Communicative skills: Peripheral current or mainstream flow

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of the Communicative Skills course at the University of Cape Coast on students' academic literacy. It employs a mixed methods approach to data collection involving focus group discussions with students and semi-structured interviews with lecturers. Issues raised in these qualitative methods informed items in a questionnaire administered to students. The findings suggest that though) students find the Communicative Skills course useful and beneficial, they were not appropriating it in their programs of study because they saw it more of a gate keeper, another course to be passed in order to move on to the next level. Suggestions are made as to how Communicative Skills can be integrated into other academic' courses to impact on students' performance.