Bridging the Linguistic and Affective Gaps: The Impact of a Short, Tailor-made Language Course on a Danish University Lecturer's Ability to Lecture with Confidence in English
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Bridging the Linguistic and Affective Gaps : The Impact of a Short, Tailor-made Language Course on a Danish University Lecturer's Ability to Lecture with Confidence in English. / Westbrook, Peter Nils; Henriksen, Birgit.
Policies, Principles, Practices: New directions in foreign language education in the era of educational glaobalization. ed. / Rita Cancino; Lotte Dam; Kirsten Jæger. Vol. 1 2011. ed. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK : Cambridge Scholars Press, 2011. p. 188-212.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Book chapter › Research › peer-review
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TY - CHAP
T1 - Bridging the Linguistic and Affective Gaps
T2 - The Impact of a Short, Tailor-made Language Course on a Danish University Lecturer's Ability to Lecture with Confidence in English
AU - Westbrook, Peter Nils
AU - Henriksen, Birgit
PY - 2011/8
Y1 - 2011/8
N2 - This paper reports on a small-scale case study which follows an experienced Danish university lecturer during a tailor-made, one-to-one language course to improve her English language skills for lecturing, consisting of a five-week cycle of observed English-medium lectures and subsequent language feedback sessions. The study also includes a structured, in-depth interview with the informant, which yields very specific and rich data about how one lecturer feels about teaching in English, the informant’s own learning focus and the outcomes of a short language course. The aims of the study are fourfold, namely: 1) to describe the informant’s motivation for taking an English course; 2) to compare her affective and perceived linguistic needs with her objective needs; 3) to follow her own language focus areas during the course; and 4) to identify any subjective or objective gains she achieved from the course. The conclusions suggest that while the immediate observable linguistic gains on such a short course are relatively modest, what should not be overlooked are the significant ‘knock-on effect’ benefits relating to the informant’s affective needs. Furthermore, many of the informant’s direct quotes provide a ‘voice’ revealing the underlying feelings and attitudes about lecturing in English which serves to support findings in other broader studies conducted among lecturers at the University of Copenhagen and other universities in Europe. Finally, there is a call for universities to exercise caution in assuming that a shift from mother tongue to English medium lecturing will automatically be an easy and problem-free process.
AB - This paper reports on a small-scale case study which follows an experienced Danish university lecturer during a tailor-made, one-to-one language course to improve her English language skills for lecturing, consisting of a five-week cycle of observed English-medium lectures and subsequent language feedback sessions. The study also includes a structured, in-depth interview with the informant, which yields very specific and rich data about how one lecturer feels about teaching in English, the informant’s own learning focus and the outcomes of a short language course. The aims of the study are fourfold, namely: 1) to describe the informant’s motivation for taking an English course; 2) to compare her affective and perceived linguistic needs with her objective needs; 3) to follow her own language focus areas during the course; and 4) to identify any subjective or objective gains she achieved from the course. The conclusions suggest that while the immediate observable linguistic gains on such a short course are relatively modest, what should not be overlooked are the significant ‘knock-on effect’ benefits relating to the informant’s affective needs. Furthermore, many of the informant’s direct quotes provide a ‘voice’ revealing the underlying feelings and attitudes about lecturing in English which serves to support findings in other broader studies conducted among lecturers at the University of Copenhagen and other universities in Europe. Finally, there is a call for universities to exercise caution in assuming that a shift from mother tongue to English medium lecturing will automatically be an easy and problem-free process.
KW - Faculty of Humanities
KW - parallel language use
KW - EAP
KW - language acquisition
KW - affective factors
M3 - Book chapter
SN - 1443829986
SN - 9781443829984
VL - 1
SP - 188
EP - 212
BT - Policies, Principles, Practices
A2 - Cancino, Rita
A2 - Dam, Lotte
A2 - Jæger, Kirsten
PB - Cambridge Scholars Press
CY - Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
ER -
ID: 35244013