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  • 1.
    Berggren, Jessica
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    McGrath, Lisa
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Reading for an English academic writing course: what novice students do2015Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 2. Hultgren, Anna Kristina
    et al.
    Owen, Nathaniel
    Shrestha, Prithvi
    Kuteeva, Maria
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Assessment and English as a medium of instruction2022In: Journal of English-Medium Instruction, ISSN 2666-8882, Vol. 1, no 1, p. 105-123Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    As English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) continues to expand across the globe, there is a glaring absence of research on assessment. This article reviews the scarce literature to date and maps out a research agenda for the future. Drawing on Shohamy’s (2001, 2007) Critical Language Testing and McNamara et al.’s (2019) notions of “fair” and “just” language assessment, our reading of the literature to date is that it has revealed considerable complexities around implementing assessment in EMI contexts, with key questions centring not only on what and who to assess but also on how and why assessment should take place. In outlining a research agenda for the future, we suggest that one way of bypassing such challenges may be to carve out a greater role for assessment for learning in higher education. This could capitalize on – and raise stakeholders’ awareness of – bodies of knowledge that are well established within applied linguistics about the integral role of language in learning. Whilst we acknowledge challenges in securing institutional buy-in for putting this agenda into practice, we suggest that doing so could turn assessment challenges into opportunities and significantly enhance learning not only in EMI contexts but beyond.

  • 3.
    Irvine, Aileen
    et al.
    Edinburgh University, UK.
    Malmström, Hans
    Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University, Sweden.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University, Sweden.
    To what extent do L2 students in UK Higher Education acquire academic and subject-specific vocabulary incidentally?2013Conference paper (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Across the UK hundreds of thousands of international students pursue a higher degree through the medium of L2 English, attending the same lectures and reading the same texts as their L1 counterparts.  Although most of these international students will have initially passed through some form of English language proficiency gate-keeping exercise (such as minimum required IELTS scores), little allowance may be made thereafter for possible gaps in necessary vocabulary knowledge. Thus, L2 students may be implicitly assumed either to have sufficient working knowledge of the required vocabulary, or to be able to “pick up” this vocabulary knowledge incidentally during the course of their studies.

    This paper explores whether the Academic Word List (AWL) and subject-specific vocabulary knowledge of L2 undergraduates taking a degree in Biology at a UK university is, in fact, comparable to that of their L1 counterparts.  Results from a vocabulary test administered in the third week of Semester 1 of the first year of studies indicated a relatively substantial gap between the levels of vocabulary knowledge of L1 and L2 students. This gap was particularly apparent in knowledge of lower-frequency AWL vocabulary. A post-test was administered 28 weeks later, towards the end of the students’ first year at university. This paper will report on the results of the post-test and discuss to what extent this previously perceived linguistic “gap” between L1 and L2 students may have increased or decreased. The paper will also outline a follow-up investigation into the ways in which L2 students deal with unknown vocabulary encountered during the course of their undergraduate degree studies.

  • 4. Larsson, Salome
    et al.
    Mežek, Špela
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Hommerberg, Charlotte
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Vocabulary profiles of English language learning textbooks2017In: LMS : Lingua, ISSN 0023-6330, no 4, p. 6Article in journal (Other (popular science, discussion, etc.))
  • 5. Malmström, Hans
    et al.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English. Linnaeus University, Sweden.
    Irvine, Aileen
    Engaging with Terminology in the Multilingual Classroom: Teachers’ Practices for Bridging theGap Between L1 Lectures and English Reading2017In: Classroom Discourse, ISSN 1946-3014, E-ISSN 1946-3022, Vol. 8, no 1, p. 3-18Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In some academic settings where English is not the first language it is nonetheless common for reading to be assigned in English, and the expectation is often that students will acquire subject terminology incidentally in the first language as well as in English as a result of listening and reading. It is then a prerequisite that students notice and engage with terminology in both languages. To this end, teachers’ classroom practices for making students attend to and engage with terms are crucial for furthering students’ vocabulary competence in two languages. Using transcribed video recordings of eight undergraduate lectures from two universities in such a setting, this paper provides a comprehensive picture of what teachers ‘do’ with terminology during a lecture, i.e. how terms are allowed to feature in the classroom discourse. It is established, for example, that teachers nearly always employ some sort of emphatic practice when using a term in a lecture. However, the repertoire of such practices is limited. Further, teachers rarely adapt their repertoires to cater to the special needs arguably required in these settings, or to exploit the affordances of multilingual environments.

