Beyond the Traditional Curriculum: Using a Targeted Intervention to Expose Gaps in Teaching Academic Discussion Skills to EAP Undergraduates

Abstract

Introduction: Conventional English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curricula, particularly in contexts heavily influenced by standardized testing and a tradition of grammar-translation, often inadequately address the complex cognitive and pragmatic demands of spontaneous academic discussion. This pedagogical gap results in a persistent disconnect between students' receptive knowledge and their productive capabilities, specifically manifesting as an inability to balance fluency with accuracy in oral academic discourse.

Objective: This study critically evaluates the efficacy of a standard EAP curriculum by designing and implementing a diagnostic, short-term master class. The research aims to determine if significant, rapid improvement in students' spoken output following this focused intervention highlights inherent and fundamental flaws in the traditional, long-term teaching methodology.

Method: A one-group pre-test-post-test design was employed with a cohort of 10 sixth-semester EAP undergraduates at a major Russian university. Baseline measurements of fluency (quantified through speech rate, mean length of run, and phonation time ratio) and accuracy (measured by the percentage of error-free clauses and correct verb forms) were established. A 35-day master class, explicitly designed to incorporate pedagogical elements missing from the standard curriculum (task-based learning, explicit strategy instruction, genre awareness, and scaffolded pragmatic practice), was then implemented. An identical post-test assessed the impact of the intervention.

Findings: Quantitative analysis revealed statistically significant improvements (p < .001) with large effect sizes (Cohen's d > 1.1) across all five dependent variables post-intervention. Qualitative analysis of discussion transcripts further evidenced a marked increase in the appropriate use of discourse markers, formulaic sequences, and effective self-monitoring strategies.

Conclusion: The rapid and substantial gains achieved through the master class serve as a powerful indictment of the standard curriculum. The findings demonstrate conclusively that the current approach is insufficiently explicit, strategic, and pragmatic, failing to equip students with the necessary socio-cognitive tools for academic discussion. The study concludes by proposing a comprehensive, revised pedagogical framework for EAP instruction, advocating for the integration of these missing elements to systematically foster robust academic oral proficiency.