Using TED Talks in ‘English Corners’ to Boost Academic Discussion Skills of Postgraduate Students in a Chinese EMI University

Non-native English-speaking postgraduate students, especially those with Chinese as the first language (L1), suffer particularly from difficulties with academic English speaking. This chapter showcases the 12-week Speaking Clinics, an innovative speaking support offering open to all XJTLU master’s students. In a 50-minute session every week, students engage in multiple rounds of discussions related to a selected TED Talk, the presentation skills used by the speaker, and reflections on their use of discussion strategies. Feedback from students shows that the Speaking Clinics were highly valued as opportunities to practise speaking skills outside class and that TED Talks were a helpful tool integrated into the design and delivery of the Speaking Clinics. Notably, a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere facilitated by teachers was underscored by both survey respondents and focus group participants. Overall, survey respondents reported perceived improvements in language proficiencies and affective effects. Among them, improvement in critical thinking skills, abilities to engage in discussions, and listening comprehension was highly evaluated. The positive feedback from students echoes recommended practices from literature on developing academic discussion skills and supports learning values of TED Talks as educational resources to boost learner motivation and autonomy.