  • 6.
    Malmström, Hans
    et al.
    Chalmers University of Technology.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Shaw, Philip
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Stockholm University.
    Irvine, Aileen
    University of Edinburgh, UK.
    Engaging with terminology in the multilingual classroom: Teachers' practices for bridging the gap between L1 lectures and English reading2017In: Classroom Discourse, ISSN 1946-3014, E-ISSN 1946-3022, Vol. 8, no 1, p. 3-18Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In some academic settings where English is not the first language it is nonetheless common for reading to be assigned in English, and the expectation is often that students will acquire subject terminology incidentally in the first language as well as in English as a result of listening and reading. It is then a prerequisite that students notice and engage with terminology in both languages. To this end, teachers’ classroom practices for making students attend to and engage with terms are crucial for furthering students’ vocabulary competence in two languages. Using transcribed video recordings of eight undergraduate lectures from two universities in such a setting, this paper provides a comprehensive picture of what teachers ‘do’ with terminology during a lecture, i.e. how terms are allowed to feature in the classroom discourse. It is established, for example, that teachers nearly always employ some sort of emphatic practice when using a term in a lecture. However, the repertoire of such practices is limited. Further, teachers rarely adapt their repertoires to cater to the special needs arguably required in these settings, or to exploit the affordances of multilingual environments.

  • 7.
    Malmström, Hans
    et al.
    Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University, Sweden.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Shaw, Philip
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages. Stockholm University, Sweden.
    Irvine, Aileen
    The University of Edinburgh, UK.
    Engaging with terminology in the parallel-language classroom: Teachers' practices for bridging the gap between L1 and English2016In: ASLA-symposiet 2016, 2016Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In settings in which English is used as a medium of instruction (EMI) in parallel with another language, a common expectation is that students will acquire subject terminology incidentally in the L1 as well as in English as a result of listening and reading. It is then a prerequisite that students notice and engage with terminology in both languages. To this end, teachers’ classroom practices for making students attend to and engage with terms are crucial for furthering students’ vocabulary competence in two languages. Using transcribed video recordings of a sample of lectures from two courses in a partial EMI setting, in which the lectures were in Swedish and the textbooks were in English, this paper will present a comprehensive picture of what teachers ‘do’ with terminology during a lecture, i.e., how terms are allowed to feature in the classroom discourse. It is established, for example, that teachers nearly always employ some sort of emphatic practice when using a term in a lecture. However, the repertoire of such practices is limited. Further, teachers rarely adapt their repertoires to cater to the special needs arguably required in partial EMI settings, or to exploit the affordances of these learning environments.

  • 8.
    McGrath, Lisa
    et al.
    Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
    Berggren, Jessica
    Stockholm University.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Reading EAP: Investigating high proficiency L2 university students' strategy use through reading blogs2016In: Journal of English for Academic Purposes, ISSN 1475-1585, E-ISSN 1878-1497, Vol. 22, p. 152-164Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This study investigates the reading strategies used by academically novice, but high proficiency L2 students of English enrolled in a teacher education programme at a major Swedish university. Data were obtained from personal reading blogs kept by the students as they undertook course reading at home. An analysis revealed that students employed various reading strategies; however, there was limited evidence to suggest that students employed these strategies routinely. The most common strategy reported was connecting to short-term writing task. While students reported reflecting on their reading, they did not appear to amend unsuccessful strategy use, or re-use successful strategies. The study reveals the difficulties and limitations of high proficiency L2 students who lack experience of reading academic literature in English, and discusses pedagogical implications for reading blogs.

  • 9. McGrath, Lisa
    et al.
    Berggren, Jessica
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Reading EAP: Investigating high proficiency L2 university students’ strategy use through reading blogs2016In: Journal of English for Academic Purposes, ISSN 1475-1585, E-ISSN 1878-1497, Vol. 22, p. 152-164Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This study investigates the reading strategies used by academically novice, but high proficiency L2 students of English enrolled in a teacher education programme at a major Swedish university. Data were obtained from personal reading blogs kept by the students as they undertook course reading at home. An analysis revealed that students employed various reading strategies; however, there was limited evidence to suggest that students employed these strategies routinely. The most common strategy reported was connecting to short-term writing task. While students reported reflecting on their reading, they did not appear to amend unsuccessful strategy use, or re-use successful strategies. The study reveals the difficulties and limitations of high proficiency L2 students who lack experience of reading academic literature in English, and discusses pedagogical implications for reading blogs.

