Implicit Beliefs about English Language Competencies in the Context of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education: A Comparison of University Students and Lecturers in Namibia
Date
2013
Authors
Otaala, A. Laura
Plattner, E. Ilse
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sciedu Press
Abstract
In many African countries, English is the medium of instruction in higher education even though students may not
always be entirely familiar with “standard” English. This study aimed at investigating the relevance of English
language competencies for teaching and learning from the perspective of students and lecturers. The study was
carried out in Namibia and guided by the conceptual framework of implicit theories. Through a self-administered
questionnaire, data were collected from a sample of 286 undergraduate students and 34 lecturers. Students and
lecturers differed statistically significantly in all their views on the topic under investigation. While most of the
lecturers (85.3%) believed that their students would not have good English language competencies, the majority of
students (87.8%) rated their English between good and excellent. Most lecturers believed that insufficient English
language competencies would cause a variety of problems for students such as having difficulty expressing
themselves in English, following lectures, taking good notes during lectures, understanding academic texts, and
writing coherent essays; in contrast, the majority of students believed that they had no such problems. The results are
discussed with regard to practical implications for teaching and learning in higher education.
Description
Keywords
English language competencies, Higher education, Implicit theories, Namibian English, Namibia
Citation
Otaala, L.A. and Plattner, I.E., 2013. Implicit beliefs about English language competencies in the context of teaching and learning in higher education: A comparison of university students and lecturers in Namibia. International Journal of Higher Education, 2(3), p.123.