Testing and Evaluation of English-Language Learners in Higher Education

Independent Learning Centres (Self-Access Centres) have become an essential component in language teaching institutions to aid learning and foster autonomous learning behaviour. To reach these goals, it is vital to ‘listen to the people’ in the target group. The efforts made and services offered need to be analysed systematically in each centre and centres should be organised and administered by taking students’ needs and expectations into consideration. The main aim of this study is to put forth a profile of how an Independent Learning Centre (ILC) is used by English preparatory class students (n=715) in higher education in Turkey. The overall numbers concerning the ILC use, purposes of regular users in visiting the centre, reasons of non-users, materials they find most useful and their needs and suggestions related to the centre have been analysed. The most common purpose for using the centre was found to be ‘to do homework’. According to the users, ‘listening materials’ are the most useful type of resources. ‘More study space’, ‘more listening materials’ and ‘more guidance’ were the most notable needs of the students in the centre. Based on the findings and understanding of the field, suggestions are given to improve the services and materials within the centre.

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The Integration of Popular Culture in K-12 and Higher Education English Language Curricula

10.4018/978-1-6684-4515-0.ch016 ◽

2022 ◽

pp. 276-295

Author(s):

Brittany Ann Garling ◽

Ashley Steele Heiberger

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Popular Culture ◽

Language Learning ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Background Information ◽

Teaching Approaches ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

K 12

In this chapter, the authors present the approaches and benefits of integrating popular culture into the English language learning classroom. They provide background information on classroom use of technology and popular culture as well as student demographics. This chapter addresses counterarguments against the inclusion of popular culture for literacy development and explains why the advantages outweigh the concerns. Also discussing the teaching approaches that are supported by the incorporation of popular culture, the authors provide reasons and examples of effective curricula, including lessons, materials, and topics. The authors base their argument on research as well as personal experience to claim that the incorporation of popular culture will support linguistically and culturally responsive teaching approaches and will promote student engagement, connections, and motivation in ways that support learning for English language learners in both K-12 and higher education settings.

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Latinos and Higher Education: A Literature Review

Journal of Hispanic Higher Education ◽

10.1177/1538192717705701 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 17 (4) ◽

pp. 402-414 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Patrick Jermain Flink

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

United States ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Literature Review ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

First Generation ◽

The United States ◽

Latino Population ◽

Hispanic Serving

This article is an overview of the Latino population within the United States, and within higher education. Changes in demography have led to an increase in Latinos in higher education. First-generation Latinos face unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges on campus. As a result, there has been an increase in English-language learners (ELLs), as well as an increase in the number of Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) across the country.

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Breaking the English Routine: An Argument for Polylingual Discourse in U.S. Higher Education

Journal of Praxis in Higher Education ◽

10.47989/kpdc103 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 5-25

Author(s):

Z.W. Taylor

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

Students Of Color ◽

English Language ◽

Institutional Support ◽

Communication Policy ◽

Linguistic Capital ◽

Policy And Practice ◽

Language Knowledge

Extant research has suggested United States (U.S.) higher education is more accessible and equitable toward Whites than toward English-language learners, international students, and students of color (Bernal, 2002; Lee & Rice, 2007; Lippi-Green, 2012; Yeh & Inose, 2003). In this argumentative essay, I insist these issues of access and equity are partially owed to the Anglocentric, highly routinized, and luddite nature of U.S. higher education communication, policy, and practice. Moreover, I forward the notion that predominantly English institutions (PEIs) should explore performing non-routine, highly technological work in order to value the linguistic capital (Yosso, 2005) brought to the institution by students with diverse language knowledge in order to truly serve students from minoritized language populations. Implications for linguistic equity and the practicality of polylingual institutional support is addressed.

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The examination of the test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL): Evident disparities between world Englishes and standard English

Westcliff International Journal of Applied Research ◽

10.47670/wuwijar201712ck ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 16-23

Author(s):

Caroline Kim

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Cultural Background ◽

World Englishes ◽

Standard English ◽

Linguistic Barriers ◽

The World

While many English Language Learners (ELLs) embark on a path towards higher education in universities centered around Standardized English, they must undergo rigorous training to prepare for these demanding TOEFL exams. Students that have been exposed to World Englishes, or lingua francas, for communicative purposes are now asked to abandon these English varieties to assume the elevated importance of the Standardized form of English implemented across universities around the world. This paper analyzes the juxtaposition and negotiation of these languages as learners are often encumbered with not only linguistic barriers but cultural hindrances that contribute to identity displacement. As language is deeply entrenched in one’s cultural background, it is necessary to reflect on how these English proficiency exams negate the learner’s L1 along with the unique qualities that they strongly identify with.

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Exploring Discipline-Specific Vocabulary Retention in L2 through App Design: Implications for Higher Education Students

RELC Journal ◽

10.1177/0033688219899740 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 003368821989974

Author(s):

Lucas Kohnke ◽

Di Zou ◽

Ruofei Zhang

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Second Language ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

Mobile App ◽

Education Students ◽

Vocabulary Retention ◽

App Design

In higher education, understanding discipline-specific vocabulary can be challenging. Insufficient vocabulary can be a major challenge for students as they begin their university studies. This study examined university undergraduate English language learners’ discipline-specific vocabulary retention when they used an in-house developed mobile app, Books vs Brains@PolyU, in Hong Kong. A total of 159 second language (L2) students from four disciplines participated in the study, and they completed a pre- and posttest consisting of 120 words in four difficulty levels in their chosen disciplines. The results suggested that participants acquired more vocabulary words at the intermediate and advanced levels than at the beginner and elementary ones. The findings improve the understanding of MALL and vocabulary acquisition using apps to facilitate and support learners’ academic studies.

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High-stakes plumbing in the twenty-first century: Fixing the cracks in the academic pipeline for undocumented English Language Learners

Learning and Teaching ◽

10.3167/latiss.2015.080204 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 48-71 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Holly Hansen-Thomas ◽

Ludovic A. Sourdot

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

English Language Learners ◽

Language Learners ◽

English Language ◽

The United States ◽

First Century ◽

High Stakes ◽

Educational Crisis ◽

Academic Pipeline

This article examines the severe educational crisis in the United States regarding the ability of institutions of higher education to recruit, retain and appropriately serve Latin@ English Language Learners (ELLs). In particular, it highlights the plight of undocumented ELLs who attend U.S. high schools and universities, but cannot work upon leaving higher education. This case study aims to describe the story, challenges and successes of one undocumented college graduate. In this study the authors show how cracks in the academic pipeline negatively affect Latin@ ELLs. This article offers specific recommendations to mend these cracks and improve the education opportunities of immigrant ELLs.

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