Action Research for the Definition of Communicative and Linguistic Standards in an English Teaching Course of a Chilean University

Author: Ana Mara Hurtado Maldonado Chile, 2006

ABSTRACT This action research project aimed at establishing in a precise, rational and consensual way the linguistic and communicative levels that the students of the English Teaching Course of Universidad San Sebastian should be able to attain at the end of 1st to 4th years. Specifically ,we wanted to involve the teachers and students to: - discuss the general aims of the English Teaching Department related to the development of communicative & linguistic skills in English; - propose consensual changes in the contents of the School Curriculum in relation to the development of these skills; - monitor the process of change in the students linguistic and communicative skills, taking into consideration their needs and national Ministry of Education policies. According to the nature of this research focus which implies improvement and curricular changethe methodology of this study was qualitative. It was, thus, oriented to the process of discovery, exploration and description. It monitored the change, taking into account the voices of the different actors: teachers and students. The method chosen to conduct this project was action research. It was, therefore, collaborative, carried out by a practitioner and its purpose was that of improving the situation in the specific context of the School of English Teaching of the University. In the action research process, the following controversial issues were brought up by the participants: 1. The state of English teaching in Chile at the present time and the feasibility of introducing international levels over various time scales 2. How well informed teachers and students are about international standards 3. Connections between the different components of the language improvement curricular programmes 4. Streaming students according to their linguistic level on entry 5. Students attitudes towards learning 6. Quality of initial teacher training 7. The development of team work among the teachers Different teams of teachers implemented the proposals of this project in this University. New ideas and paths of action have come up as the process of

reflection and self-criticism continues and as the national and international scenarios continue evolving. Key words: action research, curricular change, international standards

CONTENTS I
II III IV V VI VII Introduction Definition of the Issue The Context and Relevance of the Issue Boundaries and Constraints Principles of Procedure Research Methodology Data Analysis and Interpretation A Computer Adaptive Test B Semi-Structured Interviews VIII Categories: Interviews with Teachers and Students 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Opinion about the introduction of international standards Information about international standards Streaming students according to their linguistic level on entry Class size Teachers and students roles The plateau effect Quality of initial teacher training Teaching lexis Building up team work

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Conclusions

Appendix 1 -Common Reference Levels: Global Scale (Extracted from the Common European Framework for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment), Council of Europe Appendix 2 University of Cambridge Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) exams Appendix 3 Standards of Language Competence: English Teaching School, Universidad San Sebastin Appendix 4 - English Teaching Course Plans

I INTRODUCTION There was something that was disconcerting. The English Teaching Course of Universidad San Sebastin had fixed general statements about the levels of proficiency in English that the students had to attain each semester in its course programmes. However, I felt we needed to discuss, clarify and define consensually and accurately what general linguistic and communicative standards the students could realistically attain at the end of each year of the English Teaching Course. Furthermore, we needed to specify the goals and outcomes of the English Teaching Course. These definitions and statements should take into account the purpose of our students L2 learning; i.e. teaching English as a foreign language. There was also the need to standardise the language we were using to define these levels, designating parameters for the description of language use, and to identify clearly the stages in their process of acquiring the target language. II DEFINITION OF THE ISSUE I wanted to start a process aimed at establishing in a precise, rational and consensual way the linguistic and communicative levels that our students of the English Teaching Course should be able to attain at the end of years one to four of their course. Specific Objectives 1. Discuss the general aims of the School of English Teaching of USS in the area of the development of communicative and linguistic skills in English at each of the years of the Course. 2. Propose consensual changes in the contents of the School Curricula in the area of development of the communicative and linguistic skills in English. 3. Monitor the process of change to align the objectives of the School curricula to the national policies stated by the Chilean Ministry of Education.

