College and University Practice and Strategies Poster
Developing academic reading skills of NNS graduate students in STEM
The challenges faced by non-native speakers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) in reading scientific research documents are well known. These include limited specialized vocabulary, little familiarity with the structure of such documents, their level of detail and formality, limited knowledge of the complex English, and few strategies and tactics to help them read more efficiently and effectively. Thus, preparing such students for the challenges they will face in successfully completing their studies and beginning their careers is increasingly important. This presentation will provide an overview of a reading course in which STEM Masters students read and analyze an authentic research document from their field. Ways to assist students improve their specialist vocabulary, knowledge of the organization, structure and language of research documents, and reading speed and comprehension will be discussed. In addition, the presentation will also offer a variety of pre-reading, on-task, and post-reading activities intended to improve comprehension.
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Wm Holden is a professor at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, where he is in charge of the English Language Technical Communications Programs. He teaches courses in reading, writing, and presenting scientific research, and oversees the university writing center. His interests are English for Specific Purposes, English for Research and Publications Purposes, genre analysis, systemic functional grammar, academic and specialist vocabulary development, the adaptation and use of authentic scientific documents for instruction.