LOOKING AT STUDENT

NEEDS FIRSTA report on an IEP student needs research project

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE AT AUC While in the Intensive English Program all

undergraduate students (98 and 99 level) take daily classes, five days a week, in the following skills areas: writing, reading and vocabulary, grammar and study skills. The latter class involves presentation skills, research, computer literacy and listening.

Graduate intensive students (120 and 121 level) have a similar curriculum but have classes in the evenings, for a total of 14 hours weekly.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE AT AUC

Our students:

Entering students under ‘cut’ scores : TOEFL/ELPET

Majority of students at AUC do not enter ELI

UG average age: 17 G average age: 24 to 50’s

Majority are Egyptian; there are also students from other parts of the ME.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INSTITUTE AT AUC

Most students are fluent speakers; they are usually placed in the ELI for improvement in reading and writing.

AUC is an English medium university. All classes are in English; many professors are non-Arabic speakers.

Papers, undergraduate and graduate level, are written in English only.

Students can freely pass to higher levels based on assessments- they are not bound to a set series of levels.

high school degree Spring 09

THE CURRENT NEEDS ASSESSMENT/SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS EXAMINES THE ELI PROGRAM IN RESPECT TO:

Learners’ needs and goals (perceived and real) Learners’ professional or academic intentions Learners’ progress through the program

(perceived and real) What the ELI curriculum is doing well Where the ELI curriculum needs to improve ELI overall goals and objectives: whether

instructor/administration and student goals are being met.

Placement procedures: whether placement of both entering students and exiting students accurate.

PHASE 1

Spring 2008: exiting students survey (hard copy: hand counted and tabulated)

Fall 2008: entering student survey (hard copy: hand counted and tabulated)

PHASE 2

Spring 2009: entering students survey (electronic: counted, tabulated and graphed with stats)

Spring 2009: exiting students survey (electronic: counted, tabulated and graphed with stats)

BLACKBOARD

Surveys now posted on Blackboard

a) created for Blackboard b) Survey Monkey

Students can do this in the lab or at home

ORIGINAL ENTERING QUESTIONNAIRE - PART A

DIRECTIONS: Please answer the following questions about what you hope to achieve in the Intensive English Program over this coming semester.

Please answer each question using the following scale:

Strongly Disagree 1

Disagree 2

Somewhat Agree 3

Agree 4 Strongly Agree 5

This semester: 1. I would like to read texts and other materials more quickly and with better understanding to prepare for university: 2. I would like to be able to understand a reading and summarize the main ideas: 3. I would like to be able to analyze/ evaluate ideas in a reading 4. I would like my vocabulary knowledge to improve: 5. I would like my vocabulary use to improve: 6. I would like my writing skills to improve: 7. I would like to be able to write on different topics: 8: I would like my use of grammar in writing to improve: 9. I would like my use of grammar in speaking to improve: 10: I would like to better understand lectures at AUC:11: I would like to learn to take notes during class lectures:12. I would like to be able to participate in classroom discussions:13. I would like to learn how to do Internet searches: 14. I would like to use technology to help me in my studies (for example: websites, power points, Blackboard)15: I would like to learn to answer different types of test questions (for example: short answer, essay, multiple choice, matching)16. I would like to learn to prepare and give presentations in a classroom setting: 17. I would like to be able to evaluate/judge my own work:18. I would like to be able to work independently:19. I would like to work in teams/groups: 20. Overall, I would like to learn the skills that I need for my classes at AUC :

PLEASE RATE THE FOLLOWING SKILLS: PART B

I would like and/or feel I need a lot of this

I would like and/or feel I need some of this

I would like and/or feel I don’t need as much of this

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

Grammar

Vocabulary

Use of computers and technology for language learning

Independent learning opportunities

Team or group work

QUALITATIVE DATA - PART C When learning English:

What type of activities help you learn the most?

What (if anything) motivates you to work harder and learn?

Which English skill (s) is (are) difficult for you and why?

What do you hope to learn and /or experience during this semester in the IEP?

