Investigating Pre-sessional Students’ Perceptions and Learning Transfer of EAP Study Skills TALIF Research Project – University of Essex BALEAP PIM at Edinburgh 18th March 2017 Dr Sandra Huang Josephine Kingsford University of Liverpool University of Essex sandrah@liverpool.ac.uk jojok@essex.ac.uk

Background Pre-sessional teaching In-sessional Support classes Pre-sessional Materials Design 14/11/2018

Pre-sessional Perceptions EAP tutors’ perceptions Subject teachers’ perceptions Pre-sessional students’ perceptions 14/11/2018

Subject Lecturer’s perceptions EAP teacher’s observation no preparation; not doing set reading lack of English lack of participation in seminars and tutorials, i.e. students being passive = ‘lazy’ did not know how to start an assignment word by word translation, no holistic overview; Comments made by lecturer were concerned lack of argumentation, structure, critical thinking, i.e. lecturer made EAP comments No confidence in speaking in seminars, but able to speak to EAP tutors after seminars Not knowing how to find academic sources 14/11/2018

Subject Lecturer’s perceptions EAP teacher’s observation no preparation; not doing set reading ACADEMIC READING SKILLS lack of English ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS lack of participation in seminars and tutorials, i.e. students being passive = ‘lazy’ ACADEMIC SPEAKING SKILLS did not know how to start an assignment RESEARCH SKILLS word by word translation, no holistic overview; Comments made by lecturer were concerned lack of argumentation, structure, critical thinking, i.e. lecturer made EAP comments No confidence in speaking in seminars, but able to speak to EAP tutors after seminars Not knowing how to find academic sources 14/11/2018

Transference of Study Skills James (2008; 2010; 2014) Not inevitable Often delayed The factors influencing skills transfer – Multi- dimentional Students’ perception of task and context similarity is one important element stimulating skill transfer in another setting. 14/11/2018

Transference of Study Skills How can a pre-sessional course be designed to stimulate learning transfer? 14/11/2018

The Aims of Materials Design To develop critical reading skills To familiarise students with reading academic journal articles / texts To encourage a holistic reading approach (i.e. for meaning and purposes) To provide a link between PS material and students’ future assignment demands, i.e. an awareness of ‘usefulness’ and transferability of skills learnt on the PS To train pre-sessional students’ critical reading skills: To familiarise students with reading academic journal articles. Most international students on a pre-sessional course are more familiar with reading textbooks in which texts are written to elicit theories and principles in a certain subject field, but are likely to have less experience in reading academic journal articles To encourage a holistic reading approach ( i.e. for meaning)Research has show that international students’ reading skills tend to focus on the micro level of the text. Students tend to approach a text by trying to understand the meaning of unknown vocabulary items or individual sentences. To provide a link between PS material and students’ future assignment demands i.e. to provide awareness of ‘usefulness’ and transferability of skills learnt on PS 14/11/2018

The Three Phases of the Academic Projects An academic essay of own chosen topic A critical review of two research articles A summary of a research article 14/11/2018

Findings – Assignment Types Essays Critical reviews Group discussions Oral presentations Reports Research proposals Progress reports (PhDs) 14/11/2018

Findings – Challenges in PG studies Critical thinking Critical evaluation (of viewpoints), i.e. “finding own opinions” Unable to understand assignment briefs “How to start” Difficulties in assignments relating theory to essay structure “Finding suitable sources”, e.g. using the keyword method 14/11/2018

Findings – The Most Useful Skills Note-taking Essay organisation Referencing How to avoid plagiarism Feedback analysis Critical thinking “… most things are learned [from] the Project… the Project class is the most useful” “…that course support your study now” 14/11/2018

Findings – We need more! Academic / subject-specific reading To study on a pre-sessional course with students from the same subject / department Familiarisation with different types of assignments, e.g. research reports, research proposals, etc. 14/11/2018

“The teacher should teach more kind of assignments.” “I think if there are different kind, many kind of different project, it would be better. Not just the critical review. Because you know your project course just two assignment, one is critical review, one is essay. But when I study in Sociology department now, there are many, many kind of assignments, reports, the proposal, the research design proposal and review, and many, many kind. But some of them, some of the assignments we never heard it before. Sometimes it’s difficult for students.” “The teacher should teach more kind of assignments.” 14/11/2018

Conclusion – Near Transfer The students’ perception of task and context similarity – crucial in skill transfer The students’ anticipation and awareness of applying study skills – needs to be increased 14/11/2018

Conclusion – Near Transfer In order to facilitate study skills transfer, James (2014:11) suggests that ‘educators may benefit from placing at least some emphasis on near transfer; although EAP instruction is already often designed to be similar to target situations (e.g. students’ other courses), near transfer might be emphasised by ensuring these similarities reflect as many dimensions of the transfer taxonomy as possible.’ James (ibid.) also points out that ‘EAP educators should, however, be cautious about expecting transfer when target situations differ from EAP instructions in numerous ways.’ 14/11/2018

References James, M. A. (2008). ‘The influence of perceptions of task similarity/difference on learning transfer in second language writing’. Written Communication 25(1): 76- 103. James, M. A. (2010). ‘An investigation of learning transfer in English-for-general- academic-purposes writing instruction’. Journal of Second Language Writing 19: 183-206. James, M. A. (2014). ‘Learning transfer in English-for-academic-purposes contexts: a systematic review of research’. Journal English for Academic Purposes 14: 1-13. Moore, T. & Morton, J. (2005). ‘Dimensions of difference: a comparison of university writing and IELTS writing’. Journal English for Academic Purposes 4: 43- 66. Storch, N. & Tapper, J. (2009). ‘The impact of an EAP course on postgraduate writing’. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 8: 207-223. Terraschke, A. & Wahid, R. (2011). ‘The impact of EAP study on the academic experiences of international postgraduate students in Australia’. Journal of English for Academic Purposes 10: 173-182. 14/11/2018