  • 10.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Academic Writing in a Global Context: the Politics and Practices of Publishing in English, by T. Lillis and M. J. Curry2011In: Ibérica, ISSN 1139-7241, E-ISSN 2340-2784, Vol. 22, no Fall, p. 179-198Article, book review (Refereed)
  • 11.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    English in Slovenia: status, functions, and features2009In: English Today, ISSN 0266-0784, E-ISSN 1474-0567, Vol. 25, no 4, p. 28-38Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Slovenia, like many former Eastern bloc countries, is now coming to terms with the increasing popularity of English.

    Today English is the most widely used foreign language in Europe. It is used in business, education, science, the media, advertisements, music, graffiti, and in many other places, although its greatest use can be found in commerce, culture, science and education (Phillipson, 2003). The presence of English is felt more in some parts of Europe than in others, however. In the Scandinavian countries, for example, English manifests itself in all parts of society and the knowledge of English is so high that some consider it a second language (McArthur, 1996). In Eastern Europe, the acquisition and use of English has traditionally not been as widespread, although in recent years, the picture has changed greatly, as English has become more and more popular in what were formerly Eastern bloc countries.

    In many ways Slovenia has been following the trends in other Central and Eastern European countries. The influence of English has been growing since the Second World War and in particular after the end of the Cold War. Its influence has intensified even more after Slovenia became an independent country. Today, Slovenes feel both cautious and enthusiastic about English. There is extensive legislation to protect the Slovene language, while at the same time there is a ‘certain enthusiasm for both “western” ideas and the world language, English’ (Schlick, 2003: 4).

  • 12.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    High-proficiency L2 study reading: Effects of time and language of productionArticle in journal (Refereed)
  • 13.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Laughter and humour in high-stakes academic ELF interactions: An analysis of laughter episodes in PhD defences/vivas2018In: Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, ISSN 2191-9216, E-ISSN 2191-933X, Vol. 7, no 2, p. 261-284Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This study investigates the uses and functions of laughter and humour in a corpus of nine PhD defences/vivas. The data include the PhD defences in their entirety, including monologic and dialogic talk by participants from a variety of research cultures. The defences were video-recorded and transcribed, and laughter episodes analysed according to who laughed, who the source of “the laughable” was, what the reason for laughing was and at what point laughter occurred. The analysis reveals that a majority of laughter was non-humorous, produced by one person, and had the function of mitigating face threats to speakers and others. Humorous laughter was usually produced by more than one person and had the function of relieving tension, creating a non-adversarial atmosphere and building a community. These results are connected to the communicative purposes of the participants; the participants’ mutual aim is to examine an academic work and confirm the candidate’s membership in their chosen specialisation, which requires cooperation from all parties. Furthermore, although the participants come from different research cultures where humour can have a different presence and function, this study shows that laughter and humour are frequent and fill an important function in ELF interactions in high-stakes academic situations.

  • 14.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Learning terminology from reading texts in English: The effects of note-taking strategies2013In: Nordic Journal of English Studies, ISSN 1502-7694, E-ISSN 1654-6970, Vol. 13, no 1, p. 133-161Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Student note-taking strategies can provide an insight into how students learn subject-specific terminology in L2 from L2 reading. This article explores the relationship between reading, note-taking strategies, and the learning of English terms among Swedish students. Students participated in an experiment in which they were presented with new terminology and could take notes. Their learning was measured with a multiple-choice test. Results show that students who took more extensive notes and who engaged with the text better learnt more terms. Pedagogical implications for subject and LSP teachers are discussed.

  • 15.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Multilingual reading proficiency in an emerging parallel-language environment2013In: Journal of English for Academic Purposes, ISSN 1475-1585, E-ISSN 1878-1497, Vol. 12, no 3, p. 166-179Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Rapid changes have taken place in the linguistic environment of higher education in Europe, where many students attend parallel-language courses, leading to a use of English (officially a foreign language) for academic purposes alongside the local language. This study investigated the relationship of Swedish students’ reading habits and abilities in Swedish and English. Their reading abilities were assessed with an interview and a Swedish and English reading test, and their reading habits with an interview, questionnaire, and Author Recognition Test. The study found correlation between English reading ability and some of the reading habits measures which is more reminiscent of situations where English is an official language. This was reflected in the students’ reading habits. Their leisure reading included both Swedish and English material, and their choice between the two depended primarily on factors such as quality and availability, and not language. So for these students there is little difference between reading difficulty in L1 and L2. These results suggest that many students in the parallel-language environments are highly biliterate, implying very different EAP requirements than encountered elsewhere. Implications are discussed.

