Matthew Peacock

STUDENT LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES ACROSS EIGHT DISCIPLINES

The research on which this article reports investigated the use of 50 common second language learning strategies by 1,006 EAP (English for Academic Purposes) students across eight disciplines – building, business, computing, engineering, English, maths, primary education, and science – in a university in Hong Kong. The study compared and contrasted strategy use across disciplines and also examined the relationships among strategy use, L2 proficiency, age, and gender. Initial data were collected through a standard questionnaire, Oxfords Strategy Inventory for Language Learning. In-depth interviews were also conducted with 48 students to explore why they did or did not use certain strategies. A positive association was found between 27 strategies and proficiency. English students used the most strategies, and computing the fewest. Different deficiencies in strategy use were found in different disciplines, for example the very low use of metacognitive strategies by computing students. Differences were also found by age and by gender: older students were strong in affective and social areas, and females in the use of memory and metacognitive strategies. Conclusions are that EAP teachers need to be aware of possibly sharp disciplinary differences in strategy use and to apply discipline-specific strategy training where appropriate.

Match or mismatch? Learning styles and teaching styles in EFL

Learning styles are a students “natural, habitual and preferred ways” of absorbing and processing a second language. This study investigated Reids (1987) hypothesis that a mismatch between teaching and learning styles causes learning failure, frustration and demotivation. Data were collected through Reids questionnaire, interviews and tests using 206 EFL students and 46 EFL teachers at a Hong Kong university. It was found that learners favoured Kinesthetic and Auditory and disfavoured Individual and Group styles,while teachers favoured Kinesthetic, Group and Auditory styles and disfavoured Tactile and Individual styles; Western teachers also disfavoured Auditory styles. There was therefore a mismatch regarding Group and Auditory styles. Interviews revealed that 72% of the students were frustrated by a mismatch between teaching and learning styles; 76% said it affected their learning, often seriously; and 81% of the teachers agreed with Reids hypothesis. The correlations between learning style, proficiency and discipline were also checked. Learners who favoured Group styles were significantly less proficient. Conclusions are that EFL teachers should teach in a balanced style in order to accommodate different learning styles.

Communicative moves in the discussion section of research articles

Abstract This paper describes an analysis of communicative moves in discussion sections across seven disciplines—Physics, Biology, Environmental Science, Business, Language and Linguistics, Public and Social Administration, and Law. While introductions in academic writing have received attention recently, much less research has investigated discussion sections and there has been little investigation of their move structure, including interdisciplinary and NS/NNS variation. Findings in these areas have clear relevance for the teaching of ESP: the rapid growth in the number of research writers, and the need to teach them discipline-specific research writing, makes these factors increasingly important. Research articles (RAs) were analysed in terms of Dudley-Evanss 1994 model. The total corpus was 252 RAs (36 from each discipline, 1.4 million words). A number of marked interdisciplinary and NS/NNS differences were found in the type and number of moves and move cycles. Conclusions are that the findings have relevance for the teaching of research writing. They may help ESP teachers inform learners of typical move sequences and also how much flexibility the genre allows regarding obligatory and optional moves and cycles, and the optimal order of moves. A revised model for the discussion sections is also put forward.

Research Perspectives on English for Academic Purposes: Issues in EAP: A preliminary perspective

The need for English English for Academic Purposes (EAP) – the teaching of English with the specific aim of helping learners to study, conduct research or teach in that language – is an international activity of tremendous scope. It is carried out in four main geographical domains, each of which exhibits particular characteristics and purposes. It is carried out, first, in the major English-speaking countries (the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand), where large numbers of overseas students whose first language is not English come to study. It is conducted, second, in the former colonial territories of Britain (and less importantly the United States) where English is a second language and is used as the medium of instruction at university level. It is conducted, third, in countries which have no historic links with English, but which need to access the research literature in that language (the countries of Western Europe, Japan, China, Latin America, Francophone Africa and others).1 And finally, EAP is now increasingly being offered in the countries of the former Soviet-bloc, as they seek to distance themselves from the influence of Russia and its language and position themselves as participants in the increasingly global economy and academic community. To give some indication of the demand for EAP, if we take the first of the four areas mentioned – the countries where English is a first language – in 1996–7, 457,984 foreign students were studying in the US (Davis, 1997) and 198,064 in the UK (Higher Education Statistics Agency, 1997). While these numbers are already very considerable, they are likely to comprise only a minority of the likely target EAP population.

The evaluation of foreign-language-teacher education programmes:

This article presents a new procedure for the evaluation of EFL teacher-training programmes based on principles of programme evaluation and foreign-language-teacher (FLT) education. The procedure focuses on programme strengths and weaknesses and how far the programme meets the needs of students. I tested the procedure through an evaluation of a TEFL programme, collecting data from students, teachers, and alumni through interviews, questionnaires, essays and analysis of programme materials. The programme had many strengths, including the teaching of pedagogic skills and promoting reflection and self-evaluation, but also shortcomings. It should increase the amount of practice teaching and increase input in certain areas such as knowledge of teaching within the local sociocultural context and classroom management. I suggest that the procedure may be useful for other contexts.