Participation in Third Level Education: Issues for Non-Native Speakers of English

In 2008, as part of a SIF (Strategic Innovation Funding) project on Widening Participation in Third Level Education, under the DRHEA (Dublin Regional Higher Education Alliance), the Institute of Technology in Blanchardstown received funding to investigate issues relating to English language literacy levels and access to and achievement at third level education. The overall aim of the project was to evaluate the issues, develop effective interventions and provide guidelines for best practice with a view to increasing the participation of diverse groups in third level education. Non-native speakers of English were identified as a primary group whose participation and success in third level education was considered contingent on acquiring appropriate English language skills.