  • 16.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Björkman, Beyza
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    English-medium instruction in higher education in Scandinavia2024In: The Routledge Handbook of English-Medium Instruction in Higher Education / [ed] Kingsley Bolton; Werner Botha; Benedict Lin, London: Routledge, 2024, p. 190-203Chapter in book (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This chapter provides an overview of the background of English-medium instruction (EMI) in the Scandinavian region. While there are different views on what the Scandinavian region covers geographically, for our present purposes, we include, alphabetically, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. In our overview, we will touch upon some important differences that these four countries have despite the frequent discussion of the homogenous nature of these countries. Among these differences are the status of the local languages, the history of higher education, and the different implementations of EMI, which we believe are important. In search for a better and more nuanced understanding of EMI in the region, we will discuss the development and expansion of EMI in Scandinavian higher education and draw some conclusions on the differences and similarities that emerge from our review. We also argue that we need continued, fine-tuned research that carefully considers the histories and current sociolinguistic realities of these countries, thereby explaining the many faces of EMI in this geographical region.

  • 17.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    García-Yeste, MiguelNegretti, RaffaellaStockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Academic communication in a digital age: Poster proceedings of the 2014 Languages for Specific Purposes Conference2014Conference proceedings (editor) (Other academic)
    Download full text (pdf)
    fulltext
  • 18.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Kaufhold, Kathrin
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Enabling student engagement in an academic English writing course: Emergency remote teaching at a Swedish University2022In: International perspectives on teaching and learning academic English in turbulent times / [ed] James Fenton; Julio Gimenez; Katherine Mansfield; Martin Percy; Mariangela Spinillo, Routledge, 2022, p. 56-65Chapter in book (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Student engagement and dialogue around writing are central to a genre-based academic writing pedagogy. These pedagogical principles are more difficult to achieve in emergency remote teaching such as the one imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. The sudden shift from face-to-face to online teaching required changes in course design. This chapter reports on the Swedish experience of teaching an interdisciplinary postgraduate EAP course during a period of emergency remote teaching and how what was learnt can be applied in the future. It describes how the university-wide implemented video conferencing tool and online learning platform were used in line with the pedagogical ethos of the course. While these tools provided a space for learning and synchronous and asynchronous communication, they also presented challenges in terms of the ability to interact spontaneously and the additional time needed to organize activities in a virtual learning environment. Cognizant of the opportunities and constraints of these tools, core elements of the course were redesigned through teacher collaboration and co-learning. This was done with the aim of better enabling student activity through small-group peer interaction and scaffolded peer feedback. These measures were intended to counteract the students’ sense of social isolation and help them feel a part of an academic community. The chapter concludes with a reflection on how the lessons learnt could be used when returning to the classroom.

  • 19.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    McGrath, Lisa
    Negretti, Raffaella
    Berggren, Jessica
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of Language Education.
    Scaffolding L2 academic reading and self‐regulation through task and feedback2022In: TESOL quarterly (Print), ISSN 0039-8322, E-ISSN 1545-7249, Vol. 56, no 1, p. 41-67Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Research has shown that classroom-based reading strategy training does not necessarily result in effective, self-regulated reading behaviours when students engage with authentic academic reading in their own study contexts. In light of this problem, our study examines the effects of an instructional scaffold combined with teacher feedback, designed to foster students’ self-regulation in authentic academic reading contexts. Over a 5-week period, students read five academic texts and posted blog posts documenting their reading, scaffolded by a task prompt. In response, their teacher posted individualised feedback. The data comprised 75 student blog posts and 63 teacher responses. The results suggest that the task prompts and feedback supported students’ self-regulation in different ways: while the task prompted students to reflect on their reading, teacher feedback redirected students’ attention to new ways of reading and to less superficial aspects of the task, as well as reminding them of reading behaviours they had previously engaged in successfully. The study therefore provides insights into the interplay between task and feedback and recommendations for teaching practice.

