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[cassava]

English-medium Education

How well is English-medium education working in the Colleges and Universities in Saudi Arabia? In many jurisdictions, the entire curriculum:Maths, Physics, Engineering, etc. is taught in English. Some instructors in these courses often complain that students have not acquired enough English to tackle these subjects while other instructors seem quite pleased with the level of English which their students have attained. I suspect that there are all kinds of variables at play here. Perhaps posters might be able to shed more light on this question.

[007]

[furiousmilksheikali]

In my maths classes in England we were always forced to produce our work in Arabic:

1,2,3 etc...

[007]

[PeasAndCornbread]

[Cleopatra]

[007]

We have to remember that English language is not the mother tongue of the Saudi students. So, we have to expect them to be relatively weak in the spoken and written English, and this is because the Saudi educational system is poor. Most of the Saudi students are used to incorrect Egyptian or Indian forms of English which are in common use in schools and daily life.

It�s a shameful that the English-speaking world takes a vicious arrogance in speaking only one language, whilst expecting everyone else to speak at least two.
And the funny thing is that some of the native English speakers make fun of the Saudi/Arab broken English, as though speaking English correctly and fluently means that you're more intelligent than someone else who might speak two or three languages, but cannot speak fluent English.
I think native English people ought to look at themselves and hang their heads in shame.

[BajaLaJaula]

I have to agree with the secret agent.....and Cleo.
Americans, in particular, are oblivious to the fact that rest of the world carries on speaking other languages (generalization, of course).
The rest of the world does a lot more towards learning a foreign language (English) than we do. And most Americans have the attitude, when travelling, "Why don't they speak English?", "Why should I have to learn another language?"
I was actually surprised at how much English beginner Saudi students already knew.
High schools in USA no longer require students to study a foreign language...(truly shameful)...in contrast...most other countries do require that their students study another language, often it is English.
Remember that research shows, in order to become proficient in a foreign language.....it take between 5 to 12 years of language acquisition.
OK...boys and girls....can you say....XENOPHOBIA?

[veiledsentiments]

[GlobalDawg]

I agree with VS and Cleo. Saudi students' ability to speak English, by far, is better than their ability to read or write. They learn English as a foreign language in high school--one course per semester--while all of their other courses are taught in Arabic. Then, they arrive on college campuses ill-prepared; English is taught across the curriculum and most of them cannot handle it.

There are several major problems: (1) in some instances (particularly language development) the texts are out-dated, (2) the curricula aligned to specific disciplines are poorly designed and fail to meet students' needs, and (3) a large percentage of students lack good study habits and critical thinking skills. Thus, they struggle through the learning experience.

[007]

[also in saudi]

In most of the US, Spanish is taught and is a requirement at every grade level from grammar through high school (i.e., grades 1-12).
I do not expect everyone in the world to speak or understand English or Spanish, nor do I expect everyone to understand my "accent."
However, I do expect an ESL student who has "learnt" (my dictionary says this word is archaic, or chiefly British) English for two years to be able to converse in English. I have found less than 25% are capable.

[veiledsentiments]

I can only go by the posts you write here 007... and you have shown a consistent face which is openly zenophobic... which is why so many of your threads get locked and posts get deleted...

Take a hint...

VS

[Stephen Jones]

[BajaLaJaula]

Yeah...try speaking any language fluently after taking courses for 2 years.....most would not be able to do so.....I would agree that only about 25% could acquire literacy in that time...most humans would need more time...at least 5 years... That is not due to lack of effort or brain power....it just takes longer to really become fluent in a language.
Saudi students can acquire minimal English language skill...L1 perhaps....after about 1 - 2 years....that is normal.
Do some research before expecting the impossible of language learners in a 2 year period.