LITE Fellow publishes book on language and teaching practice
BETTER understanding the barriers and challenges to teaching English for academic purposes in an international context is the subject of a new book penned by one of the Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence's (LITE) first Fellows.
Associate Professor Bee Bond's book: Making Language Visible in the University (English for Academic Purposes and Internationalisation), focuses on the meeting of language, disciplinary content and knowledge communication against the background of the economic, cultural and ideological forces of Higher Education's current push for internationalisation.
Bee's LITE project -The Role of language in discipline-specific knowledge and understanding - sought to understand the significant role language plays in shaping discipline-specific knowledge and understanding; smoothing international student transitions.
Bee was appointed as one of the first cohort of LITE Fellows in 2016 and now uses the evidence and outcomes of her project to inform changes to the way English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is embedded across the curriculum at the University of Leeds.
In her latest book, Bee suggests the need for a greater synergy between language and content experts and argues that change needs to be implemented through policy rather than on an ad-hoc basis by individual teachers.
AUTHOR: Associate Professor, Bee Bond.
Bee said: "This book expands on the ideas developed during my LITE project and is written for anyone involved in teaching in Higher Education.
I hope that readers will find suggestions, ideas and even solutions to some of the questions that puzzle them about their own practice when teaching in an international university, and that the importance of language becomes clear.
READ: The Long Read: Inclusive teaching and learning for international students
READ: Bee’s LITE blog ‘The Importance of Language for Learning’
Dr Alex Ding, Director of Scholarship at the School of Languages, Cultures and Societies, at the University of Leeds, said:
"Bee’s book is highly significant for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the importance and impact of language in Higher Education (HE) for students and staff is given centre stage by Bee, revealing the complexities, tensions and politics surrounding language teaching, policy and subject teaching in an international university.
"Secondly, and equally importantly, Bee’s publication is a brilliant example of the role and impact of scholarship in HE and serves as inspiration for all those who place teaching at the heart of their activities.
"It serves as a reminder of how scholarship can have significant impact in universities."