  • 20.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Negretti, Raffaella
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Experiences of students writing a BA essay in Literature and Linguistics2015Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 21.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Negretti, Raffaella
    García-Yeste, Miguel
    Björkman, Beyza
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Something old, something new, and something borrowed: how have digital technologies impacted academic professional knowledge construction practices?2015Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 22.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Linnæus University.
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Irvine, Aileen
    Edinburgh University.
    Malmström, Hans
    Chalmers University of Technology.
    Learning subject-specific L2 terminology in a parallel-language HE course: The effect of medium and order of exposureArticle in journal (Refereed)
  • 23.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Irvine, Aileen
    Malmström, Hans
    Learning subject-specific L2 terminology: The effect of medium and order of exposure2015In: English for specific purposes (New York, N.Y.), ISSN 0889-4906, E-ISSN 1873-1937, Vol. 38, p. 57-69Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In the globalised university environment, many university students are expected to learn subject-specific terminology in both the local language and the L2 (English) by learning from two media in two different languages: lectures in the local language and reading in L2 English. These students' bilingual learning is greatly affected by the learning strategies they employ. An experiment was designed to investigate the effects of student choice of learning media and the order of media on their learning and perception of learning of terminology in English. The results confirm that added exposure to terminology in different media, even in different languages, contributes to learning and show that, in some circumstances, learning terminology from reading may be more effective than learning it from a lecture. The results also show that students do not correctly judge their knowledge of terms learnt from different media in different languages and that they underestimate knowledge gained from reading in L2. Implications for teaching are discussed.

  • 24.
    Mezek, Spela
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Swales, John
    PhD defences and vivas2016In: The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes / [ed] Ken Hyland, Philip Shaw, Milton Park: Routledge, 2016, p. 361-375Chapter in book (Other academic)
  • 25.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Academic Writing in a Global Context : The Politics and Practices of Publishing in English: Theresa Lillis, Mary Jane Curry. London/New York: Routledge, 2010. 203 pages. ISBN: 978-0-415-46883-12011In: Ibérica, ISSN 1139-7241, E-ISSN 2340-2784, Vol. 22, p. 179-198Article, book review (Other academic)
  • 26.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Advanced Second-Language Reading and Vocabulary Learning in the Parallel-Language University2013Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Due to the internationalisation of higher education, the use of English at higher education institutions has become widespread. Today an increasing number of students participate in courses with the local language as medium of instruction but with textbooks in English. These have been called parallel-language courses, because they are expected to facilitate learning disciplinary discourse in two languages: the local language and English.

    This thesis reports an exploration of Swedish students' reading and learning from English textbooks in parallel-language courses. The overarching aim was to investigate the relationship between the students' Swedish and English reading habits and reading proficiency, their academic biliteracy, and incidental learning of subject-specific terminology in English from reading. The study also set out to identify pedagogical solutions to facilitate students' reading and learning from reading in English.

    The investigation comprised four studies which utilised a variety of methods and approaches, both qualitative and quantitative. Participants were Swedish and British students of biology and Swedish students of English.

    The results show that many Swedish students are capable of reading and learning from texts in Swedish and English without experiencing serious difficulties, although additional support is required for the learning of English terminology. The findings also indicate that some students' difficulty when reading in English is not due to poor English language proficiency, but rather a range of other factors such as weak general literacy skills, low motivation, low subject and vocabulary knowledge, note-taking strategies, slow reading speed, and time. For some students, learning is also rendered difficult by their self-perceptions and beliefs about reading and learning.

    Based on my findings, I propose a range of practices for EAP and subject teachers to adopt in order to improve reading and learning in parallel-language courses.

    Download full text (pdf)
    fulltext
  • 27.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    English in Slovenia: Status, functions, and features2009In: English Today, ISSN 0266-0784, E-ISSN 1474-0567, Vol. 25, no 4, p. 28-38Article in journal (Other academic)
    Abstract [en]

    Slovenia, like many former Eastern bloc countries, is now coming to terms with the increasing popularity of English.

    Today English is the most widely used foreign language in Europe. It is used in business, education, science, the media, advertisements, music, graffiti, and in many other places, although its greatest use can be found in commerce, culture, science and education (Phillipson, 2003). The presence of English is felt more in some parts of Europe than in others, however. In the Scandinavian countries, for example, English manifests itself in all parts of society and the knowledge of English is so high that some consider it a second language (McArthur, 1996). In Eastern Europe, the acquisition and use of English has traditionally not been as widespread, although in recent years, the picture has changed greatly, as English has become more and more popular in what were formerly Eastern bloc countries.

