Cummins, EAP, and Academic Literacy

The theories of J. Cummins are discussed in relation to the instruction of English for academic purposes (EAP) & academic literacy at a university in Johannesburg. Differences between black students graduated from the Dept of Education & Training (DET) & foreign-language speakers of English, eg, Germans, are delineated. Three questions are addressed: (1) What are the reasons foreign-language speakers of English require little or no academic support & yet frequently do better academically than DET students? (2) Do DET students have linguistic or conceptual problems? (3) Why are DET students better able to communicate orally than in writing? It is concluded that although Cummins's "integrated model" has improved student performance, it remains "adjacent" & can be viewed as protecting the mainstream from change. 6 References. H. L. Stidger