Language and degree awarding gaps: linguistic inequity in UK higher education
Export to calendarAbstract
Although many international students rank among the top performers at UK universities, as a group they perform notably less well than home students. Persistent degree-awarding gaps are also observed between UK-domiciled students from ethnic minority backgrounds and their white British peers. Many international and ethnic minority students grew up speaking languages other than English at home and enter university with varying levels of English language and literacy skills. My research investigates the role that language plays in their academic success.
In this talk, I will discuss recent findings on how the language and literacy skills of students who speak languages other than English, both international and UK-domiciled, compare with those of peers who speak English as a first language. I will examine the evidence that language and literacy skills influence academic success at university, and consider at what point language ceases to be a barrier to success.
More broadly, I will consider the challenges of pursuing an academic degree with limited proficiency in the language of instruction, and explore how psycholinguistic research can inform university policies and strategies aimed at ensuring that the educational experiences and outcomes of international and ethnic minority students are not compromised.
Teams link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3825967966058?p=oaa4boDA3tu5ZnqMja
Bio
Danijela is a Professor of Applied Linguistics at the University of Oxford. Her research combines experimental and correlational methods and focuses on two areas: language, memory and cognition, particularly in second language learning and use; and language, literacy and academic attainment among university students who use English as an additional language.