    In many ways Slovenia has been following the trends in other Central and Eastern European countries. The influence of English has been growing since the Second World War and in particular after the end of the Cold War. Its influence has intensified even more after Slovenia became an independent country. Today, Slovenes feel both cautious and enthusiastic about English. There is extensive legislation to protect the Slovene language, while at the same time there is a ‘certain enthusiasm for both “western” ideas and the world language, English’ (Schlick, 2003: 4).

  • 28.
    Mežek, Špela
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Humour in high-stakes academic ELF interactions: An analysis of laughter episodes in PhD vivas/defences2017In: ELF & Changing English: 10th Anniversary Conference of English as a Lingua Franca, 2017Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This study investigates humour in PhD vivas/defences. Laughter episodes in 15h of video recordings were analysed according to who and what makes people laugh, at what point laughter occurs, and what the function of these humorous episodes might be. The study shows that humour is frequent and fills an important function in ELF interactions in high-stakes academic situations.

  • 29.
    Mežek, Špela
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Laughter and humour in high-stakes academic ELF interactions: An analysis of laughter episodes in PhD defences/vivas2018In: Journal of English as a Lingua Franca, ISSN 2191-9216, E-ISSN 2191-933X, Vol. 7, no 2, p. 261-284Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This study investigates the uses and functions of laughter and humour in a corpus of nine PhD defences/vivas. The data include the PhD defences in their entirety, including monologic and dialogic talk by participants from a variety of research cultures. The defences were video-recorded and transcribed, and laughter episodes analysed according to who laughed, who the source of “the laughable” was, what the reason for laughing was and at what point laughter occurred. The analysis reveals that a majority of laughter was non-humorous, produced by one person, and had the function of mitigating face threats to speakers and others. Humorous laughter was usually produced by more than one person and had the function of relieving tension, creating a non-adversarial atmosphere and building a community. These results are connected to the communicative purposes of the participants; the participants’ mutual aim is to examine an academic work and confirm the candidate’s membership in their chosen specialisation, which requires cooperation from all parties. Furthermore, although the participants come from different research cultures where humour can have a different presence and function, this study shows that laughter and humour are frequent and fill an important function in ELF interactions in high-stakes academic situations.

  • 30.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Learning terminology from reading texts in English: The effects of note-taking strategies2013In: Nordic Journal of English Studies, ISSN 1502-7694, E-ISSN 1654-6970, Vol. 13, no 1, p. 133-161Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Student note-taking strategies can provide an insight into how students learn subject-specific terminology in L2 from L2 reading. This article explores the relationship between reading, note-taking strategies, and the learning of English terms among Swedish students. Students participated in an experiment in which they were presented with new terminology and could take notes. Their learning was measured with a multiple-choice test. Results show that students who took more extensive notes and who engaged with the text better learnt more terms. Pedagogical implications for subject and LSP teachers are discussed.

  • 31.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Multilingual reading proficiency in an emerging parallel-language environment2013In: Journal of English for Academic Purposes, ISSN 1475-1585, E-ISSN 1878-1497, Vol. 12, no 3, p. 166-179Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Rapid changes have taken place in the linguistic environment of higher education in Europe, where many students attend parallel-language courses, leading to a use of English (officially a foreign language) for academic purposes alongside the local language. This study investigated the relationship of Swedish students' reading habits and abilities in Swedish and English. Their reading abilities were assessed with an interview and a Swedish and English reading test, and their reading habits with an interview, questionnaire, and Author Recognition Test. The study found correlation between English reading ability and some of the reading habits measures which is more reminiscent of situations where English is an official language. This was reflected in the students' reading habits. Their leisure reading included both Swedish and English material, and their choice between the two depended primarily on factors such as quality and availability, and not language. So for these students there is little difference between reading difficulty in L1 and L2. These results suggest that many students in the parallel-language environments are highly biliterate, implying very different EAP requirements than encountered elsewhere. Implications are discussed.

