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Study skills or Language skills?
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Fri, 04/03/2009 - 21:50
Hi All
I think study skills are essential for any of EAP/ESP courses as they encourage the development of independent students in academic and specialism-related areas. What do you think?
My EAP/ESP teacher training experience shows that some teachers can't see the difference between study skills and language skills that has prompted me to apply to you with the series of questions:
What skills do you consider to be study skills?
Academic reading, academic writing, academic speaking or giving presentations... Aren't they language skills?
Is it necessary to differentiate between study skills and language skills? If yes, how?
Hi Zira,
Sometimes it's difficult to separate language and study skills. I try to think of all study skills in EAP as ways for students to be autonomous, both as academic students and as language learners. I think the langauge side of EAP is not very well covered in most of the EAP coursebooks lately. There is quite a lot of language to learn in connection with being autonomous and with the study skills you mention, e.g. how to ask questions at a presentation. But there is also all the functional language, e.g. for explaining cause and effect and linking evidence to conclusions.
Sue