Everyone speaks English, didn’t you know? – o ensino do inglês no ensino superior no nordeste transmontano

Abstract

Following the Bologna Declaration (1999) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2001), the teaching of foreign languages in higher education has changed dramatically. Thus, it becomes essential to ascertain the entry level of students and their profi ciency in English after the completion of Basic and Secondary Education. This initial assessment will have a bearing on the development of fi rst year classes, as well as on the following, more advanced levels of language. Our experience with language degrees at the School of Education of Bragança has shown us the considerable diffi culties students grapple with in order to complete a B2 level and proceed with their learning at C1 and C2 levels. This was our main reason for administering a questionnaire to all fi rst-year students in the academic year of 2015/2016 who were then learning English at our institution. Our aim was to attempt to understand the way students’ previous learning experience shaped their performance and motivation for learning English and fi nd out about infl uential informal learning contexts.