What topics would you like to learn or read about?

ORIGINAL EXITING - “MIRROR”

1. I feel that I am prepared to read textbooks and other materials I will need for university: 2. I feel that I can understand a reading and summarize the main ideas:

3. I feel that I can analyze/ evaluate ideas in a reading:

4. I feel that my vocabulary knowledge has improved:

5. I feel that my vocabulary use has improved:6. I feel that my writing skills have

improved: 7. I feel that I can write on different topics:

8: I feel that my use of grammar in writing has improved:

9. I feel that my use of grammar in speaking has improved: 10: I feel that I am prepared to understand lectures at AUC: 11: I feel that I am prepared to take notes during class lectures: 12. I feel that I am prepared to participate in classroom discussions: 13. I feel that I am prepared to do Internet searches: 14. I feel that I can use technology to help me in my studies (for example: websites, power points, Blackboard) 15: I feel that I am prepared to answer different types of questions (for example: short answer, essay, multiple choice, matching) 16. I feel that I can prepare and give presentations in a classroom setting:

17. I feel that I am better able to evaluate/judge my own work:

18. I feel that I am better able to work independently:

19. I feel I am better able to work in teams/groups:

20. Overall, I feel confident that I have the skills that I need for my classes at AUC :

After being in the IEP:

We need more Amount is OK We need less

Reading

Writing

Listening

Speaking

Grammar

Vocabulary

Use of computers and technology for language learning

Independent learning opportunities

Team or group work

PART C- QUALITATIVE What activities in the IEP have helped

you learn the most? What has motivated you to work

harder and learn more this semester? What has been difficult for you and

why? If you could make ONE change in the

IEP program/course of study, what would it be?

What topics would you like to learn or read about? Did you get the chance to learn about them in the IEP?

SPRING 2008 EXITING

Hardcopy: handed out in class

N= 79 (UG) & 7 (G)

Impression: students were very serious about filling this out and gave thoughtful responses

PATTERNS/MAJOR FINDINGS SP08 EX PART A/B

Three skill areas stood out as having a “good “ or “OK” amount:

reading, writing and grammar

(73%, 75% and 79% respectively)

Over half of the respondents indicated that they felt they needed more work/experience in the following skill areas:

listening, vocabulary and computer/technology

48%of respondents felt they needed more listening;

40% felt they needed more vocabulary and 42% felt they needed more

computer/technology.

SP08 EX PART A/B

A majority of respondents felt they needed more experience in speaking (54 of 86 total responses or 62%)

Responses for graduate and undergraduate students

This remained a major pattern in the 2 year study

SP08 EX PART A/B

Of the nine areas questioned, only a very small minority felt less work was needed (ranging 8% to 1%), while percentages were higher on the other end of the scale.

TOTAL U & UG N=86

more amt. OK less blank

reading 17 63 5 1

writing 19 65 2

listening 41 38 7

speaking 54 29 2 1

grammar 16 68 1 1

vocab 35 49 1 1

computer/tech

36 44 5 1

independent learning

17 62 6 1

team/groupwork

29 51 6

SP08 EX PART A/B

Overall, respondents seem to indicate that the amount of work/experience in all nine skill areas is adequate and that no skill area deserves less attention.

The exceptions are listening and speaking. A majority of students felt they needed more.

SP08 EX PART C

Question 1. What activities in the IEP have helped you learn the most? 

Oral presentation : (30%) 23 (27%) : writing   19 (22%) : reading 13 (15%) : speaking activities such as debate or

discussion  

What has motivated you to work harder and learn more this semester?

Over one-third : their teacher was the single most positive motivator for them (32 respondents or 37%).

28 respondents ( 32% ) : their desire to pass and move up to a higher level.

10% : to follow their major. 9% : their own desire to learn

English and wanting to improve.

Question 3.What has been difficult for you and why?

The largest ‘problem area’ was reading (18 respondents or 21%).

