TESOL 2012 - WHAT THEY REALLY DO: A 4-YEAR UNIVERSITY NEEDS ANALYSIS

Paula Moore, Liza Armstrong, and Jeanne Sevart – Missouri State University

What students face when they get to the university, particularly in the first couple of years…

It’s important for IEPs to know what Ss will face in the university

Learning Outcomes: Where do they come from?

Assumptions from: TESOL experiences, college experiences, language learning experiences, ESL textbooks

            *Needs analysis* (to test the assumptions)

Needs Analysis – 3 Tools

1)      Surveys of students & professors

2)      Interviews of students & professors

3)      Undergraduate Course Syllabi

a.       General Education Worksheet

b.      15 classes – different areas represented

Chose one class from each section of undergraduate course catalog

Freshman Composition, Public speaking, University Life Course, Political Science, Philosophy, Sciences, etc.

Syllabi Analysis

            Written Assignments

            Oral assignments/Graded Participation/Discussion

            Reading Load

            Assessment measures

            Typical work load for first semester undergraduates

CREATED DATA TABLE: Course Name, written work, presentations, reading, assessment

WORK LOAD

Written Assignments

            Classes w/ written assignments (67%)

                        Length of assignments (2-6 pages)

                        Research in writing 40%

                        Personal Reflection (60%)

Oral Assignmetns

            Classes w/ speech assignments 27%

                        Length of assignments not specified

            Group vs. Individidual

                        75% group speeches

            Research in speech

            Graded Participation in class discussions 27%

Reading

            Average reading load per week (all reading) – how to measure this?

            Number of classes that required non-textbook reading 53%

            Number of classes that required fiction reading 13%

Test Item Types

            Number of classes with MC questions 47%; clicker testing (Turning Point)

            Number of classes with written questions 20%

            Number of classes with oral testing 1/15

1^ST TERM STUDENT WORKLOAD

            Classes, Time in class, Writing tasks, Oral Tasks, Reading Tasks, Testss

 (do side by side comparison) ELC [upper levels] vs. First term ODU student

RECOMMENDATIONS

            Add more reflective writing

            Add much more reading across curriculum

            Create orientation for undergrads at beginning of Level 4

                        Provide time management seminar – how do you use free time?        

                        Provide reading efficiency seminar

                        Advisement session – general education + scheduling + registration

            Use Blackboard

            Do a Turning Point Technology (Clicker) Event

http://international.missouristate.edu/eli/

QUESTIONS

How do you incorporate more reading in classes? Extensive reading… sustained contact with a topic over a period of time; more reading in speaking classes; reading in preparation for listening; reading and reacting (reaction papers require reading beforehand); “strategic reading”

Doing this sort of review can be incorporated as part of the REVIEW PROCESS of curriculum for CEA Accreditation as external evidence…

TEXTBOOK – Sourcework… designated for teaching ESL students about university research…

MSU ELI Course breakdown

Writing/Grammar 10

Reading 5

Listening 4

Speaking 4

(some students take 2 hours per week of spelling)