The first term at university: implications for EAP

This article examines the findings of a longitudinal study of the learning and use of English at an English-medium university in Hong Kong. The aim of the investigationwas to track the learning experiences of a group of 28 undergraduates and to identify the challenges they faced when studying for their degrees in a second language. This article explores the language-related problems the students encountered in the process of adapting to an English-medium learning environment during the crucial first term. The data fromthe interviewbased longitudinal study are supplemented by the findings of a large-scale questionnaire survey of freshmen at the same university. The evidence suggests that the students' principal sources of difficultywere comprehending and using specialist vocabulary, understanding their professors' academic requirements, and processing and producing key disciplinary genres. The article concludes by discussing the implications of the study's findings for EAP course and materials design.