A Widely Spoken Lesser-Taught Language: Portuguese in British Higher Education

QUALITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION: STORIES OF ENGLISH AND CZECH ACADEMICS AND HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERS

In post-Bologna Europe, there has been a noticeable increase in English-medium instruction. In this article we take the case of Sweden as an illustrative example of the wider disciplinary issues involved in changing the teaching language in this way. By 2008 the use of English in Swedish higher education had risen to such an extent that it had to be regulated at the governmental level and through university language policies. Such policies have attempted to provide generalised pragmatic guidelines for language use across educational programmes. In this paper we argue that such general policies fail to take into consideration fundamental disciplinary differences and their potential impact on language use. We present a theoretical argument about the knowledge structures of disciplines, relating these to the disciplinary literacy goals of educational programmes. We then illustrate our argument using data from an extensive survey carried out at a major Swedish university. We conclude that the disciplinary variation in the use of English can be seen as a product of different knowledge-making practices and educational goals. This conclusion problematises “one-size-fits-all” language policies which only deal with general features of language use and do not allow for discipline-specific adjustments.

This narrative review explores the strategies and challenges associated with teaching Academic English (EAP) in higher education, summarizing recent research findings and practical evidence. With the expansion of global academia, proficiency in academic English has become vital for students and institutions. The review examines learner-centered, multimodal, and technology-driven instructional strategies, such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI), that support effective language acquisition. It also discusses persistent challenges, including varying student proficiency, insufficient teacher training, and difficulties in technology implementation, highlighting their impact on teaching outcomes. The issue of biases toward non-native English teachers is also examined. Empirical studies reveal successful approaches such as blended learning and structured teacher development programs. Recommendations emphasize institutional commitment, targeted professional development, and strategic technology use. Suggestions for future research include deeper investigation into critical thinking, digital literacy, intercultural competence, and sustainable EAP program effectiveness.

Introduction. Linguistic compression and the ways of its creation plays an important role as well as sets new standarts to future diplomatic staff training, implying innovations in the formation of their foreign language communication skills. According to the new emerging regulations and movement towards meeting NATO standards in assessment of the future specialists and the development of professional communicative skills within a short period of time (two years), the problem of linguistic compression as a tool and means is extremely urgent. Therefore, the implementation and further use of the updated Military Diplomatic English withing performance of professional tasks, makes the educational process more differentiated, individualized, focused and interactive.Purpose. To analyse the tendencies of development of modern English language, the peculiarities of formation of general lexical neologisms by means of language compression.Methods. Analysis of the researched problem; systematization and generalization of the information obtained from the theoretical sources; methods of comparative analysis, classification, abstraction, induction and deduction.Results. It has been defined that the use of neologisms withing the framework of linguistic compression when teaching Military Diplomatic English is to facilitate the educational process and is aimed at optimisation of the forms of teaching. The main methodical peculiarities of the linguistic compression are elicited and described in the research. It contributes not only to mastering students’ language skills but also to preparing for their future professional activities.Originality. A concept of linguistic compression within the framework of the formation of neologisms has been introduced as well as the importance of use of neologisms themselves when delievering English in military higher education institutions.Conclusion. The article defines the essence of the notion “linguistic compression”, “neologism”, explores the mechanisms of neologism formation in English and identifies the meaning of linguistic compression as a mechanism for enriching English with neologisms, analyzes the peculiarities of formation of common language lexical neologisms using linguistic compression, which should be taken into account when delievering English in higher education institutions.

Kachru's (1992) Eccentric Circles framework has been very influential in understanding and explaining trends in the unprecedented spread of English around the world. However, so far the research within the World Englishes paradigm has focused mostly on Inner and Outer Circle countries and their English varieties (Seidlhofer, 2009), rather than Expanding Circle countries. While Expanding Circle countries in Asia (e.g. Chang, 2006) or parts of the European Union (e.g. Coleman, 2006) have been gaining increasing attention in recent years, Expanding Circle countries like Turkey have not been examined to the same degree. Notable exceptions include Doğançay-Aktuna (1998), Büyükkantarcı (2004), and Selvi (2011), which we summarize below. As in many Expanding Circle countries, the spread of English has not been equally distributed in all domains of life in Turkey. For example, little is known in the field regarding English in the higher education context compared with other domains, such as language policy, business, or media, both in Turkey and in other Expanding Circle countries. We address this issue through this study.

