Professional Issues Meetings

For several years Professional Issues Meetings (PIMS) have been organised on three Saturdays during the year at different venues around the United Kingdom with a specific theme for each meeting. After the forthcoming PIM on 15 November 2008 (see below) there will be no PIM for several months. Instead, we will focus our attention on the biennial BALEAP Conference which is a kind of extended PIM.

Andy Seymour, PIMs and Conference Co-ordinator
Language Resource Centre
The University of Reading
Whiteknights
PO Box 241
Reading  RG6 6WB

t  0118 378 6760
f  0118 378 8511
e PIM@baleap.org.uk
 

FORTHCOMING PIM

PUTTING THE 'E' BACK INTO EAP
Nottingham Trent University
Saturday 15 November 2008

Call for Papers :
In a 1998 paper, Shaw and Liu asked the question “What develops in the development of second language writing?” In their study, they tracked the development of NNS writers on two or three-month pre-sessional courses in the students’ writing at a UK university with aim of identifying what types of changes occurred at the linguistic level. Specifically, they examined the surface features of texts for evidence of linguistic accuracy, complexity, register and academic style. In relation to linguistic development (as opposed to genre development), the study showed that students developed most in terms of appropriacy, and worrying little in productive linguistic resources. Accuracy measures showed similar numbers of errors overall in the pre- and post-tasks, but a change in the types of errors indicated some forward development in the range of grammar attempted. However, there was little increase in complexity. They conclude that the learners studied lacked exposure to the differentiated functional language that would enable them to distinguish between spoken and written registers and that on a short EAP course focusing on achieving development in functional language is perhaps more suitable than aiming to increase grammatical correctness.

If we set these findings alongside the regular calls for pre-sessional programmes to help students adjust to British academic culture, learn study skills and become critical thinkers, it is easy to see how an explicit focus on language (grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation) might get lost in the fray. However, encounters with students on in-sessional support programmes highlight how clearly international students do need to improve their linguistic skills. So this PIM is looking to provide a lively arena for discussion on the topic of the place of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation teaching in EAP programmes (both pre- and in-sessional).

Question that might be covered include :

  • Are communicative/genre/content approaches the best methods for addressing EAP students’ language needs?
  • How do we know whether students’ problems are listening problems or language problems? Reading problems or language problems? And what can we do about them?
  • Do students pick up the grammar and vocabulary they need while studying on their university courses?
  • Students’ language needs are very diverse; how can EAP courses possibly provide the individually targeted language support that students need?
  • Does language accuracy and precision really matter? Are students getting negative feedback from their subject lecturers?

So if you have done research in this area, or have wrestled with this issue while developing curricula and/or materials for EAP, or have tried to incorporate language work into a programme that has not included it, we would like to hear from you. One feature of the day will be dedicated sessions for open discussion, so please consider how your proposal can feed into these sessions.
 

Proposals to Diane Schmitt : diane.schmitt@ntu.ac.uk