FOR ADMINISTRATORS
HOW SHOULD OUR UNIVERSITY SELECT STUDENTS FOR MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS?
Ideally, have a policy to use international exams such as IELTS to test students for English language levels, and require a CEFR B2 level result for any test for postgraduate study in English.
DO NOT ARBITRARILY CHOOSE OR FORCE STUDENTS INTO MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS.
WHAT ADJUSTMENTS SHOULD WE MAKE TO THE CURRICULUM TO SUPPORT ACADEMIC SKILLS IN THREE LANGUAGES?
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Add foundational courses (before entry into the program) that use genre-based pedagogy for students who are interested in multilingual programs but have lower proficiency in any of the three languages
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Continue with credit-bearing courses in academic communication (focused on writing, but using reading and speaking to help shape writing)
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Encourage co-teaching or other collaborations between content teachers and practical language teachers for all three languages
HOW CAN WE BEST PREPARE OUR STAFF TO TEACH IN MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS?
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Provide courses that not only teach general English but also:
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cover subject-specific knowledge and terminology in English and other languages;
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teach the language of teaching in English,
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teach methods of teaching in a foreign language;
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offer state of the art approaches to teaching in any language; and
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raise awareness of the elements of different scientific texts that students and teachers need to produce (e.g. lab reports, psychological profiles, research articles).
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raise awareness of the need (and ways) to adapt skills across types of texts and languages
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Invite teachers of disciplines and teachers of practical English to collaborate on lesson design.
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Provide teachers teaching in English not only more money but more time to prepare lessons in English.
WHAT RESOURCES SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED FOR FUNDING IN MULTILINGUAL PROGRAMS?
Use the self-assessment process to identify the top priorities in your university. Priorities that have been noted in other universities include:
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Library resources in three languages (paper collection and online database subscriptions)
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Study abroad opportunities for students and teachers
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International student recruitment
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Laboratory equipment and materials
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IT resources and support
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Internships
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Courses in academic writing in 3 languages
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Events that popularize teaching and learning in three languages