Reasons: they did not like to read, hadn’t much practice reading, and had trouble with understanding the main idea or inferences

Secondarily, writing was cited as most difficult (16%)

Reasons: no real background in writing, it requires a synthesis of many skills, or that they felt they did not have enough vocabulary to write well

Smaller percentages of responses (9%) cited grammar and listening as most difficult.

An additional 9% stated they felt nothing was difficult.

Of the 7% that stated the oral presentations were the most difficult, most qualified this by saying that the time spent on preparation or speaking was the real issue.

SP08 EX PART C QUOTES

“I would like to take some educational topics that are related to the university’s materials to prepare for reading textbooks and other materials that I will need for the university.”

“I would make a special class to talk and discuss many issues in order to practice using the English language.”

“Speak more in English and practice in order to be able to communicate with other people at AUC.”

(B) FALL 2008 ENTERING

N= 196 (UG) & 9 (G) (hardcopy)

Overall impression:

Most Ss are unaware at this point of actual needs

Again, thought was put into the responses

QUANTITATIVE

Vast majority of Ss answered “strongly agree” for all skills (58 to 78%)

Highest need: I would like my vocabulary knowledge to improve

Widest spread: I would like to learn how to do Internet searches

Would like a lot

Would like some

Don’t need as much

blank

reading 119 70 16

writing 117 77 10 1

listening 105 75 25

speaking 134 49 20 2

grammar 85 97 20 2

vocab 143 53 7 2

computer/tech

66 82 53 4

independent learning

63 104 34 4

team/groupwork

81 94 29 1

PART C UG ENTERING FALL 08 (N=196)

WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES HELP YOU LEARN THE MOST?

Teamwork (37) Reading (20) Homework (7) Computer activities

(7) Presentation (5) Listening (5)

PART C UG ENTERING FALL 08 (N=196

WHAT (IF ANYTHING) MOTIVATES YOU TO WORK HARDER AND LEARN?

Working in groups (17) Competition (6) Good grades (6) I want to jump to English 101

(5) My parents (5) Teachers who encourage me

and help me in my studies (4) Having a goal (4)

“The jump strategy”

PART C UG ENTERING FALL 08 (N=196 WHICH ENGLISH SKILL (S) IS (ARE) DIFFICULT FOR YOU AND WHY?

Vocabulary and reading

• The reading skill is a little bit hard, sometimes I don't really understand small details in a text, because my first language is French. (6)

• Reading and writing because my vocabulary is weak (4)• Reading and listening are the most difficult skills for me (2)

Reading: finding the main ideas and discussing (2)• Reading, I am so bad at it may be because I don't read a lot (5)

• Reading, listening (2)• Reading I can't concentrate for a long time

• Reading because sometimes I feel that the time is not enough• Reading because I don’t have enough vocabulary

• Vocabulary because I cannot use it in my writing and speaking (10)

SPEAKING

Speaking because it requires fast development of sentence in addition to good grammar and grammatical structure

Oral presentation because I'm not very good in talking in front of people (3)

Speaking as I was in Arabic school (3) Speaking because I am shy to speak something wrong

and people make fun of me Speaking I found it difficult Speaking because I used to study English and

listening as a grammar and vocabulary without speaking a lot

Speaking, because I need a lot of time

LISTENING

Listening skill is difficult as some teachers or people speak English in a fluent rapid way that makes me confused and far from understanding.

Listening is the most difficult (19) Speaking and maybe listening because I

am an introvert person, don't like to speak a lot and have no experience in learning outside my country

I suffer from listening but I hope it will be better in AUC

WRITING Writing because I cannot talk about a specific point Writing is the most difficult skill for me because I don't

have a solid vocabulary (2) Writing, because it is really hard to choose right topic to

talk about and creating main ideas Writing is the most difficult skill because most of the

time I don't find points and I don't have the creativity to write

Writing, I think I don’t have good ideas Writing at school: I had no time to do Writing because sometimes it is difficult to get accurate

information or ideas

“Spelling because I am dietetic” “Speaking because I speak four languages besides English”“The vocabulary because its hard to memorize all these new worlds”“Grammar because it has too much rules”

