A living experiment in teaching English as a second language

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“The original vision ... was to incorporate research into the program from the beginning – learn about this particular type of second-language learner and use that research to continuously assess and adapt our instruction. I don’t know of any other program like ours.”

Anna Moro, Professor, Department of Linguistics and Languages, and MELD program director

A living experiment in teaching English as a second language

McMaster University’s English-language course for international students is more than just a language program – it’s also a research project into how best to teach the students.

The McMaster English Language Development (MELD) diploma is mandatory for incoming international students who don‘t meet Mac’s English language requirements. But it’s not only about learning English – it’s also focused on learning about how people learn English, and using that information to improve the program itself and contribute to scholarship on language learning.

Research includes using eye-tracking technology to gauge students’ reading behaviour, assessing how long they spend on passages of varying complexity, as well as the likelihood of skipping over words. Results so far show that students improve their reading proficiency most if they had high speaking scores on the International English Language Testing System prior to enrolling in MELD. And the more their vocabulary expands over the two-semester course, the more their reading comprehension improves.

MELD also offers free services such as tutoring, cultural advice and writing coaches to students who need extra support, and tracks its students’ retention rates in their McMaster programs