English at the University

English continues in most areas to be used even more intensively as a medium of instruction when the pupil goes on to further education beyond school, notably at training colleges, and the university.

At the university level the main emphasis switches to the written form of English, and a student's written English often needs attention throughout his whole university period. The oral approach is best for the earlier stages of education, yet the very success of this approach is likely to have had effects on the student's written style, and the university student needs supplementary practice in what is, after all, a separate and equally necessary idiom, that of written English. The attainment of the Overseas School Certificate or its equivalent does not guarantee that the candidate will write perfect, idiomatic English at the university. Accordingly, continuous attention to students' English composition is necessary y if they are to derive the full profit from the course.

The final aim should be to produce a student whose English will give him full control of the type of writing and reading required to master his subject successfully at degree level, and to use his attainments afterwards both in his professional life and in society in general. Since, therefore, adequate English for an Engineer, for example, may be different from the English adequate for a student of English literature, any supplementary English course required at higher specialisation stage or university should be based on a survey of these varying needs. Several courses of this type will probably be required to cover the range of subjects being studied.

The need for training students in efficient methods of study is a universal educational problem, but when it is related to study through the medium of English as a second language the two aspects interact with particularly important consequences. If a student is taught to use his skill in language methodically, he will avoid dissipating energy on problems that may not be language problems at all.

A special problem arises with a student who proceeds by scholarship or other means to a university or other institution in the United Kingdom or in any other English-speaking country. He now faces the ultimate test of his use of English, namely, direct competition with students who speak and write English as native speakers. The student from overseas who has learned his English as a second language can seldom compete on absolutely equal terms. For this reason attention is drawn to our proposals for supplementary courses in English.