Students' Attitudes to Lecturers' English in English-Medium Higher Education in Denmark

Christian Jensen, Louise Denver, Inger M. Mees, Charlotte Werther

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    This study examines the evaluative reactions of university students to their non-native lecturers’ English skills in English-medium instruction, i.e. when English is used as a lingua franca in an academic context. In particular, we examine the relationship between perceptions of English language proficiency and perceptions of general lecturing competence (defined here as knowledge of subject and teaching skills). Statistical analyses of 1,700 student responses to 31 non-native English-speaking lecturers at a major business school in Denmark revealed that the students’ perceptions of the lecturers’ English language proficiency is a significant predictor of their perceptions of the lecturers’ general lecturing competence and vice versa. We interpret this as a two-way relationship caused by speech stereotypes similar to those which have been demonstrated in social-psychological experiments. This effect should be addressed when universities use student ratings to evaluate teaching in English-medium content courses.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalN J E S (Online)
    Volume13
    Issue number1
    Pages (from-to)87-112
    ISSN1654-6970
    Publication statusPublished - 2013

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