Gathering Transition Perspectives: Views of Undergraduates with Low English Proficiency (LEP) in the First Year of English Medium Instruction (EMI)

Abstract

This paper reports on the qualitative and quantitative data gathered from a sub group of first year undergraduates in a faculty of Management and Finance, the students with Low English Proficiency (LEP). These students were in the second semester of their first year. This data captures the students’ expectations and impressions of their first year EMI experience. The main objective of this data collection and analysis was to identify the students’ perspective on the importance of the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking related to their academic tasks. Thus, it was used to identify the language needs and motivations according to the first year undergraduates. These students identified comprehension of content lectures, reading and comprehending lecture notes and other subject related reading material, reading and comprehending exam questions, writing exam answers and assessed assignments. However, the students’ views need to be triangulated with the hindsight views of senior students to gather a more comprehensive understanding of their real English language needs. Such insights have the potential to guide needs based tailormade English language interventions.