Service-Learning: Boldly Going Where EAL Students Have Not Gone Before

2017-07-11T13:20:51-07:00

Service-learning is an experiential pedagogy which integrates curriculum and volunteer service through ongoing reflection. Research suggests that service-learning offers notable benefits for post-secondary English-as-an-additional-language (EAL) students. However, most of the researchers have studied EAL students within the United States; far fewer have examined EAL students in the Canadian context. This paper reports on a study of the impact of service-learning on EAL students at a Canadian university in British Columbia. A first-year service-learning elective has been offered at the university since Fall 2009. This course is taught by faculty from the ESL Department who have a Master’s degree or equivalent in a related field. This study investigated the impact of the elective on EAL students’ English proficiency. Data were collected from students through surveys, interviews, and journals. Additionally, the grade point averages (GPA’s) of EAL students in first-year university English composition were examined, comparing those EAL students who took the service-learning elective (Group A) with those who did not (Group B). Grade analysis showed whereas Group B had a GPA of 2.15 on a 4.33 scale for first-year English composition, the subset of Group A who took first-year English composition in the semester immediately following service-learning achieved a GPA of 2.55. The results supported service-learning as an effective pedagogy for EAL students.

The Portfolio-Based Language Assessment (PBLA): Suitable for Adult Learners?

2017-07-11T13:37:04-07:00

The Portfolio-Based Language Assessment (PBLA) literature explicitly states the suitability of using PBLA in English as an additional language (EAL) learning contexts. An underlying assumption is that it is also suitable for adult learners. This paper tests this assumption by comparing PBLA against the assumptions and principles of andragogy—a theory of adult learning. Andragogy was chosen as the yardstick because it created a portrait of adult learners and adult learning that is still considered a cornerstone of the best practices in adult education (Merriam, 2001). Akin to andragogy, which states how adults need to be involved in the planning and evaluation of their instruction, PBLA involves participants in the planning and evaluation of their learning via needs assessments, peer- and self-assessments, goal-setting, and student-teacher progress conferences. Furthermore, like andragogy, which highlights how adult learners want to learn things that have immediate application, PBLA assesses participants on content that is of immediate relevance to their personal lives. Finally, similar to andragogy, PBLA allows participants to draw from their life experiences during the learning process. After comparing PBLA and andragogy, the conclusion is that in its totality, PBLA is consistent with andragogy—and therefore suitable for adult learners.

BC TEAL Journal

Service-Learning: Boldly Going Where EAL Students Have Not Gone Before

The Portfolio-Based Language Assessment (PBLA): Suitable for Adult Learners?