Comparing language skill priorities among TESOL faculty and ESL students bound for English‐medium universities

Abstract

With growing evidence that learners of English as a second language (ESL) may face linguistic disadvantages when studying at English‐medium universities, it is appropriate to identify the most effective ways to optimize their preparation. One area of interest is the relative importance university professors across disciplines place on language skills in their classrooms and how this might inform ESL teaching and learning. Thus, this study sought to identify perceptions of TESOL faculty and their ESL learners in terms of the relative importance of various English language skills such as reading, writing, listening, and speaking, and the extent to which they are aligned with the views of professors in the disciplines. Results suggest that although perceptions of TESOL faculty are well aligned with university content professors who have indicated that listening and reading are most important, students do not share this awareness and consider all language skills to be of equal value. This study also highlights the possible benefits of practitioners helping their students form appropriate and realistic expectations of pronunciation and the need for the field to better prepare practitioners to effectively teach the skill of listening.