At present, it appears that Australian universities are generally not well placed to provide information regarding the standards of their graduates, and, therefore, open to allegations of soft marking. It is assumed that if students graduate from a university, then they have adequate ELP skills. Yet this assumption has been challenged in recent years by employers who comment that graduates lack the necessary communication skills for work;415 researchers who have argued that EAL students do not necessarily improve their ELP skills while studying at universities;416; and by those who claim that ELP is overlooked within subject assessment.417
The underlying issue that needs to be addressed is how universities know that their students have attained the necessary English language levels upon graduation. This is an important question given the diversity of the student population, the importance of the international student market and the
increased focus of quality assurance on measuring, monitoring and reporting on standards. In
Australia, some progress has been made on monitoring standards, mainly concerning English language entry standards for university study. However, gaps exist in developing an outcomes-based model for English language.
The challenges and dilemmas surrounding ELP in higher education will now be outlined.
English language learning outcomes are important for all students
Current approaches for developing English language during university study are inadequate. Many academics are overwhelmed by the English language needs of their students and ill-equipped to deal with them. Most English language support programs are under-resourced and operate on the margins of disciplinary teaching and learning. The English language challenges do not lie solely with
international students.
Institutions need to ensure that all students who graduate have the requisite skills, knowledge and capabilities to advance to further study or employment. This is true regardless of discipline, though language usage varies in part by discipline. English language competence is the right of all students, the expectation of their families and the community and part of the ‘product’ that institutions sell in fee- based markets. It is especially important that we begin to acknowledge in a systematic manner, through our practices as a sector, that English language learning outcomes apply to all students. The Good Practice Principles for English Language Proficiency developed in 2009 by AUQA focus only on international students. Yet employer surveys have reiterated repeatedly that the level of English language proficiency of graduates is a concern in relation to both domestic and international students. Research tells us that domestic students also experience difficulties in developing their English language skills at university.418 It is generally understood that as participation in higher education
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415 Arkoudis, et al., 2009; Graduate Careers Australia, 2008 416 Birrell, 2006
417 Baik, 2010; Bretag, 2007
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expands to include previously underrepresented groups, students will be increasingly diverse in their backgrounds and preparedness, including their English language competence.
English language learning has not been a main consideration of disciplinary teaching and learning in higher education
It should go without saying that English language is vital to teaching, learning and assessment in higher education. Students and graduates express their understanding of disciplinary knowledge through spoken and written English. This is one of the main comparative advantages enjoyed by Australian higher education on the global scale, a comparative advantage we should foster and augment. Why does not this happen already, on the scale required? It is likely that many academics want to support their students with their English language development, but equally, many struggle to know how to do this. Further, it is likely that while academics clearly believe that language is important they do not necessarily consider it their role to assess English language skills as their primary focus is on teaching and assessing disciplinary knowledge.419
Baik has found that in some cases, departmental policies do not allow academics to penalise students who are demonstrating weak English language ability.420 The messages sent to students through these assessment practices are that English language ability is not important for their studies, contradicting the messages from employers regarding the importance of English language ability when recruiting graduates; and also contradicting the expectations of many students and their families. Research consistently demonstrates that formal assessment is a central influence in shaping student learning in higher education.421 If English language learning is to be taken seriously in higher education, it must become visible in disciplinary assessment.
Institutional commitment to English Language development in policy and planning documents
This includes:
• Course reviews that take into account English language development of students; • Student feedback in subject evaluations;
• Monitoring and evaluation of student progress during the course of the degree; • Feedback from employers; and
• The conduct of research that informs university policy and practice.
Develop robust and trustworthy assessment of English language
But academics may lack the skills to assess the English language learning outcomes of their students. Certainly, many will find assessing English language outcomes a daunting task. To develop English language assessment practices that can be systematically embedded within disciplinary learning, professional development for academic staff will be required.
The major challenge here lies in understanding how specialist language assessment can be woven into disciplinary assessment and reporting practices, with their distinctive contents. This is probably best achieved through existing moderation processes in universities, where academics and English language specialist assess and discuss assessment practices and grading of students’ work. A crucial aspect of this is developing collaborative practices between English language specialists and academic staff, as well as professional development to support staff in assessing English language learning outcomes.
How do universities currently monitor and evaluate students’ ELP?
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419 Baik, 2010 420 Baik, 2010
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At present it is not possible to determine with any confidence the English language standards of graduates on completion of their course, for universities do not have commonly agreed means by which to monitor and evaluate students’ ELP. Currently universities have graduate attributes that typically include communication skills. However, there are very few statements that indicate the particular communication skills graduates are expected to develop, or discuss how these are to be taught and assessed within the degree.
Without statements of English language levels of attainment, universities tend to rely on grades and grade point averages as a proxy for assessing English language, the assumption being that if students have passed their units of study, then they have demonstrated adequate levels of attainment in English language. However, as noted earlier, academics do not necessarily assess English language when assessing students’ work. This makes it very difficult to monitor and evaluate students’ English standards upon completion of the degree.
Should universities use standardised English language tests to measure students’ English language attainment upon completion of their degrees?
Australian universities do not have a history of systematic exit testing. There are currently at least two Australian universities that fund an IELTS exit test for their students in the final semester of their study. But is a standardised English language exit test, such as IELTS, the best way to know about English language attainment on completion?
All too often English language tests are viewed as the solution to English language standards. Until recently, IELTS has been the main English language test used in Australia for migration visas and many professional associations have identified IELTS scores for international students who seek to work in Australia. According to Craven422 in November 2010, 48 professional associations in Australia identified an IELTS requirement, and in most cases the requirement was a score of 7.0. Craven observes that an IELTS score of 7.0 is fast becoming instituted as the standard to which all [EAL international] candidates seeking professional employment in Australia should aim.
However, there is very little research to support the use of English language tests as a measurement of readiness for employability. Language tests are designed to indicate readiness of students to undertake study in English medium universities.423 There is little empirical evidence available regarding the validity of tests such as IELTS for the workplace readiness of graduates.424 Language tests may have significant limitations, if used in their current format, and would require careful development with closer links to English language proficiency levels required within different professions.