Evaluating an ESP Course Dubravka Zupanec Tadeja Hafner School of Foreign Languages Slovenia

Slovenian Armed Forces Officer Candidate School English for Platoon Leaders

Evaluating an ESP Course Background Background Research and findings Research and findings Development of a new course Development of a new course

Background 1 Purpose of evaluation: Program development Program development Program accountability Program accountability (Weir and Roberts, 1994) (Weir and Roberts, 1994)

Background 2 Is the course meeting its aims? client satisfaction (school) client satisfaction (school) learners satisfaction learners satisfaction teachers satisfaction teachers satisfaction

Background 3 Aspects of evaluation: the syllabus the syllabus the teachers the teachers the students the students

Research 1 Documentation on the OCS training course Documentation on the OCS training course previous OCS training program vs. previous OCS training program vs. new OCS training program new OCS training program more hands- on content

Research 2 Informal interwiews with the commanders at OCS Informal interwiews with the commanders at OCS Joint training with the Czech Republic Joint training with the Czech Republic Longer training abroad Longer training abroad Numerous international field training exercises Numerous international field training exercises

Research 3 English course documentation English course documentation relevant course documents relevant course documents course work course work course reviews course reviews

Research 4 Informal interviews with the teachers Informal interviews with the teachers level of difficulty to be increased level of difficulty to be increased style of instruction to be changed style of instruction to be changed materials to be adapted materials to be adapted assessment to be improved assessment to be improved

Research 5 End-of-course questionnaires End-of-course questionnaires (45 students included) (45 students included) Areas: course content Areas: course content materials materials teaching methods teaching methods

End-of-course questionnaires End-of-course questionnaires Suggested improvements: Suggested improvements: 71% (32ss) - more tactics 71% (32ss) - more tactics 75% (34ss) - discussion on up-to-date topics 75% (34ss) - discussion on up-to-date topics 55% (25ss) - more grammar 55% (25ss) - more grammar 62% (28ss) - more individual work 62% (28ss) - more individual work

Research 6 Literature on teaching advanced learners Literature on teaching advanced learners What makes advanced learners different? What makes advanced learners different? individual needs individual needs needs rarely consistent within group needs rarely consistent within group

Literature on teaching advanced students Literature on teaching advanced students make it different make it different stretch the students stretch the students individualise individualise (Felicity ODell, 2008)

Development 1 Conclusions: Conclusions: Aims and objectives to be revised, Aims and objectives to be revised, Real-life tasks to be introduced Real-life tasks to be introduced The teaching approach to be altered The teaching approach to be altered Assessment to be redefined Assessment to be redefined

Development 2 Aims & tasks: Aims & tasks: delivering a well organized briefing delivering a well organized briefing participating in meetings participating in meetings Giving oral and written orders Giving oral and written orders improving study skills improving study skills

Development 3 A different teaching approach A different teaching approach providing self-access materials providing self-access materials using internet as a teaching aid using internet as a teaching aid using elements of problem based learning using elements of problem based learning having students work on projects having students work on projects –web quests –songs

Development 4 Improved assessment Improved assessment A new assessment scale, set criteria A new assessment scale, set criteria Tasks: - briefing Tasks: - briefing - meeting - meeting - oral & written order - oral & written order Group and individual scores Group and individual scores Teacher and peer assessment Teacher and peer assessment

Development 5 Pending issues Materials design involving experts Materials design involving experts Teacher training Teacher training

Conclusion Background to the evaluation Background to the evaluation Approach and methods used Approach and methods used Development of the new course Development of the new course

Thank you. Questions?