foreign students on European campuses, they tended to congregate Our own students abroad often experience the same isolation and indifference Tandem programmes make a huge contribution Integration of non UK native English speakers in British culture classes is another way forward Ethnography classes also helpful
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Multilingual FL classrooms Increasingly diverse MFL courses – we can no longer presume homogeneity Invitation to target language teaching Encouragement to adopt international standards, criteria, examinations – such as the CEF; DALF; GI examinations; DELE Awareness of cultural issues that we perhaps were less open to in the past A need to understand how speakers of other languages address the TL – their needs & problems
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In conclusion We have discussed some of the challenges There are enormous benefits also - Diversity is fun! – for teachers & students Our foreign students bring qualities some of our own students lack (work ethic, desire to communicate, maturity) Most important of all: tolerance, understanding, perhaps even friendship, between people of very different backgrounds
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