Re-contextualising academic writing in English: Case studies of international students in Denmark

Project description 

With the internationalisation of European higher education continuing apace, English literacy is becoming essential for full participation in university practices, creating both possibilities and challenges for students in the internationalised university in non-English dominant Europe. A growing body of research exploring the possible pedagogical challenges of university practices in such settings has suggested that writing in English represents a particular challenge for both domestic and international students, but little insight is available into the exact nature of these challenges.

This study set out to explore in depth the experiences of non-degree international students taking up positions as academic writers over the duration of courses in English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and various academic subjects in English at a Danish university. The study is investigating six focal students’ challenges in re-contextualising themselves as writers in English in a new university environment. The data from the project were generated from regular interviews with the participants over one semester, supplemented by questionnaires, documentary evidence, and observational data.

The results illuminate the multifaceted nature of students’ experiences as writers of English, manifested in three main areas of concern: ideational, linguistic, and interpersonal. These writing concerns were embedded in more global processes of establishing academic continuity and in managing English-mediated instruction and learning in the English-as-a-lingua-franca context, involving critical re-evaluation of known academic practices and more complex understandings of what learning to write in English entails. The English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course produced variable effects among the participants in supporting their academic endeavours in content subjects. The study suggests that providing international students with L2 support is an educational policy worth pursuing.

Write cip@hum.ku.dk to ask for a PDF copy of the thesis. 

Project participants

The PhD project is conducted by Sanne Larsen. 

Project period

The project was published in 2013.