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This book is organized into twelve chapters, each of which deals with a major aspect of studying at university. Each chapter contains information, examples, quotations from students and tasks for readers to do. Answers to the tasks, where necessary, are included at the end of each chapter. We have also included a glossary at the beginning of each chapter to explain any words which may be unfamiliar, and a list of useful resources at the end of each chapter, which we hope will stimulate readers to go further in developing their studies.
AIMS
By studying and doing the activities in this chapter you should:
- understand the purpose of this book;
- discover how it could be useful for you;
- get some ideas about what other students think about studying in the UK;
- start thinking about the advantages and disadvantages you will have; and
- find out some information about each of the chapters in the book.
GLOSSARY
These key words will be useful to you while reading this chapter:
Asset: A useful quality or skill.
Coping: Dealing successfully with a difficult situation.
Motivated: Wanting to do something well.
Relationships: The way in which people behave towards each other.
Specialist: Someone who has a lot of experience, knowledge or skill in a particular subject.
Strategies: Plans for achieving success.
Summarize: Express the most important facts or ideas in a short and clear form.
The purpose of this book
WHO ARE WE?
We are lecturers who teach students from other countries at university in the UK. Our work is to help students coming to study in the UK to be successful in their studies. Over the years we have learnt a lot about our students, what strengths they have and what help they need. The purpose of this book is to share our experience and that of our students with you to help you succeed at university.
WHO ARE YOU?
You are from a country where English is not the main language, or where the variety of English used is different from the one used in the UK. You want to study or are already studying in a university where English is the medium of instruction. Your English may be very good already, or you may be working on it in preparation for your studies, or studying a specialist subject and improving your English at the same time. You may speak one or more languages besides English and therefore already be a skilled linguist. You also come from a culture which may be different from the culture of the UK.
We are all formed by the culture in which we live and when we move around the world we have to adapt to other cultures. It is important to remember that although in an English medium university everything may be very different from where you have studied before, the knowledge and skills that you have gained from previous study will be your most valuable asset. The subject knowledge you have will be useful even if things are done differently in your new university. You will need to learn to adapt that knowledge to the new environment. Your knowledge of your own language and other languages will help you to develop and refine your knowledge of English. Because everything is new and different you must not forget that you already know a lot and have the ability to study successfully.
How this book could be useful to you
LANGUAGE
First, there is the language. Even if you know the language of the country well, you will probably find that it is spoken in many different ways from those you are used to. There are regional differences: people speak differently in different parts of the country and there may be people from many different countries teaching and studying in your university, all with different accents. There are also social differences: people speak in one way when they are with friends and in other ways at work, to lecturers or to people they don’t know very well. You may not be familiar with all the different ways of speaking English in the country where you will be studying, and it may take time to get used to them. We will give you some advice on coping with these differences.
Here are some comments that students made about English in the UK:
Everybody has different pronunciations, even if they’re British.
(Japanese student)
People don’t understand my accent.
(Bangladeshi student)
I didn’t understand the way...
