Conference 2015 - Plenary Videos

Prof Rebecca Hughes.

British Council Director of International Education

Navigation in a complex world: English as compass or map?

Those who work with international students to help them prepare for studies in the medium of English are working in an increasingly complex, mobile and connected world. HESA statistics show that it was around 2011 that the numbers of international students undertaking a UK degree outside the British Isles started to outstrip those taking one on our shores. These numbers continue to rise steeply. Simultaneously increasing numbers of international institutions are starting to teach in the medium of English; and the teaching of English in primary and secondary schools has strengthened language skills of young people dramatically in key markets for UK institutions. This talk examines these phenomena in more detail and asks what the role of those supporting students in their journey towards a successful completion of their degree might become in future if we extrapolate from these trends.

Prof Ken Hyland.

The University of Hong Kong

Innovating Instruction: Specificity and English in the disciplines.

In 2012 Hong Kong reformed its educational system by removing a year from students’ school experience and adding it to their time at university. At Hong Kong University we took this opportunity to reconsider the English that we taught and redesign our courses to focus on “English in the Discipline”. This recognizes that disciplinary variations in communicative conventions are at the heart of EAP and involves identifying the particular language features and discourse practices of target groups. In this presentation I discuss something of this process and the principles of disciplinary specific language, highlighting research which supports a specific view of teaching.