Our Unit 871 team members share their strategies for tracking student progress effectively in English Language programs.
When we approached our fourth cohort, we reflected on what areas required focus and how we could track student progress. Based on our past experiences working with Vietnamese students, we have found that many people who are not accustomed to speaking with Vietnamese students struggle to understand their pronunciation. The team has implemented a range of intervention strategies, such as student-based learning, and listening comprehension has improved. I build on this momentum. In our data capturing and reporting, we have started to separate the listening and reading scores to help track the students’ progress and measure the effectiveness of our interventions.
Enhancing Assessment: A Closer Look at Listening and Reading Skills
In the past, the total scores for the book quizzes were recorded as a single unit. Now, by separating the Scores from the book quiz into three parts: listening, reading, and total, we have a higher-resolution understanding of the student’s comprehension, skills, areas of opportunity, and where we, as instructors, need to focus. This also helps us recognize trends among the students at different levels and identify correlations. Thus far, we have found that students, on average, score fifteen to twenty percent lower on their listening section of the ALPCT than on their reading section. This is valuable information that we will incorporate in the second half of the cohort.
The language lab has also started implementing pre-book quizzes as a form of continuous assessment to provide the instructors with more insight and data pertaining to the student’s listening skills during the learning process. This allows them to identify the students who are struggling, the content they are struggling with, and whether their interventions have yielded meaningful improvements in their performance. The instructors have found this to be of great value and have reported favorable results from this process.
Targeted Support: Strengthening Listening Skills for ALCPT Success
This process has been incredibly beneficial so far, providing invaluable insights into our students’ learning needs. By closely analyzing student performance, instructors have been able to pinpoint specific areas where students face challenges, such as particular types of questions that consistently pose difficulties. Additionally, the process has highlighted which vocabulary and grammar concepts need further revision to solidify understanding, and it has shed light on the listening skills that require more focused reinforcement. Perhaps most importantly, this process has enabled instructors to identify individual students who may need additional attention, allowing for tailored support to help them succeed. Overall, this approach has not only enhanced the effectiveness of our teaching but also ensured that we are addressing the unique needs of each student.
Tracking listening skills has also deepened our understanding of the critical role that listening scores play in our students’ ongoing development. This insight has highlighted the importance of concentrating our efforts on improving their listening skills to ensure they reach a level of proficiency that enables them to pass the ALCPT successfully. By recognizing the significance of these scores, we can better tailor our instruction to meet the specific needs of our students, providing them with the targeted practice and support necessary to enhance their listening abilities and overall performance.