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO LEARN AND/OR EXPERIENCE DURING THIS SEMESTER IN THE IEP?PART C UG ENTERING FALL 08 (N=196

Improve my English (38) Improve my vocabulary (10) I want to learn how to use the language

and speak English fluently (7) Read and understand very well in order to

go to the main points and improve my vocabulary, knowledge and my writing (5)

Speak fluently using grammar so to understand lectures (5)

Improve writing (3) Essays (5) Speaking, listening and everything (3) To speak English fluently without thinking

and improve a bit my listening skill (3)

EXITING SURVEYS

Ss feel that they are prepared (most responses agree/strongly agree Part A)

However

155 wanted more listening 128 wanted more speaking 85 wanted more use of computers/tech

for language learning

N=182 Part B: exiting Fall 08

PART C EXITING FALL 08 UG N=177 WHAT ACTIVITIES IN THE IEP HAVE HELPED YOU LEARN THE MOST?

Ops: 31 Group/team work: 21 Debate: 8 Discussion: 15

Overall: interactive activities and speaking

PART C EXITING FALL 08 UG N=177 WHAT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT FOR YOU AND WHY?

OP (speaking, new skill): 34

Writing: 32

Reading: 31

Listening:20 (10 students stated ‘we need more practice)

Grammar: 16

QUOTES: TO THINK ABOUT

They should concentrate more on speaking and discussion in class.

Working in groups and the competition between different teams have helped me to learn the most.

I think that what the teacher says helps us be motivated, so the character of the teacher is a very crucial asset.

Because I wasn’t used to listening to feedback and putting it into consideration when I was in education before.

In grammar class. We had a lot of interesting group activities and discussions which helped me to improve my speaking, discussing and grammar skills.

I suggest increasing visual aids (for example power point and films)

We need more presentations and discussions. Long presentations and they should not be grades (for practice only).

My listening is still not good: problems with understanding (American) professor. I understand Egyptian profs. better when they speak in English.

Not enough conversation in class. There was no speaking in most classes: just in study skills.

OP was helpful but not enough of these. The ‘key’: to practice speaking in front of people. After ELI you need to speak in front of people.

SPRING 2009 & CONTINUING Survey on Blackboard (entering and exiting)

Data now tabulated and statistics run in cooperation with CLT*

Demographics are also being run (gender, major, school background)

Center for Learning and Technology

Overall, I have improved the skills that I need for my classes at AUC

SPRING 2009 EXITING DATA

33% :there was not enough listening (75% stated a need for listening skills in pre-survey)

20%: there was not enough speaking (90% stated a need for speaking skills in pre-survey)

18%: there was not enough preparation for team work

TRIANGULATION: SPRING 2009

Faculty survey, online (all AUC)

Faculty have no way of knowing if students are from ELI or not

Majority of their students are direct entrance

TRIANGULATION: FACULTY SURVEY: SPRING 2009

36 faculty responded: via email

Levels taught

Please describe any issues you sometimes face with students' reading skills (please indicate at which level, e.g. 300-level, these occur)

 Please describe any issues you sometimes face with students'

writing skills (please indicate at which level, e.g. 300-level, these occur)

 Please describe any issues you sometimes face with students'

abilities to participate in class discussion(please indicate at which level, e.g. 300-level, these occur)

 Please describe any issues you sometimes face with students' oral

presentation skills (please indicate at which level, e.g. 300-level, these occur)

 Please describe any other language-related issues you face with

your students 

SURVEY QUESTIONS

BRIEF REVIEW - PRESENTATION SKILLS

10 : no problems. Overall, basic public speaking issues cited.

Nervousness Not enough training Vocabulary issues Reliance on PowerPoint or slides as base of

presentation, ‘regurgitate from slide’ No critical insights

BRIEF REVIEW - READING SKILLS

the majority felt that there were significant problems with their students in various areas:

unable to separate main idea from details comprehension poor reading skills in general lack of a wide academic and/or technical

vocabulary (10) students’ refusal to read inability to read critically

BRIEF REVIEW - WRITING SKILLS

Only two respondents stated they saw no problem with students writing.