III THE CONTEXT

Universidad San Sebastin was founded in 1890. The School of English Teaching started in 2001. During these years it had had two different Course Plans. The changes in the course plans reflect the growing relevance that initial teacher training has been gaining in teacher training in general in Chile. On the other hand, the subjects related to developing competence in English, had not changed in the Plan. However, the contents had been modified according to the perceived contextual needs of the country, as we will see later (see item 5: Course Plan in the Area of English Language). There are some documents that we considered to give an account of the context of this project:

1. Chilean Ministry of Education: Teaching Competence Standards (November 2000) 2. Chilean Ministry of Education: Framework for Good Teaching 3. Programme of the Ministry of Education: English Opens Doors These documents are well known in Chile. However, there are some others that require a description. 1. 2. 3. 4. Chilean EFL Standards and ALTE levels USS Profile of the Graduate (2002) USS Faculty of Education: Mission (2003) University of San Sebastin English Teaching School: Course Project Document 5. Course Plan in the Area of English 1. Chilean EFL Standards and ALTE levels While I was carrying out this project, the Chilean Ministry of Education determined specific levels of English to be achieved by 8 th graders and 12th graders, as well as by EFL teachers. The Mineduc defined the following targets to be attained by 2010; For 8th graders For 12th graders Teachers of English Alte 1: Waystage Alte 2: Threshold Alte 3: Independent

2. USS Profile of the Graduate (2002) It was defined in terms of competences and classified into two areas: Area of Values and Attitudes Creativity and innovation Self-management Team work

Area of Professional Development Intellectual leadership, which includes discipline mastery. Communication (including communication in a L2). Economy management

3. USS Faculty of Education: Mission Mission The mission of the Faculty of Education of the University of San Sebastin is to train teachers with pedagogical vocation, reflective thinking, competent in their discipline and with attitudes in agreement with the values that our University promotes. For this purpose, we implement a global-humanistic curriculum that emphasises the educational praxis and the development of educational programmes that use innovative teaching and technological resources, to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education. In this sense, we develop a teaching culture that orientates its pedagogical practices by means of permanent professional development, research and self-evaluation. (The translation and underlining is ours.) 4. University of San Sebastin English Teaching School: Course Project Document The School of English Teaching stated in its Course Project Document a professional profile which is characterised as follows:

good mastery of the English language (through immersion, communicative teaching, etc.) early contact with schools through participative observation broad view of the educational system equipped with methodological tools for EFL teaching critical mind aware of the psychological characteristics of the adolescent self-reflective knowledge and practice of effective methodologies and new technologies motivated, dynamic and participative

The study plan includes subjects in the following three areas: 1. English language 2. Pedagogical training 3. Initial teacher training 5. Course Plan in the Area of English Language The subjects that develop the communicative competence in English are Lengua Inglesa and Prctica de la Lengua Inglesa. To provide a clear picture of the contents of these subjects, I would like to explain, in the following chart, what skills are meant to be developed in each of them.
Year Lengua Inglesa Prctica de la Lengua Inglesa Number of pedagogical hours in the academic year 232

First

1) General English

2) Speaking 3) Listening 4) Reading & Writing

Second

Third

Fourth

1) General English 2) Speaking & Listening 3) Reading & Writing 1) General English 2) Proficiency 3) Usage 1) General English 2) Proficiency 3) Usage TOTAL

174

174

174

754

In the General English component, the course book New Interchange, starting from the second in the series, was used from 2001 to 2003.

In 2004, we started using other course books in the First, Third and Fourth years, according to our intention to introduce international standards in the English Teaching Course. Course First year Second year Third year Fourth year Course Book Objective PET, Hashemi, L. & Thomas, B. CUP, 2003 New Interchange 3, Richards, J., CUP Objective FCE, Capel, A. & Sharp, W., CUP Objective FCE, Capel, A. & Sharp, W., CUP

At the beginning of 2004, there was a School meeting, where all the lecturers attended and were given a document about the communicative and linguistic aims of the Course (see Appendix 3). This document was mainly based on A Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Learning, Teaching, Assessment, produced by the Council of Europe. The document was prepared by the School Council in October, 2003. Council was constituted by the Director and four lecturers. Relevance of the issue Our students were going to be the first English teaching graduates of the University (which later expanded to Puerto Montt, Valdivia and Santiago). We needed to imprint an identifying seal to these professionals. But how is this identity being shaped? How is this expressed in terms of the English language skills that we intend to develop in our students, how we develop them, what the students learn, what they think about their process of learning an L2 and how they see their progress from year to year? The issue stated is relevant if we consider the fact that this is a young School. We are in the process of shaping our identity as a working team of teachers, trying different methodologies, being open to changes. In 2003, the Ministry of Education announced the goals and deadlines for the implementation of international standards. Our School of English Teaching held a meeting in October, 2003 and decided to implement the European Union standards in our teaching in a gradual way. We decided to start implementing This

