Reading Academic English in Norwegian Higher Education

The ability to read academic English is an essential skill in Scandinavian higher education, where many or most of the texts on a student’s reading list may be in English. This highlights the role of upper secondary school level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction in preparing students for higher education, and this book presents a study of the quality of Norwegian EFL reading instruction. First,it shows that Norwegian EFL syllabi are inconsistent with regard to preparing for higher education and developing reading proficiency. Next, IELTS test scores of the senior upper secondary school students indicate that 66% of the respondents were poor readers of English. These reading problems persist in higher education.Closer analysis reveals that reading problems are due to poor English proficiency exacerbated by poor reading strategies. It is the respondents who read English extensively or who have had Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)classes who are among the best readers. This book should be of interest for English teachers,educational authorities, curriculum designers,language planners, and not to mention all those interested in CLIL.