  • 32.
    Mežek, Špela
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    McGrath, Lisa
    Sheffield Hallam University, UK.
    Berggren, Jessica
    Stockholm University.
    Supporting students' reading strategy use through teacher feedback2017Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 33.
    Mežek, Špela
    et al.
    Stockholm University.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University.
    Irvine, Aileen
    University of Edinburgh, UK.
    Malmström, Hans
    Chalmers University of Technology.
    Learning subject-specific L2 terminology: The effect of medium and order of exposure2015In: English for specific purposes (New York, N.Y.), ISSN 0889-4906, E-ISSN 1873-1937, Vol. 38, p. 57-69Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    In the globalised university environment, many university students are expected to learn subject-specific terminology in both the local language and the L2 (English) by learning from two media in two different languages: lectures in the local language and reading in L2 English. These students' bilingual learning is greatly affected by the learning strategies they employ. An experiment was designed to investigate the effects of student choice of learning media and the order of media on their learning and perception of learning of terminology in English. The results confirm that added exposure to terminology in different media, even in different languages, contributes to learning and show that, in some circumstances, learning terminology from reading may be more effective than learning it from a lecture. The results also show that students do not correctly judge their knowledge of terms learnt from different media in different languages and that they underestimate knowledge gained from reading in L2. Implications for teaching are discussed.

  • 34.
    Mežek, Špela
    et al.
    Stockholm University.
    Swales, John M.
    University of Michigan, USA.
    PhD defences and vivas2016In: The Routledge Handbook of English for Academic Purposes / [ed] Ken Hyland, Philip Shaw, London: Routledge, 2016, p. 361-375Chapter in book (Other academic)
  • 35. Negretti, Raffaella
    et al.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Participatory appropriation as a pathway to self-regulation in academic writing: The case of three BA essay writers in literature2019In: The Journal of Writing Research, ISSN 2030-1006, E-ISSN 2294-3307, Vol. 11, no 1, p. 1-40Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Over the years, research on writing has increasingly emphasized the value of adopting a sociocultural perspective to understand how social context and social interaction relate to writing regulation. Using the theoretical lens of participatory appropriation, this study investigates the self-regulatory behavior of three successful Bachelor essay writers in literature, and how the interaction with their supervisors supported students’ development of writing regulation in disciplinary-relevant ways. Data was collected through in-depth qualitative interviews at three key moments in the term; Pintrich’s self-regulation framework was used as coding heuristic to trace participants’ self-regulation behavior over the term. Self-regulation data was cross-analyzed with data coded as participatory appropriation to identify the overlap between students’ self-regulation of writing and their social experiences, especially the dialogue with their supervisors. Our results show how the supervisors acted as agents of socialization, providing frames for adoption of disciplinary-relevant ways of thinking and doing, as well as indirectly sustaining the students’ motivation and re-conceptualization of the writing experience. Overall, this investigation responds to calls for inquiries of self-regulation against the backdrop of the social context in which it is embedded.

  • 36.
    Negretti, Raffaella
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Students’ and teachers’ perceptions of genre goals: self-regulation and performance of students writing a BA essay in literature2015Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 37.
    Negretti, Raffaella
    et al.
    Chalmers University of Technology.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Participatory appropriation as a pathway to self-regulation in academic writing: The case of three BA essay writers in literature2016In: SIG Writing International Conference and Research School 2016, 2016, article id 826Conference paper (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Apprenticeship in academic prose is a transformative experience (Hayot, 2014); this paper investigates the development of self-regulation (SR) in three bachelor (BA) literature essay writers using the theoretical lens of participatory appropriation by Rogoff (1990), explaining how individuals’ cognitive development stems from social interaction. Research on writing instruction shows that students who learn to self-regulate towards concrete goals achieve better text quality (Rogers & Graham, 2008; Graham & Perin, 2007). Furthermore, research with learners of academic writing suggests that metacognitive skills are integral to the development of genre knowledge and rhetorical effectiveness (author). In this study, we investigate how interaction with a supervisor supports students’ development of self-regulatory and metacognitive skills towards alignment with the stakeholders’ (the examiners) evaluation of the quality of writing. Data was collected through in-depth qualitative interviews at three points in the term; interview data was also collected from the examiners. Data was analyzed in NVivo, using Pintrich’s (2000) SR framework to code the comments by the students. The coded data shows their individual development in SR over the course of the essay writing term. Results show a strong role of the interaction with their supervisor in planning and monitoring their writing. Participatory appropriation thus seemed to help the students plan towards genre-relevant aspects such as what the essay should aim for (genre goals) and what would be the expectations to meet (genre criteria), or monitor some key aspects of essay writing that they would otherwise have not paid attention to. Overall, this investigation responds to calls for context-sensitive inquiries of self-regulation and metacognition, where individual development is highlighted against the backdrop of the social context in which it is embedded (Pieschl, 2009).

