Online professionalisering op eigen ritme: Be prepared, what English skills do students need in higher education?

English is the lingua franca of the academic world. Students who enter higher education after secondary school will inevitably encounter English during their studies, even if Dutch is the official medium of instruction in their programme. Research shows that students entering higher education mainly need help with academic vocabulary, reading, and understanding lectures in English. Ever wondered what you can do to help them be better prepared? This online self-study module will give you tips and inspiration! 

Programma

This self-study module will help you prepare your students for the English they’ll come into contact with when they enter higher education. It consists of short explanatory videos and extensive downloadable class resources that offer background information, tips and inspiration.

The module consists of three parts:

1. An introduction to some facts and figures on how English is used in Dutch-language higher education programmes, as well as examples of the materials students are expected to understand.
   
   
2. Links to online self-study materials that you can recommend to students who are worried about how they might cope with English in higher education. The websites include resources for various skills, such as reading, listening, note-taking, vocabulary.
   
   
3. Complete class materials based on authentic academic texts and audio to use in your lessons. Besides these ready-to-use resources, you can also download and use academic reading and listening templates that you can immediately start using to create your own reading and listening lessons. You get tips on selecting and adapting appropriate texts and audio to help students develop the key skills they’ll need to thrive in higher education.

All parts of the self-study module are in English.

Doelstellingen

Acquire a realistic understanding of the relative importance of English in Dutch-language higher education programmes.

Respond to individual students’ questions about Academic English by referring them to online Academic English self-study materials.

Get inspired to practise Academic English Reading and Listening in the classroom: 

• learn to select and adapt suitable academic texts and audio to use with your students;
• use the practical templates to develop Academic English practice materials;
• download the ready-to-use class materials.

Doelgroep

Leerkrachten Engels 3de graad doorstroom- en dubbele finaliteit

Begeleiding

This online self-study module was content curated and designed by Linguapolis, the University of Antwerp's language institute.

Praktisch

In this online self-study module, you explore how to prepare your students for the English they’ll need in Dutch-language higher education programmes, by means of explanatory videos, practical and ready-to-use teaching materials and links to websites with self-study materials.

From now until 12 January ‘26, you can register for this online course using the registration button below.

In January '26 you will receive a link that will allow you to participate in the self-study module that starts 13 January ‘26 and ends 30 June ’26. 

You can work through the modules in your own time and at your own pace (before August ‘26). Each module concludes with a few reflection questions. Once you’ve answered all the reflection questions, you receive an evaluation form and a participation certificate.