3. Role of the universities in widening participation
to adult language learning
In most European universities during the last 10
to 20 years the teaching of foreign languages has
changed a great deal. In the past languages formed
a particular part of philological education, where
most emphasis was given to literature, history
and philosophy, but where clear definitions of
language learning objectives were often missing.
The main goal was preparing students to deal with
literary texts, i.e. to understand them, to give
a written interpretation and to translate them
into the students' language. Training in oral skills
consisted of transmitting phonetic theories into
reading exercises. Training in listening and speaking
competences was not really taken into consideration
in the curriculum. Furthermore lessons were (and
still are!) not held in the target language. Learning
tools were not designed for the target group, neither
were they conceived as a contrast to the learners'
own language. In many universities traces of this
kind of language teaching are still effective.
Nevertheless, some important changes occurred through
the new educational and cultural autonomy of universities
and through the growing incorporation of multimedia
information technologies. But language learning/teaching
at higher education institutions appears still
in a rather varying and uncertain light, characterised
by a multiplicity of learning/teaching approaches,
contents and examination standards. Teaching methods
and the content of the lessons are not clearly
defined everywhere nor are learners' needs taken
into account. From an infrastructural point of
view, it is still the case that 50 or even more
students sit more or less comfortably in classrooms
and listen to the teacher or lecturer without having
the opportunity to practise actively using the
target language.
Nowadays the E.U. objective of multilingual European
citizens is also finding a resonance in national
higher education policies. In many European universities
attendance at one or two language courses is compulsory
not only for students in humanities and language
faculties but also for all students (cf. the national
language reports).
Language learning is only part of the academic
program, as even enrolment in a language faculty
requires participation in many other classes. For
a person who wants to learn "only" one
or two languages without attending courses in other
subjects, university courses are not the right
answer. They are nevertheless the right solution
for those who want to get a degree and at the same
time also acquire and improve their knowledge of
languages.
European universities are confronted with a huge
challenge. They do not only have the responsibility
to transmit knowledge which prepares for bachelor's
or other higher degrees in many subjects, but in
the light of an already multilingual and multicultural
E.U. and especially in view of the enlargement
of the E.U., their responsibility to promote linguistic
and cultural diversity and to prepare multilingual
and multicultural citizens has increased. This
goal does not only concern degree courses within
the sector of languages (provision for students
of languages and linguistics, teacher training,
translator and interpreter training) but all degree
courses, from medicine to law, from engineering
to psychology, just to name a few. Languages must
be part of each academic program at all levels,
from a first degree and second degree courses,
masters courses to Ph. D courses. The acquired
level of language knowledge should be recorded
in the diplomas. There must be a progression in
students' language knowledge, which starts from
general everyday language up to highly specialised
professional language, parallel to the level of
the specialized academic degree .To offer comparability,
value scales must be synchronized (i.e. the common
reference levels in the Common European Framework,
or other internationally recognized language certificates).
All those who attend university, independently
of the subject or the degree course must be offered
the opportunity to acquire and improve in their
knowledge of at least two languages other than
their mother tongue. This means a major commitment
for universities not only in order to satisfy increasing
linguistic and cultural needs, but also in investment
in research which will enable universities to be
ready to face increasing future needs for linguistic
plurality.
Currently, most students who enrol for university
already have some knowledge of at least one foreign
language. The task of the university is to improve
their communicative competence and to "enable
them to communicate in different cultural and linguistic
environments, so they can take on social, economic,
political and scientific responsibilities at a
European and international level" (Berthoud,
Kalliokoski and Mackiewicz, 2001: 5). Language
learning/teaching in universities must also be
tightly correlated to the related degree course,
that means language learning and teaching should
be considered in a functional way. The best way
to realize this goal is offered by mobility between
European universities. But not every student -
and even fewer adults - can afford to go abroad
for half or a whole year. One remedy is immersion
courses and Content and Language Integrated Learning
(CLIL)3 : Both use the vehicular language for transmitting
knowledge. While in non-English speaking Northern
European countries many English immersion lectures
take place, immersion courses in other languages
are lacking (=> ref. to national language reports).
Language learning in immersion and CLIL courses,
not only supplement language learning, but they
familiarize learners with indispensable specific
professional language.
While most young people already have some knowledge
of at least one foreign language, when they enrol
at a higher education institution, adults who went
to school when language teaching at school was
in its infancy, may have linguistic deficits while
starting or their studies. They are newly involved
again in the learning process - which means an
important change in their life - and may have to
face some difficulties such as that they are not
used to studying, maybe what they had learnt before
is partly forgotten and/or outdated and in addition
to these difficulties they may need to make up
for a lack of knowledge of the foreign language
The best approach to remedy this difficult situation
is language courses tailored for their needs. But
not many universities can afford to organize special
language classes. A more common solution is offered
by Language Centres. Self-access language points
combined with an efficient tutoring service offer
a valid remedy (=> ref. to the report of Myriam
Martin). Nowadays self-study language learning
has become more attractive thanks to new multimedia
approaches. But even a well-equipped self-access
centre is no guarantee of successful language learning.
All language learners, either "ordinary" students
or adults need constant guidance and support; they
cannot be left to their own devices. Adults may
be less familiar with multimedia tools and need
additional tutor guidance in the use of new technology.
Learning languages in a self-access language centre
requires good organisation by language learners.
As already mentioned it is important to give language
learners the responsibility to be self-aware about
their own learning tasks. It is the task of the
teachers to teach learners how to learn: "Aiding
students in becoming autonomous learners is part
of the new second language learning path of the
future" (Serrago 2002: 329).
In conclusion some comments about the education
of university language teachers. While language
teachers at schools in addition to a university
degree mostly have also a specialised training,
education for university language teachers does
not include a specific further education. Foreign
language teachers at universities do not have to
have undergone further professional specific education.
This is also one of the reasons why there is no
real coordination about curricula, learning goals,
contents, methods and approaches. Unified examination
standards are still missing and are replaced by
the academic freedom of teaching and research.
Language teachers, who operate at university level,
should also satisfy certain standards. So for instance
the International Certificate Conference (ICC)
offers courses, which prepare language teachers
for the Certificate in Foreign Language Teaching
to Adults (EUROLTA), a qualification, which is
recognised by all adult education institutions
connected to the ICC. Also for language teaching
at university level, considering that there is
no real training for university language teachers,
such certificates make a contribution to validating
and enhancing the preparation of university language
teachers.
3CLIL has recently emerged as a pragmatic
solution in which the language is a tool to learning
new disciplinary contents (Marsh (2002).
