Publication details
Student’s guide to academic English
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2011 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The implementation of CEFR levels into new Language Education System of Masaryk University, Czech Republic opened the question of the position of LAP and LSP competences within the system of general descriptors stated by the framework. This situation led us to applying CEFR principles to language competences typically associated with LAP and LSP, thus extending CEFR with descriptions connected to subject related competences (e.g. subject related intercultural and pragmatic issues). These extended CEFR descriptions have become a valuable tool which helps both students to self-assess their language competences in the areas of LAP and LSP, and teachers as a reference relevant in testing and material development. The existence of such specific descriptions in combination with students’ lack of awareness of CEFR existence re-opened the question of producing relevant and useful materials especially for teaching EAP and ESP to undergraduate bachelor students who enter university at a lower than the expected B2 level of their language competences. These materials should serve not only as language teaching materials aimed at autonomous learners but they should also include explanation of the materials position within CEFR and lead the autonomous learner towards better understanding of CEFR descriptions and further to easier self-assessment. These CEFR related informative notes as well as explanations of other techniques students need to master are presented in their mother tongue as students at this level find especially autonomous learning with monolingual internationally published books difficult, stressful and discouraging. The paper further argues that while an open range of approaches, teaching methods and activities provided by monolingual materials is doubtlessly of great importance, it should also be supplemented with notes, explanations and exercises tailored for the target audience where specific typical “national” problems and mistakes can be taken into account and explained, and cultural as well as pragmatic differences touched upon. Such materials should guide the autonomous learner on their way to B2 CEFR (adapted to LAP or LSP) level. The aim of the paper is to introduce examples of such materials as well as the LAP and LSP extended CEFR descriptions and discuss their relevance in modern autonomous language learning. |
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