LOGO Business English Program for Freshmen at ULIS-VNU-HN: Initial Evaluation by the stakeholders Trần Thị Quỳnh Lê Trần Thị Thanh Phúc ULIS-VNU-HN Trần Thị Quỳnh Lê Trần Thị Thanh Phúc ULIS-VNU-HN

Contents Introduction 1 The Business English Program at ULIS-VNU 2 Evaluation of the assignments 3

Introduction: rationale  The growing importance of English in business communication  The situation in ULIS – VNU Aims of the paper:  Description of the BE speaking program in ULIS-VNU  Evaluation of the two assignments employed as formative assessment tools

Introduction: Literature review  Curriculum  Kerr (1983): all learning planned and guided by the school  Evan (1995): a structured set of learning outcomes or tasks  OECD (1998): content, teaching, learning and resources  Two features:  Planned and guided learning  Schooling activities

Introduction: Literature review  Curriculum development  Tayler (1949): Select aims, goals, objectives Select learning experiences and content Organize learning experiences Evaluate of the achievements of objectives  Wiggins and McTighe (2005): Identify desired results Determine acceptable evidence Plan learning experience

Introduction: Literature review  Curriculum evaluation  Tuckman (1979): means to determine whether the program is meeting its goals, whether the outcomes match the intended outcomes The current BE speaking program comprises both:  Curriculum design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005)  Curriculum evaluation

Introduction: Literature review  Assessment  Hanson (1993): representational technique  Messick (1989): validation of assessment  Forms: Summative: encapsulates all the evidence to a given point (Maddalena, 2005) Formative: compasses all activities to provide information to be used as feedback for modification of teaching and learning activities (Black, 1998)

The BE speaking program  Steps to design the program:  Identify the desired goals (knowledge, skills, attitudes)  Determine acceptable evidence Two assignments Final speaking test  Learning plan (working out the syllabus)  Collect data on the effectiveness of the program

The BE speaking program  Core book:  Name: New Market Leader (Pre-intermediate) Second Edition by Cotton, David and Kent (2005)  Reasons for choosing: Suitable level Authentic input Case study in each unit (review)  Supplementary material:  Name: Business Vocabulary in Use -Intermediate by Mascull (2002)  Reason for choosing: Business Vocabulary in Use - Intermediate by Mascull (2002 Explanation of key business terms Build up vocabulary (Levelt 1989, Ota 2003)

The BE speaking program  Assignments  Vocabulary mini-test: one test per two weeks, 10 minutes, items Semester 1: 50% from the two books, 50% from other BE books (low performance)Semester 1 Semester 2: 50% from each bookSemester 2  Case-study: focus on discussion and presentation skills Semester 1: adapted case studySemester 1 Semester 2: no official adaptationSemester 2:  End of term speaking test (adapted from BEC Premilenary speaking test)

Evaluation of the two assignments  Research questions:  i. How were the assignments received by the teachers and students?  ii, What are their suggestions in improving the assignments?  Instruments  Questionnaires (60 students, 5 teachers) about the effectiveness and their preference  Interviews (5 students, 2 teachers)  Procedure  Questionnaire completion (60 randomly selected students and 5 teachers who taught the program)  Interview: 2 teachers and 5 students

Evaluation of the two assignments  Findings: How were the assignments received by the teachers and students? The effectiveness of the case studies – Students’ feedback

Evaluation of the two assignments  Findings: How were the assignments received by the teachers and students?  Comments on case study (CS):  T1: prefers the CS of semester 1  Most Ss: prefers the CS of semester 1  Reasons: more suitable for Ss’ level, more close to the Ss, Ss have more to say  Ss: favor CS that invited discussion and argument from the audience The effectiveness of the case studies – Students’ feedback

Evaluation of the two assignments  Findings: How were the assignments received by the teachers and students? The effectiveness of the mini-test – Students’ feedback

Evaluation of the two assignments  Findings: How were the assignments received by the teachers and students?  Comments on vocabulary mini-test (VT):  Make Ss learn more  Help Ss re-check business vocabulary  Ss may forget what they learn  Ss favor VT in semester 2 (only from the assigned books)  Level: not appropriate (too difficult in semester 1 while very predictable in semester 2)

Evaluation of the two assignments  Suggestions for CS:  Contextualize CS: More assessable Related to the real world of work Same situation and complex language with minor change  More work on CS before going to class  Fewer CS for Ss to have better preparation  Suggestions for VT:  Better design  Some focus on pronunciation  More time to deal with the vocabulary

Evaluation of the two assignments Implications  CS promotes speaking skills.  CS work well when being practical and familiar.  Ss need to be exposed to unfamiliar situations.  More exploitation of input is necessary.  Ss and Ts use Internet to adapt CS.  More speaking elements should be employed in the VT.  Ss must have more opportunities to use the items in the VT.

Limitation and suggestion for further research  Broader scale  Comparison between the current program and other BE programs at other universities  More comments from other researchers

REFERENCES  Black, P. & William, D. (1998) Assessment and Classroom Learning, Assessment in Education 5(1) pp 7-74  Cotton, D., David, F. & Kent, S. (2005) Market – Leader (Pre-intermediate_New Edition) Student's Book), Pearson Education Limited  Howell, K.W. & Evan, D.G. (1995) Must instructionally useful performance assessment be based in the curriculum? Comment. Exceptional Children, 61 (4), pp  Hanson, F.A. (1993) Testing Testing: Social Consequences of the Examined Life. Berkeley: University of California Press.  Kelly, A. V. (1983; 1999) The Curriculum. Theory and practice 4e, London: Paul Chapman  Levelt, W.J.M. (1989) Speaking: From intention to articulation, MA: MIT Press  Mascull, B. (2002) Business Vocabulary in Use, Cambridge University Press  Messick, S. (1989) Validity, In R.L.Linn (Ed.), Educational Measurement (3 rd ed.), Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press, pp  Nomura, M. (2004) Enhancement of speaking ability and vocabulary: Using an archaeological research method, Naruto English Education, 18, Naruto University of Education, Department of English  OECD. (1998) Making the Curriculum Work, Paris: Centre for Educational Research and Innovation, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development  Ota, H., Kanatani, K., Kosuge, A., & Hidai, S. (2003) How English ability is developed: Exploring English acquisition process of junior high school students, Tokyo: Taishukan  Taras, M. (2005) Assessment – Summative and Formative – Some Theoretical Reflections, British Journal of Educational Studies, ISSN , Vol.53, pp  Tuckman, B.W. (1979) Evaluating Instructional Programmes, Boton/London: Allyn & Bacon Inc.  Tyler, R.W. (1949) Basic principles of curriculum and instruction, Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.  Wiggins, G. & McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by design, Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development

Appendix 1: Identify the desired goals

Appendix 2: Semester 1 vocabulary mini-test 1 (part 1)

Appendix 2: Semester 1 vocabulary mini-test 1 (part 2)

Appendix 3: Semester 2 vocabulary mini-test 1 (part 1)

Appendix 3: Semester 2 vocabulary mini-test 1 (part 2)

Appendix 4: Case-study 2 (part 1) (in the core book)

Appendix 4: Case-study 2 (part 2) (in the core book)

Appendix 4: Case-study 2 (part 3) (in the core book)

Appendix 5: Case-study 2 - adapted