Teaching in English in higher education

 Read English-medium books, newspapers, journals, blogs, cartoons, etc. We are living in times when you can find information on almost every topic on earth online, much of it for free; and new and second-hand books are easily accessible. Why not go for the English original every now and then instead of waiting for months until the translation is released?

 Watch films, series, and documentaries on television, streaming services or other channels in English rather than in translated versions. Turn on the English subtitles so you understand unfamiliar accents or fast speakers. At the beginning, you may find it difficult to grasp the nuances. But once you have got used to the strange sound of your favourite actresses’ (own!) voices, you might find yourself enjoying the subtle linguistic humour that often gets lost in translations. By the way, watching subtitled television is very likely how most of your Scandinavian and Dutch students have become proficient speakers of English.

 Listen to English media as often as possible. If you travel a lot or have other time slots in your daily or weekly schedule that you can spend listening to the news, or informative or entertaining programmes, why not explore new podcasts and audio books?

 Use learning software or apps to brush up your English. As little as a few minutes per day, or several times a week, can help to build a routine. Try different providers and programmes to find which fit your expectations, language level, and availability, and then stick with them. Regular exercise is key.

 Go back to school. Of course, you could be bold and ask your superiors for funding to go to South Africa, South Carolina, or Southampton for an intensive immersion language course. If they think you exaggerate, they might still be able to provide funding for a refresher course at your own institution of higher education or the local adult education centre, so you can revise the grammar and practise fluency.

 Seek individual language support. You may not be thrilled by the prospect of sitting in a class with a bunch of other people who have completely different language problems and questions. In that case, treat yourself on some individual sessions with a competent language coach. This enables you to discuss topics you are really interested in, and to receive tailored on-the-spot language feedback. Even a few individual language coaching sessions can boost your progress and motivation.

 Find real first-language speakers of English. If you are not able, or willing, to pay a language professional, you can still look for opportunities to get involved in international clubs or other settings, either online or in the real world (if anything like that exists in your hometown …). There are so many people with so many interests on this planet that you certainly will find someone to communicate with in English. Maybe you just need to take one step out of your comfort zone? Try acting in an amateur drama group, singing in an international choir, learning a new game, or joining a sports team. In most places with institutions of higher education, the options are almost endless.

It hardly matters what you choose to do to improve your general English language skills and fluency – as long as you take a first step and begin doing something. This is not about being original; it is about looking for opportunities to practise, and to become more confident. Which ideas do you have? Which specific steps could you take to get you beyond the stage of high-flying New Year’s resolutions, and to make speaking English a habit, or even a pleasure?

Time for reflection:

What could I do to practise my general English language skills?

What are practical ways to incorporate more reading, speaking, and listening to English into my daily, or weekly routines?

What will be my first step and when exactly will I take it?

If you are eager now to explore various possibilities to improve your general English language skills, fine. If you are not, that is fine, too. While it is good to work on strengthening your language skills, let us not overestimate their importance. Remember: You do not study English to pass an exam. You only revise some basic language and grammar issues and get some fluency practice in order to make yourself understood in the classroom.

However, there is one exception: If you realise (from student or peer feedback, for example) that you have an accent that makes it literally impossible for students to understand you, you need to take action. The same holds true for speaking difficulties that have psychological or physiological reasons, such as lisping, speaking extremely softly, or losing your voice quickly. Of course, such difficulties can also cause problems in your first language; but they might increase under the pressure of performing in a foreign language (cf. Hellekjær 2010). If you intend to stay in a job that includes speaking in public regularly, you are well-advised to work on your speaking skills and pronunciation with a language teacher, communication coach, or speech therapist.

References and further reading

BBC (2019). Learning English. Retrieved from www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/ on 30 August 2019.

British Council (2019). Learn English. Retrieved from www.britishcouncil.org/english on 30 August 2019.

Hellekjær, G. O. (2010). Language matters. Assessing lecture comprehension in Norwegian English-medium higher education. In: Dalton-Puffer, C., Nikula, T., & Smit, U. (eds.). Language use and language learning in CLIL classrooms. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins. 233-258.

United Nations World Food Programme (2019). Free Rice. Retrieved from www.freerice.com on 23 August 2019.

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