DRAFT ONLY

Promoting Academic Language Skills through a Mock United Nations Model

By Sean Cambage and Janpha Thadphoothon

This paper describes an ELICOS class at the University of Canberra where we use a mock UN meeting to promote the students’ use of English for academic purposes. Seven international students work in groups as follows. Group 1 (Italy, Chile, and Turkey) researches about the problems of illicit drugs; Group 2 (Mongolia and Tanzania) investigates problems of illiteracy. Group 3 researched about problems of urbanization (New Zealand and Ireland).

I. Background

ELICOS students plan to further their education in Australian higher institutions. They often lack academic language skills. They also need critical thinking.

We have designed a course to give them ample opportunities to use English for academic purposes --- a mock UN activity.  They have to work in groups and investigate global problems.

The Internet has a greater role in language learning. This study makes use of the WWW, i.e. Yahoo group and Blogs.

Research has shown that cooperative learning enhances language learning (Jacobs, 2002, Jones and Thadphoothon, 2004)

English needs contents. Global issues are areas worth pursuing.

Maley says ELT needs its contents (Maley, 1994)

A quote from Jacobs and Farrell (Jacobs & Farrell, 2003)

II. Literature Review

A United Nations Mock Model entails:

-          Cooperative learning

-          Global issues

III. Procedure

Brief description of the course.  Students have been placed into an upper intermediate class and were assigned a country each.  Students then presented a short speaking presentation about that country in week 1 that was videotaped.  Students then had to talk with all classmates to form groups that would the form the basis of websites that they would have to construct.  Each group had to investigate a global issue that affected all those countries in that group.   Each individual was responsible for writing and sharing composition of the website. The websites were published on the internet.  Students then had to prepare for a UN meeting by writing a UN resolution and setting an agenda.  Finally a mock UN meeting was held where students had to vote on resolutions, involving presentations, hold a debate and vote that was videotaped.  A debrief session was held after to discuss the outcomes of the meeting and to view the videotape of the meeting.

IV. Outcomes

Their Overall Work

Students’ attitudes

Their knowledge of the contents

etc

V. Summary

VI. Suggestions for Classroom Practice

Collaborate with other institutions

Prepare scaffolds

VII. References

Jacobs, G. M., & Farrell, T. (2003). Understanding and implemating the communicative teaching paradigm. RELC Journal, 34(1), 5-30.

Maley, A. (1994). Is it time for an IATEFL Global Issues SIG? IATEFL Newsletter, 15(5).