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The Free School

www.thefreeschool.education

Lucky last chance: A study skills pilot program created for

‘excluded’ ESL/EFL students at an Australian university.

Jay Jericho DSocSc Syd

jay@thefreeschool.education

Introduction

This paper is part of the ‘pedagogical leadership’ series that aims to show by example, how

scholars of pedagogical theory and practice may construct projects to illustrate principles and

arguments that they put forward in peer-reviewed publications such as journal articles and

book chapters. This series calls for scholars to move beyond merely critiquing pedagogical

principles and practices. Educators may obtain additional benefits from reading customised

examples alongside critical discussion. Such illustrations may reduce confusion that is caused

by ambiguity, contradiction and lack of detail in scholarly publications that do not

incorporate detailed examples.

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This curriculum document creates an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) study course for

at-risk post-secondary education students. This project is designed for those who speak

English as a Second Language. These students are disproportionately represented among

current at-risk university students in Australia. Furthermore, difficulties that they encounter

when they study using the English language are a core factor that underpins most of these

students’ non-completion rates (Paton 2007; Harris, 2013). This course is customised to take

into account the unique needs of this student population demographic.

Context

The number of domestic and international at-risk post-secondary students is not reported by

the Australian Government (Department of Education and Training, 2016). Australia’s post-

secondary educational institutions are only required to report international students who have

been excluded from their studies to Australia's Immigration authorities (University of

Technology Sydney, 2016).

No independent study has ever captured the number of students who have transitioned to ‘at

risk’ status in Australia's university system and its post-secondary educational institutions

collectively. This number is not easy to estimate due to the large number of providers who

operate in this nation’s federal, state and territory jurisdictions. Australia is home to 43

universities (Universities Australia, 2015). The number of other post-secondary educational

institutions in Australia number in the thousands. These include Australia’s state-owned

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Technical and Further Education (TAFE) institutes. It also includes thousands of Registered

Training Organisations (RTOs) which are administered by Australia’s six state and two

territory governments. The Australian Government (2016) reports that there are currently 1.2

million students enrolled in vocational training courses outside of the university system and

230, 000 of these persons are international students.

There is no uniform definition for ‘at risk’ students in Australia’s university system - even

within the same state. The University of Sydney (2016, NP), defines its Students at Risk

Program as an “early detection” system that aims to predict whether a student is likely to fail

their course based on a range of early warning signs. A coursework student enters stage one

of this system if they fail a compulsory unit or if they fail 50% or more of their course load

during any semester. Students also enter stage one if they fail the same unit twice or if their

average mark is less than 50% for all subjects during any semester. They also enter this stage

if they are unable to complete their award during the maximum allowed time, do not pass

mandatory practical courses (such as clinical placements) or do not satisfy minimum

attendance requirements for any subject (University of Sydney, 2014, pp. 54-55). The

University of Technology, Sydney (2016, NP) defines its ‘At Risk Stage 1’ policy as being

triggered by a coursework student “failing to make satisfactory academic progress and who

failed 50 per cent or more of their enrolled units in the previous half year”.

Australia’s post-secondary educators and researchers have consistently speculated that

‘language’ is a dominant factor that has caused international students to struggle to pass their

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academic assessments (Dooley & Oliver, 2002; Nyland et al., 2013). There is much anecdotal

evidence that international students have been disproportionately over represented among the

students at-risk population within Australia's university system since the enrolment of

international students started to grow rapidly during the early 1990s (e.g. Hawethorne et al.,

2004). It is difficult to identify, isolate and weigh the reasons why international university

students struggle to succeed. There are numerous overlapping factors that may cause this

outcome. Socioeconomic status and country of origin are examples of these drivers.

Moreover, not all international students are non-native English language speakers and non-

native English language speakers do not report consistent failure rates across the disciplines.

International students who speak English as a second or foreign language are more likely to

succeed in courses such as business where assessments are dominated by financial

calculations as opposed to essay writing (e.g. Nyland et al., 2013, p. 670).

