The Iglu Guide | Blog
International students’ guide to improving academic English skills
Whether you’ve just passed your IELTS, you’re halfway through your uni degree or you’re thinking about possibly studying in Australia, perfecting your English skills is crucial to your future success. But whilst a friendly ‘G’day mate!’ is absolutely fine out and about in the coffee shop, this type of informal language would be considered inappropriate in the academic world.
Academic English refers to the formal language model that is used by universities and schools. It has a particular vocabulary, tone and structure that can differ greatly to conversational English. When you get to university, there is an expectation that your coursework, assessments, and communication will be written in this more formal language; rigorously researched, and expertly cited. Getting the hang of it can take some time and effort, but you will more than reap the rewards. Here’s how to get those academic English skills firmly up to scratch.
Expand your vocab
The first task is to expand your academic vocabulary so that you have all the right tools at your fingertips. This will immediately help elevate your written and speaking skills and can be achieved in several ways.
Word lists
There are numerous online resources available to help increase your repertoire of words.
The Academic Word List is a compilation of 570 of the most commonly used words found in academic texts – but not so commonly used in conversational English. The words are divided up into 10 sub-lists and are incredibly useful across all disciplines. Take the practise tests and gradually work your way through each set. Understanding these words and having the ability to implement them in your own written work will fast track your progress and increase your learning enjoyment. Academic Word Lists can be found on numerous websites such as RMIT’s Learning Lab or the EAP Foundation.
Read academic texts
Regularly reading academic journals, articles and research papers will expose you to terminology and academic phrases specific to your discipline. Familiarity with these formats will help you keep pace with lectures and tutorials. It will also enable you to clearly express complex concepts in a sophisticated and professional style.
Engage active listening
Take notes and regularly summarise during lectures and seminars, as the learning pace can often be challenging. This will help with your overall comprehension and rapidly improve your ability to understand key concepts. Re-watch recorded lectures so that you can pause when necessary to look up any unfamiliar words. Reinforce your learning by supplementing your understanding with TED talks or educational videos that use similar language styles.
Utilise online resources
Once you have sufficiently extended your vocabulary, it’s time to get to work on your format and style. Australian universities tend to require specific writing conventions. These include essay structure (which can vary by discipline), referencing styles (such as APA or Harvard), and technical language requirements. Familiarise yourself with departmental guidelines early on and get used to using the resources and tools at hand. Your university services may have preferred providers and should be able to point you in the right direction.
- Grammarly – This clever tool will review your spelling, grammar, punctuation, clarity and more. It will also make writing enhancement suggestions and you can upgrade to a paid version to include a plagiarism tool.
- Purdue Online Writing Lab – A free resource that provides writing guidance and citation support across different genres and disciplines.
- The Academic Phrasebank – Thousands of commonly used academic phrases from published work have been collated to help organise your thoughts and improve clarity of expression.
- Universities often publish generic guides to help students enhance their academic work and meet expectation, such as this handy guide from the University of Sydney.
- EAP Foundation – A comprehensive guide to the characteristics of academic writing and how to achieve them. There’s guidance on structure, evidence, citations and referencing.
- EndNote – A popular citation and reference management tool widely used amongst students.
Utilise university language support programs
Many universities run academic English workshops. These are specifically aimed at international students, where a new language skill is just one of the many challenges they are dealing with at university. The classes often include academic writing support and study skill sessions with a focus on grammar, structure and vocabulary. Students may also be able to access peer assisted programs to practise academic English in a more informal setting. Learning from other students’ experiences and benefitting from tips and tricks is a great way to make quick changes and reinforce learnings.
Do it on the daily
As with any new skill consistency is always the fastest way to improve. Building familiarity and improving comprehension comes from immersing yourself in the subject on a regular basis.
- Read English language broadsheet newspapers and notice the change in tone and language.
- Listen to news podcasts and test your knowledge.
- Watch You Tube or Khan Academy videos in your subject area, or choose your favourite TED talks.
- Talk to your university tutors and make an effort to use formal language, as opposed to the more colloquial conversations you would have with other students.
- Record yourself presenting in front of the mirror in an imagined formal setting, and watch the footage back taking note of where you could make improvements. This will also increase your confidence for presenting in front of your tutor and peers.
Stay patient
Mastering academic English takes time, patience and skill. And as with all new pursuits, the more you put in, the more you get out. Set realistic goals over a sensible timeframe, and don’t pressure yourself to achieve miracles overnight. Committing to the process and demonstrating a consistent approach will definitely reap rewards over time. Don’t forget, your tutors are there to help you improve.
- If you are struggling to master the concept of academic English, don’t hesitate to seek advice from your course tutors or university advisers.
- Ask your tutors to go back over difficult concepts, or give additional feedback on your work with clear and specific constructive criticism.
- Get paired up with a native speaker learning your language and mutually benefit from a language and cultural exchange.
- Sign up for an external ELICOS course for extra practise.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – it’s all part of the learning process.
