A review of English language support courses taught at the University of Limpopo

Abstract

As a medium of instruction in the South African education system, English remains challenging even to tertiary students who are not fully exposed to it in their environments. Higher institutions of learning have responsively factored in English Language Support Courses (ELSC) which aim to help the students acquire essential language skills at the threshold of tertiary education. These support courses include English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English for Academic Purposes (EAP) strategically developed in line with the needs of cohorts of students the institutions admit. The purpose of this study was to review ELSCs which have been taught at the University of Limpopo (UL) for a number of years, and to provide suggestions on how to address the shortcomings identified. The study followed a qualitative research approach using lesson observations and staff interviews to collect data. Findings indicate that the situation in ELSCs is dire in that lecturers seem to need more training regarding teaching in that context.