Studies which examine the failure rates of international students have focused on cohorts

within the same program at the same university, especially within Health Sciences and

Medical Faculties (e.g. Hawethorne, 2004; Jeong et al., 2011). Salamonson et al. (2011)

report that English language competency was identified as the only “significant” factor that

determines course completion rates among undergraduate nursing students at Western

Sydney University. This research compares student progress rates against 15 comparative

demographics, including gender, marital status and age. Students who spoke English as a

second or foreign language comprised 33% of the cohort population of 740 students and

accounted for only 24% of this cohort’s graduates.

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Objective

This paper outlines details of a pilot program that offers excluded students an opportunity to

revert final stage SAR status. Annex 1 outlines the rights and obligations of final stage SAR.

This program is limited to students who speak English as a foreign or second language. This

course aims to gauge these pupil’s motivation levels. It also aims to develop these students’

ability to use reading, writing, listening and speaking skills in EAP contexts at post-

secondary level.

Approach

The program coordinator uses ‘reflection in action’ (Schön, 1983) as a self-reflexive

pedagogical “approach” (Fook and Sidhu, 2010, p. 153). The coordinator adapts lesson plans

in real-time to maximise the likelihood of achieving this program’s objectives. Modifying the

curriculum using data such as formative assessments is invariably more effective than

adhering to static pre-prepared lesson plans (e.g. Shin, 2008, p. 61). This is a legitimate

approach when the lead educator is experienced (e.g. Farrell, 2001, p. 54).

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The coordinator shall engage with their peers in the SAR Unit to fine-tune the draft lesson

plans shown in Annex 2. Collaborative planning is advantageous as it draws on the expertise

of educators with a range of qualifications, experience and viewpoints (Brandt, 2010).

Sequencing

Students may enrol in the Arts, Sciences or Interdisciplinary streams (see Figure 1.0 below).

The design of each stream takes into account “multiple intelligences theory” (Christison,

1998, p. 2). Students who study literacy-based courses (i.e. ‘Arts’) and numeracy-based

courses (i.e. ‘Sciences’) using English as a second or foreign language tend to use different

cognitive skills (Abdallah, 2011, pp. 108–109). The coordinator shall use training aids

customised for each stream.

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This course develops speaking and listening skills first as it aims to build students’

confidence before introducing material that requires them write. Most applied linguistics

scholars rank writing as the most difficult language skill (e.g. Abdallah, 2011, p. 122).

Writing skills therefore dominate the curriculum.

Content

The course syllabus, curriculum and lesson plans shall be made available to students on

Blackboard one week prior to the commencement of the first face-to-face class. This

maximises learning outcomes by decreasing student anxiety and increasing pupils’

Figure 1.0 - Extract from SAR3 Syllabus

Students should enrol in the stream that relates to the Faculty which teaches their course.

Permission from the SAS, SAR Unit is required to enrol in Stream C.

Context stream A - Sciences Context stream B - Arts

Faculty of Science Faculty of Law

Faculty of Medicine Faculty of Music

Faculty of Dentistry Faculty of Business

Faculty of Pharmacy College of Fine Arts

Faculty of Architecture Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Faculty of Health Sciences Faculty of Education and Social Work

Faculty of Veterinary Science

Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery Context stream C - Interdisciplinary

Faculty of Engineering & Technology

Faculty of Agriculture & Environment Arts & Sciences

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motivation levels. It also maximises students’ preparedness and willingness to participate

(Greer, 2000, p. 193).

Activities

Instructors use “task-based language teaching” (Ellis and Shintani, 2013, p. 32) to

conceptualise the “approach”, “method” and “techniques”. Most students who have been

excluded due to poor academic progress have a history of not submitting assessments or

engaging in scholastic activities. To successfully complete this course, students must

demonstrate that they are willing and able to engage in classroom and online activities. They

must also complete a non-graded online quiz (see Annex 3) after each workshop, within three

working days of the respective workshop.

The course coordinator shall customise each task to ensure that it is a best fit to match core

EAP skills. An example of a core EAP skill is typing in key words into search engines using

the English language (i.e. reading and writing) to locate peer-reviewed scholarly publications

(Wendell, 1999, p. 190). The coordinator shall upload multiple optional activities online that

aims to assists students to identify resources and activities that may enable them to develop

their reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. This is best pedagogical practice as

individual student’s preferences and cognitive abilities invariably favour certain activities and

assessments (Crandall, 2001, p. 13).