Globalization has been one of the most influential forces on higher education, and its implications have indicated inequalities for universities in the“centers” versus the“peripheries” debate (Altbach 2006). In the cases of Japan and Korea, they have several top research universities, according to the university ranking systems of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the London Times Higher Education Supplement. However, the position of Japan and Korea as non-English speaking countries in Asia, combined with the predominance of English in higher education, appears to place them both on the peripheries of the elite higher education institutions. One example that may indicate their peripheral position is the mobility of international students. With respect to international student mobility, Korea has been one of the top sending countries globally for many years, particularly to the United States, while it has been the lowest among developed nations as a host country (Davis 2003; Institute of International Education [HE] 2009). Similarly, Japan has been a major sending country, while it is recently emerging as a study abroad destination (HE 2009, 2010).

The ideas which I would like to discuss here represent neither a theory nor a methodology. I would like to say, first of all, what has been the goal of my work during the last twenty years. It has not been to analyze the phenomena of power, nor to elaborate the foundations of such an analysis. My objective, instead, has been to create a history of the different modes by which, in our culture, human beings are made subjects. My work has dealt with three modes of objectification which transform human beings into subjects. The first is the modes of inquiry which try to give themselves the status of sciences; for example, the objectivizing of the speaking subject in grammaire generale, philology, and linguistics. Or again, in this first mode, the objectivizing of the productive subject, the subject who labors, in the analysis of wealth and of economics. Or, a third example, the objectivizing of the sheer fact of being alive in natural history or biology. In the second part of my work, I have studied the objectivizing of the subject in what I shall call "dividing practices." The subject is either

Past research and debate on the use of English in higher education has mostly focused on northern European countries, as they were among the first to consider using English as a language of instruction. This paper seeks to broaden the topic by focusing on a diverse group of countries including Brazil, France, Malaysia, South Africa, and Spain. The two key aspects discussed here concern existing national policies regarding language in higher education in the target countries and the role of English in their respective higher education systems.

Positionality and the dialectic of race and gender in British higher education: The issue with (mis) representation

For almost half a century from the early 1960s Martin Trow was the most persistent American commentator on British higher education. He analysed the main reports from Robbins to Dearing, developed and applied a language for discussing common problems amongst different systems, and focused on the uncertain progress of the UK to mass higher education. He was committed to understanding and comparing national systems of higher education in their wider contexts, applying his blend of sociology, history and policy research and analysis. The result was a sustained picture of British politics and policies, systemic and institutional change and resistance. This article follows his path through some of the most important and difficult events in British higher education, tracing his interpretations in his published and unpublished work, and conference papers. The article, therefore, becomes a recent history of British higher education through perceptive American eyes.

English is a modern and stable language for international communication. All progressive countries have long been leaders in their study and knowledge. That is, the success of the country directly depends on the level of knowledge of the most large-scale and universal language in the world. However, due to the unstable, imperfect, and weak English language system in the Ukrainian HEIs and in the country as a whole, we are unable to keep up with the times and to be at the proper level of political and economic development alongside the leading countries of the world. That is why many innovations and changes are being introduced at the current stage of education development in Ukraine, including the legislation. The field of English in higher education has always been and still is, the Achilles' heel. The overstated requirements and inconsistency of the tasks set for their implementation are what characterize the status of English language learning in the Defense Law in Ukraine. Ongoing implementation of updated standards and, in return, no improvements and prospects. According to statistics, the vast majority of the population of all foreign languages still understand English the best. And even after graduation, they have an adequate level of knowledge of the international language of communication. However, over the years of studying at the HEI, previously acquired language skills can not only improve but also preserve existing knowledge. The purpose of the article is: ⎯ study of the status of studying English in higher education institutions, which is fixed at the legislative level; to find out the problem of the status of studying English in the HEI in Ukraine; ⎯ finding out the meaning of English and learning it; ⎯ Consideration of the state perspectives of English language development in the Higher Education of Ukraine, in particular regarding the future requirements for the English language students and the concept of English language development in higher education in Ukraine; analyze the relationship between English language proficiency in the country and its political and economic development status. The importance of English to open new horizons and opportunities for people is recognized by Ukraine and is embedded in many national initiatives and strategies where English is recognized as key, including: ⎯ recognition of the need to ensure the competitiveness of Ukrainian scientists and graduates at national and international levels; ⎯ striving for internationalization of higher education; ⎯ programs for academic and educational integration within the EU; compulsory learning of English in primary and secondary education; ⎯ Adoption of the National Framework of the Professional English Curriculum for Use in the Defense Law of Ukraine; ⎯ defining the study of foreign languages, in particular English, as a priority of domestic policy in the strategic documents of Ukraine. Thus, the Sustainable Development Strategy "Ukraine-2020" within the framework of the Program of popularization of Ukraine in the world and promotion of Ukraine's interests in the world information space "envisages strengthening of the institutional capacity for the implementation of international strategic communications; increasing and optimizing Ukraine's presence at international events and venues; presence in the international academic, cultural and social environment. ⎯ English Year in Ukraine (2016) and more. [4] Keywords: English, higher education in Ukraine, the language of international communication, reform of the higher education system in Ukraine, HEI.

