English for academics concept: Course principles in teaching EAP to researchers

Professional and Academic English. 2017. No. 49. P. 22–31.

Bogolepova S., Suchkova S., Oschepkova T., Shadrova E.

This article aims at sharing the results of the British Council partner project English for Academics implemented in Russia in 2012-2015. The need for this project was identified in the Baseline Study having indicated the necessity to design a course for university staff in order to develop their foreign language communicative competence and to stimulate their participation in international projects. The concept of the course is based on the needs analysis conducted by the British Council; the methodological principles of the book are conducive for meeting the needs of the target group. The participants of this project describe the project stages, the concept of the book they have developed, and illustrate the principles with sample activities from the course. We demonstrate how the understanding of learners’ needs and characteristics helps select appropriate pedagogical principles to meet these needs and to exploit the characteristics. Based on the results of a piloting stage we conclude that the course is an effective means of developing academics’ language proficiency and, consequently, enables university instructors and researchers to participate in international projects.

Keywords: course development, English for Academic Purposes, needs analysis