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The coordinator shall offer students ongoing customised feedback via e-mail. He shall also

offer ongoing support by e-mail, telephone or via face-to-face consultations. Offering early

feedback is an intervention that maximise student progress (Ellis and Shintani, 2013, p. 32).

Evaluation

The Pro Vice Chancellor – Teaching and Learning (PCL) shall engage on Blackboard as a

visible participant/observer. The PCL shall provide ongoing peer-review feedback to the

Coordinator to aid the development of the curriculum in real-time (Fook & Sidhu, 2010, p.

153).

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References

Abdallah, M. (2011), Web-based new literacies and EFL curriculum design in teacher

education: A design study for expanding EFL student teachers language-related literacy

practices in an Egyptian pre-service teacher education programme (Unpublished Doctor of

Philosophy Thesis), University of Exeter, Exeter England.

Australian Government (2016), List of Australian universities,

<www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/global/australian-education/universities-and-higher-

education/list-of-australian-universities>. Accessed 25 November 2016.

Brandt, C. (2010), Competition and collaboration in initial teacher education in TESOL: A

case of a classic double blind, Asian EFL Journal, 12(3), 8–39.

Christison, M.A. (1998), Applying multiple intelligences theory in preservice and inservice

TEFL education programs, English Language Teaching Forum, 36(2), 2–13.

Crandall, J. (2001), Rethinking classroom management: Creating an effective learning

community, ESL Magazine, 4(3), 10–15.

Department of Education and Training (2016), Higher education statistics: Student data,

<https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-statistics>. Accessed 25 November 2016.

Dooley, P., & Oliver, R. (2002), An investigation into the predictive validity of the IELTS

test as an indicator of future academic success, Prospect, 17(1), 36–54.

Farrell, T. (2001), English language teacher socialisation during the practicum, Prospect,

16(1), 49–62.

Fook, J. and Sidhu, G. (2010), ‘Authentic assessment and pedagogical strategies in higher

education’, Journal of Social Sciences, 6(2), 153–161.

Greer, D. (2000), “The eyes of Hito”: A Japanese cultural monitor of behaviour in the

communicative language classroom, Japanese Applied Language Teaching Journal, 22(1-2),

83–195.

Harris, A. (2013), Identifying students requiring English language support: What role can a

PELA play?, Journal of Academic Language & Learning, 7(2), A62–A78.

Hawethorne, L. (2004), A case study in the globalization of medical education: Assisting

overseas-born students at the University of Melbourne, Medical Teacher, 26(2), 150–159.

Jeong, S. et al. (2011), Understanding and enhancing the learning experiences of culturally

and linguistically diverse nursing students in an Australian bachelor of nursing program,

Nurse Education Today, 31(3), 238–244.

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Nyland, C. et al. (2013), Governing the international student experience: Lessons from the

Australian international education model, Academy of Management Learning & Education,

12(4), 656–673.

Paton, M. (2007), Why international students are at greater risk of failure, The International

Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations, 6(6), 102–111.

Schön, D.A. (1983), The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action, New

York, USA: Basic Books.

Shin, S. (2008), Preparing non-native English-speaking ESL teachers, Teacher Development

– an International Journal of Teachers’ Professional Development, 12(1), 57–65.

Salamonson, Y., et al. (2011), Linguistic diversity as sociodemographic predictor of nursing

program progression and completion, Contemporary Nurse, 38(1-2), 84-93.

Universities Australia (2015), Key facts and data,

<www.universitiesaustralia.edu.au/australias-universities/key-facts-and

data#.WDZwitQrLs0>. Accessed 25 November 2016.

University of Sydney (2014), Coursework policy 2014,

<www.sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2014/378&RendNum=0>.

Accessed 25 November 2016.

University of Sydney (2016), Staying on track,

<www.sydney.edu.au/student_affairs/staying_on_track/index.shtml>.

Accessed 25 November 2016.

University of Technology, Sydney (2016), Academic progress and early intervention,

<http://www.uts.edu.au/current-students/managing-your-course/classes-and

assessment/academic-progression/international-1>. Accessed 25 November 2016.

