After learning English as a Second Language as a course throughout primary and high school, one might feel confident to study at a university abroad. Yet, is typical conversational and basic academic English enough to survive the rigorous studies ahead? The world of academia is full of its own jargon that can be overwhelming for a freshman who speaks English fluently, so imagine what it may be like for someone who is not even a native English speaker.
A non-native English speaking university student studying in the US, UK or simply in an English-medium program will face a wide array of situations for the first time. One way to be prepared for the unique experience of studying at a university level in an English-speaking country is to study English specific to university life. That’s why many students who plan on studying abroad choose to spend a few months using the book, Communicating on Campus Student Book: Skills for Academic Speaking to help them prepare.
"This book offers students real life situations and helps to fill in the gaps that might not have been filled while preparing for IELTS (International English Language Testing System exam) ."
The book is divided into 13 chapters and six units focusing on specific themes that a student will face during university life abroad. These topics include things like visiting a teacher during office hours, making a presentation in front of a class, and so on. This book offers students real life situations and helps to fill in the gaps that might not have been filled while preparing for IELTS( International English Language Testing System exam) . Though the book uses a task-oriented approach and is heavy on dialogues, it doesn’t neglect the nitty gritty of things like grammar and vocabulary.
Most of the units spend a lot of time covering oral communication. This is advantageous for a student going abroad for university since college life is much about meeting new people. How one interacts with teachers; completes mundane logistical tasks like getting a student ID; makes friends; and works with others on group assignments will have a huge impact on university life.
The book also has a DVD that shows different scenes from university life. Considering the book and DVD is aimed at intermediate to advanced students, the dialogue in the scenes may seem quite simple at first, but it is still a good resource for not only learning English, but giving the students a glimpse of what to expect at university. By seeing these scenes ahead of time, students are likely to be more confident when they really do attend university.
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Confidence is a key component of this study guide and DVD in general. Taking the plunge and moving abroad for higher studies is very daunting. But with the help of Communicating on Campus, students will feel more prepared and ready for the challenges ahead.
As a teacher, this book and DVD set is especially useful for students who are planning to go abroad relatively soon. Ideally, you can start this book in the early spring and finish up with it by the end of the summer. Using this book before your student goes to college abroad is the perfect send off. If you have students who are not yet ready to go away to college, but are truly considering it, you may also want to use this book to help them make a final decision.
