Developing essential skills for academic success
How should we prepare learners for the university classroom? University courses in English present many challenges for speakers of other languages. They must adjust not only to a new language but also to a new environment with new expectations. For perhaps the first time, they will be expected to participate actively in lectures and class discussions, read course materials critically, engage constructively with the ideas of their peers and instructors, demonstrate original thinking, and develop effective arguments in their written work. To meet these challenges, learners must develop critical thinking skills alongside the traditional language skills. These skills include:
- Questioning the ideas in reading and listening texts
- Identifying strengths and weaknesses in arguments
- Taking notes effectively in lectures
- Participating actively in class discussions
- Developing original ideas through reading and reflection
In his webinar, Skillful author Mike S. Boyle will discuss ways to help learners improve these and other skills while also improving their overall ability in academic English.
About the presenter: Mike S. Boyle has more than 15 years of experience as an English teacher, an editor of teaching materials, and a coursebook writer. He has taught English to university students in Japan and the United States, and is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he taught composition and creative writing. He is co-author of Skillful Level 3 Listening & Speaking and Level 4 Reading & Writing.