  • 38.
    Negretti, Raffaella
    et al.
    Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
    Mežek, Špela
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Department of Languages.
    Participatory appropriation as a pathway to self-regulation in academic writing: The case of three BA essay writers in literature2019In: The Journal of Writing Research, ISSN 2030-1006, E-ISSN 2294-3307, Vol. 11, no 1, p. 1-40Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    Over the years, research on writing has increasingly emphasized the value of adopting a sociocultural perspective to understand how social context and social interaction relate to writing regulation. Using the theoretical lens of participatory appropriation, this study investigates the self regulatory behavior of three successful Bachelor essay writers in literature, and how the interaction with their supervisors supported students' development of writing regulation in disciplinary relevant ways. Data was collected through in-depth qualitative interviews at three key moments in the term; Pintrich's self-regulation framework was used as coding heuristic to trace participants' self-regulation behavior over the term. Self-regulation data was cross-analyzed with data coded as participatory appropriation to identify the overlap between students' self-regulation of writing and their social experiences, especially the dialogue with their supervisors. Our results show how the supervisors acted as agents of socialization, providing frames for adoption of disciplinary-relevant ways of thinking and doing, as well as indirectly sustaining the students' motivation and re conceptualization of the writing experience. Overall, this investigation responds to calls for inquiries of self-regulation against the backdrop of the social context in which it is embedded.

  • 39. Pecorari, Diane
    et al.
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Irvine, Aileen
    Malmström, Hans
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Reading in tertiary education: Undergraduate student practices and attitudes2012In: Quality in Higher Education, ISSN 1353-8322, E-ISSN 1470-1081, Vol. 18, no 2, p. 235-256Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This paper reports the findings of a study of undergraduate student use of, and attitudes toward, textbooks and other assigned reading. More than 1200 students of various subjects at three Swedish universities were surveyed. Most students said reading played an important role in learning generally and attributed positive characteristics to their textbooks. However, students’ self-reported reading behaviour was at odds with these attitudes, with many students reporting some degree of non-compliance with reading assignments and a small group of students expressing active resistance to completing reading assignments. Although textbooks were perceived as valuable, students reported a preference for learning course content from other resources, such as lectures and lecture notes. Textbooks were perceived as alternatives, rather than complements, to attending class. Differences were found across academic disciplines. Implications of these findings for educational administration and classroom practice are discussed.

  • 40.
    Pecorari, Diane
    et al.
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Language and Literature.
    Shaw, Philip
    Stockholm University.
    Irvine, Aileen
    University of Edinburgh, UK.
    Malmström, Hans
    Chalmers University of Technology.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Reading in tertiary education: Undergraduate student practices and attitudes2012In: Quality in Higher Education, ISSN 1353-8322, E-ISSN 1470-1081, Vol. 18, no 2, p. 235-256Article in journal (Refereed)
    Abstract [en]

    This paper reports the findings of a study of undergraduate student use of, and attitudes toward, textbooks and other assigned reading. More than 1200 students of various subjects at three Swedish universities were surveyed. Most students said reading played an important role in learning generally and attributed positive characteristics to their textbooks. However, students’ self-reported reading behaviour was at odds with these attitudes, with many students reporting some degree of non-compliance with reading assignments and a small group of students expressing active resistance to completing reading assignments. Although textbooks were perceived as valuable, students reported a preference for learning course content from other resources, such as lectures and lecture notes. Textbooks were perceived as alternatives, rather than complements, to attending class. Differences were found across academic disciplines. Implications of these findings for educational administration and classroom practice are discussed.

  • 41.
    Shaw, Philip
    et al.
    Stockholm University.
    Irvine, Aileen
    University of Edinburgh.
    Malmström, Hans
    Chalmers tekniska högskola.
    Mežek, Špela
    Stockholm University.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Linnaeus University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Language and Literature.
    Engelska på köpet?: Implicit språkinlärning i den parallelspråkiga högskolan2012In: Resultatdialog 2012, Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet , 2012, p. 153-166Conference paper (Other academic)
  • 42.
    Shaw, Philip
    et al.
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Mezek, Spela
    Stockholm University, Faculty of Humanities, Department of English.
    Pecorari, Diane
    Malmström, Hans
    Where they're coming from: roles for English textbooks where lectures are in foreign languages2015Conference paper (Other academic)
1 - 42 of 42
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