Wendell, A. (1999), Learner training in context: A knowledge based approach, System, 27,

435–441.

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A study skills pilot program created

for ‘excluded’ ESL/EFL students at an Australian university.

Project details (Pilot)

Program name: Students at Risk: Stage 3L (ESL/EFL) (Course SAR3L)

Coordinator: Dr. Jay Jericho

Email: jay@thefreeschool.education

Project Owner: Student Affairs Secretariat, Students at Risk Unit

Approved by: 1. Pro Vice Chancellor, Teaching and Learning (PTL) (July 2015)

2. Ethics Committee (August 2015)

Acronyms

EAP English for Academic Purposes

EFL English as a Foreign Language

ESL English as a Second Language

PCL Pro Vice Chancellor, Teaching and Learning

SAR Student/s at Risk

SAR3L Stage 3L (Program – ESL/EFL)

SAR4 Student/s at Risk Stage 4 (mandatory exclusion)

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Annex 1 The Free School

Form SAR3L (Version 1, 4/2015)

Student at Risk, Stage 3(L) (ESL), (Program SAR3L)

Obligations of the student:

Undertake an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination at your

own expense. Your current enrolment at this University is contingent on you providing the

University with a single IELTS certified assessment transcript that reports scores of 6.0 or

higher for reading, writing, listening and speaking skills. You must provide this record within

60 days of admission into Program SAR3L, unless the University approves an extension.

Obligations of the University:

The student has access to all university facilities and resources normally offered to students

enrolled in their current course.

Stage 3L students transition into Stage 4 if any of the following occurs: (a) Failure of 50% or

more of coursework units undertaken during Term One or Term Two* (based on total credit

points); (b) Failing a mandatory coursework unit during Term One or Term Two*; (c) Failing

any elective unit two or more times*; (d) Receiving an adverse year-end progress report from

their primary supervisor (Honours and postgraduate research students); (e) Failure to attend

all workshops and/or complete all activities listed in the syllabus for Course SAR3L.

Student _________________________ Signature ________________________

Student ID _________________________ Date _________________________

The Free School University, Student Affairs Secretariat (SAS)

Staff name __________________________ Signature ________________________

Job Title __________________________ Date _________________________

Witness __________________________ Date _________________________

*Fail grades attributable to Winter/Summer School courses do not cause a student to enter or progress

through SAR Stages 1-4, per University Regulation (Coursework) 2005 Division V (II)(a)(i).

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Annex 2 Lesson plans

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Annex 3 Sample quizzes (Quiz 3 of 3, incorporating summative feedback)

Question 9 of 10 (English for Academic Purposes – Reading skills)

Which of the following is not a peer-reviewed online scholarly search Engine?

(a) Expanded Academic

(b) Proquest

(c) Emerald

(d) Wikipedia

(e) Google Scholar

Answer (a) is incorrect. Wikipedia – answer (d) is the correct answer. Any person may

edit Wikipedia. This website does not disclose the qualifications of internal/external

editors.

Question 10 of 10 (English for Academic Purposes – Listening skills)

Students who struggle to understand oral instructions (e.g. in tutorials, lectures) may adopt a

number of strategies. Which of the following strategies violates university policy?

(a) Students may e-mail the instructor to advise them that they are a non-native speaker

of English and request their instructor to speak slower during lectures/tutorials.

(b) Students may tape record all lectures and tutorials and play them again at home.

(c) Students may watch podcast lectures as many times as they wish.

(d) Students may request to meet with the instructor to discuss this issue.

(e) Students may attend the Learning Skills Unit (LSU), by appointment, and practice

their listening speaking skills with a LSU tutor.

Answer (b) is correct – well done! Recall from class, that copyright and workplace

legislation make it unlawful in certain cases to make audio recordings in academic

environments. You should check with your instructor on a case-by-case basis and obtain

permission from the instructor to make a recording in writing via your uni-mail account.

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Auto reply: Quiz results: 4/10. You have completed all quiz questions, per the requirements

for successful participation in this summative assessment. You will receive an e-mail from

the Coordinator within one week, with feedback about how you performed in the third quiz.

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