SV agreement, grammar, basic structure issues(20)

Plagiarism and lack of citations, footnotes and paraphrasing skills

Switching between formal/informal English and ‘SMS English’

No concept of bibliography, citation, footnotes

BRIEF REVIEW - CLASS DISCUSSION

No problems 9

Shyness, ‘risk taking’, need for self confidence 8

Pronunciation/grammar issues 3

Lack of vocabulary 3 

BRIEF REVIEW – OTHER ISSUES

Inability to express thoughts in English Translation(constant) from Arabic to

English Unable/unwilling to take notes Use of ‘SMS’ and slang Spelling and grammar Inability to speak in academic English

QUOTES

…very slow readers and need to translate in their minds from English into Arabic what they are reading.

Many students, I would say about half of the class have a problem expressing what they read during class discussion.

I don't see that the level of the class matters--I have had SENIORS who cannot write grammatical English and can barely speak it.

TRIANGULATION SPRING 2009

Prior ELI student focus groups

Scheduled focus groups

Campus ‘scan’

PURPOSE…

…to find what former ELI students found (a) most helpful about their semester(s) in the ELI and (b) suggestions for improvement.

The overall aim of the focus groups and interviews was to assess how former ELI students see their experience in the ELI after being full university students for a number of years.

Table 1: Class Standing and Majors Class Standing Majors

Freshman 6 Construction Engineering 3 Sophomore 1 Mechanical Engineering 1 Junior 3 Petroleum Engineering 1 Senior 3 Business 3 Graduating Senior

3 Accounting 1

Graduate 2 Mass Communication 7 Unknown 2

Table 3: Most Helpful Category Number of Students Writing Practice 12 Grammar 9 Reading 6 Listening 4 Oral Presentations 6 Vocabulary 3 Organization and structure 3 Conversation Practice 4 Social Networking 4 Library Orientation 2 Paraphrasing 3 CALL Lab 2

Table 4: Suggestions for Improvement Suggestions Number of Students Increase interactive discussions 9 Decrease duration of IEP 5 Increase listening practice 5 Increase conversation practice 4 Increase oral presentations 4 Increase focus on vocabulary 3 Provide research skills 3 Make reading optional 2 Increase writing practice 2 Guidance on citations 2

FINDINGS

Respondents seemed to feel that writing was the area they benefitted from the most.

This is reflected in the pre- and post surveys of current ELI students and it is of interest that it remains the area ELI alumni site most often.

Grammar was cited as helpful, but again often liked with writing needs.

Listening and speaking activities were often sites as helpful, and frequently mentioned as suggestions for improvement.

Many students stated that listening is still a problem at times for them; many students stated that it took time for them to feel confident enough to speak up in class discussions.

Students mentioned discussions in class, oral presentations, and listening activities as suggested improvements.

Again, this parallels the suggestions of current ELI students in post-surveys.

Reading was cited as helpful, but many students added that having discussions would have helped more.

“Just reading and answering questions” was a negative experience for these students and they suggested it change.

Many students found reading helpful but needed guidance (what to read in major) or stated they would have benefitted more from class discussions.

OVERALL FINDINGS: ALL WORK All entering and exiting surveys done

to date reflect the same needs

Student focus groups support the data in the surveys

Faculty surveys reflect a gap between student skills and faculty expectations (not an IEP issue per se)

OVERALL FINDINGS: ALL WORK

In all exiting surveys, UG and G, students by large majority find their needs were met

Focus group of past students: all felt that ELI was beneficial to them

Major motivators: the instructors and their own desire to succeed

With the exception of speaking and listening, majority of students seem happy with the amount of work

WHAT TO TELL STUDENTS

Totally confidential.

Data is used for research only.

This research will help the ELI design classes better.

This is NOT a teacher/ class evaluation…

…but is being used to evaluate the

ELI as a whole.

It is their chance to make difference!!!

Thank You Valerie Carpenter

carpentr@aucegypt.edu