The article examines the effectiveness of adapting the communicative approach to teaching English in higher education. The aim of the study is to determine the impact of new methodologies on the development of students' communicative competencies. To achieve this goal, the following methods were used: surveys, testing, observation, and semi-structured interviews. Statistical analysis included the Levene's test, the Mann-Whitney test, ANOVA, and correlation analysis. The results showed a significant improvement in students' communicative skills: the average scores in grammar knowledge tests increased from 72.4 to 85.6 and lexical skills improved from 68.7 to 82.5. Other communicative skills also improved: speaking increased from 70.3 to 83.8 (p < 0.01) and listening improved from 65.2 to 80.1 (p < 0.01). The practical significance of the results lies in the potential integration of communicative methods into curricula to enhance the quality of language education. Prospects for further research include evaluating the long-term effectiveness of the communicative approach and its adaptation to different forms of learning, including online and blended formats.

The study aims to determine the perception, recognition and adaptation of Philippine English in higher education at the University of Cebu-Main Campus. It analyzed students' attitudes and experiences to help inform debates on the role of Philippine English in academic and professional contexts and to provide input to language teaching policy. The study used a descriptive-correlational design to collect data from 314 students through a researcher-made survey questionnaire. The study revealed that students viewed Philippine English as an acceptable and functional variety of English for educational settings in terms of acceptability and effectiveness in academic communication. Respondents also displayed a high level of recognition regarding Philippine English, notably the influences of Filipino languages on the language and code-switching and often adapted Philippine English in different social contexts but less in academic settings. The study further revealed a significant difference of its acceptability and usefulness in the academic setting when respondents are grouped according to age, year level and college. This study underscored the importance of understanding the perceptions of students as well as the regional adaptation of Philippine English to help inform language education policy and also calls for further examinations in the following areas: teacher impact, longitudinal studies, social media influence, and comparative regional or institution-based research.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore students’ perception and use of English in higher education (HE) institutions in Malaysia. In doing so, it aims to better understand the relationship between students’ perception of English and academic self-efficacy, particularly since English is used as a medium of instruction in HE institutions.Design/methodology/approachApproximately, 980 questionnaires were distributed to four HE institutions to explore relationships and patterns of students perceived English language proficiency and academic self-efficacy as potential variables shaping their academic performance. About 838 students participated.FindingsThe findings revealed that although students did not rate their English proficiency very highly, they placed high value on English in regards to their academic performance and job prospects upon graduation. More importantly, the findings also show that the majority of the students had high academic self-efficacy beliefs in L2, and were more accurate at calibrating their efficacy beliefs with subsequent performance in academic settings, unlike typical research findings on Asian students as generally holding lower self-efficacy beliefs. This finding was evidenced by the strong and positive relationship between perceived English language competence and academic self-efficacy in L2.Practical implicationsIt is imperative that students’ academic self-efficacy beliefs be enhanced as it has been revealed to mobilise motivation and cognitive resources. It is also necessary to offer targeted support services specifically designed to further help students to improve their English academic skills.Originality/valueIn this study, rewards offered by instrumental motivation in terms of increased academic literacy and career appear to supersede the motive of identification with the L2 language community. It is likely that students in Malaysian HE institutions are becoming increasingly motivated to study due to their own visions and desires, rather than as a result of external requirements. Such findings should be capitalised since self-efficacy is predictive of academic performance.

This article discusses the theoretical foundations, content and importance of the communicative approach in teaching English in higher education institutions. Through the communicative approach, students are formed as active participants in language learning, special attention is paid to the development of their oral and written speech skills, as well as interactive communication competence. The article analyzes the advantages of the communicative approach over traditional methods, effective strategies and practical experience in higher education. Also, the impact of lesson models based on the communicative approach in teaching English on the learning process and its results are analyzed based on empirical data. The results of the study serve to develop scientific and practical recommendations for improving the quality of English language teaching in higher education.