Alte 2 level materials in the 1st year of the course and Alte 3 level materials in the 3rd and 4th years, as we can see in the Course Plan (item 8 of the Context). In 2004, we started implementing these innovations. This research monitored this process of change. IV BOUNDARIES AND CONSTRAINTS Most of the teaching staff of the English Teaching Course, works on a part-time basis and with short-term contracts. The teaching staff with long term contracts consists of:

1 Director and EFL teacher 3 EFL teachers

There is very little time for meetings or interviews and, therefore, the teachers participated in this project on a voluntary basis. This means that I had to appeal to the teachers motivation to develop professionally, to reflect on what was happening in our school and how they saw its projection in terms of English teaching and teacher education. V PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES When dealing with the participants, I had bear in mind that being under research can provoke anxiety. Therefore, all the people involved were well informed about the aims of the project and the ethos underlying it. The following principles were communicated to the participants and respected at all instances. 1. Respect and openness to all the different opinions and attitudes. 2. Confidentiality, so that all research transactions were handled with strict reserve and professionalism. Names were anonymised. 3. Freedom. The participants held the right to accept or refuse to participate in the research. 4. Empowerment. The teachers and students are the subjects of this research and the ownership of this project is meant to be with them. The results of this research are meant to contribute to improve the quality of the teaching and learning processes in the School. I intended this experience to help trigger a teacher development instance which could empower us to suggest and make the necessary changes to the present situation. Consequently, the approach was that of the reflective practitioner (Schon 1983, Wajnryb 1992). In this approach, the teachers are seen as explorers of their own classrooms, initiators of their development, constructors of their personal meanings, owners of change. The model is non-prescriptive and bottom-up.

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All the above was crucial as I intended this project to be collaborative and participative; therefore, an atmosphere of trust and respect had to be created. VI - RESEARCH METHODOLOGY According to the nature of this research focus which implies improvement and curricular changethe methodology of this study is qualitative. It is, thus, oriented to the process of discovery, exploration and description. It has been intended to monitor the change, taking into account the voices of the main actors: teachers, students. The method chosen to carry out this project is action research. It has been, therefore, collaborative, carried out by a practitioner and its purpose has been that of improving the present situation in the specific context of the School of English Teaching of our University. According to this methodology, I planned the following stages in the development of the enquiry: Development of the research question within the field of ELT Curriculum and Teacher Development Literature review Data collection, a) Including the documents mentioned in III- The Context b) Application of a Placement Test to the students of the English Teaching course (Quick Placement Test, Oxford University Press). Ninety one percent of the total number of students took the test; i.e. 122 students out of 134, a figure which is very representative. c) Semi-structured interview with 2 focus groups of students: - 1st year students: Focus group 1 (students using Course book Objective PET) - 3rd year students: Focus group 2 (students using Course book Objective FCE) These interviews were recorded and transcribed. Semi-structured interviews with seven EFL teachers from the USS English Teaching School, all of which were recorded and transcribed. Written account of events: journal.

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VII

DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

A Computer Adaptive Test The Computer Adaptive Test chosen was the Quick Placement Test, which was taken by 91% of the students of the Course, a percentage that is very representative. This placement test measures Listening, Reading, Grammar and Vocabulary. Its results must be considered with this reservation, as it does not include Speaking or Writing. The results of this Placement test were the following:

Placement Test First Year

s t n 20 e d u 15 t S f o r 10 e b m 5 N

20 12 14

1 0 1 2 3

1 4

1 5

Alte L evels

12

Placement Test Second Year

s t n 20 e d u t 15 S f o r 10 e b m 5 N

21 13 5 1 0 1 2 3 2 4 0 5

0
Alte L evels

Percentages

50%

12% 5% 0% 2% 31%

0 1 2 3 4 5

13

Placement Test Third Year

s 12 o n 10 m u l 8 A e d 6 o r 4 e m 2 N

10 7 4 0 0 1 2 3 1 4 0 5

0
Alte Levels

Percentages

32% 5% 0% 45% 0% 18%

0 1 2 3 4 5

14

Placement Test Fourth Year

s o5 n m4 u l A e3 d o2 r e m1 N0

2 1 1

Alte Levels

Percentages
0% 11%

11% 22% 0%

56%

0 1 2 3 4 5

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The interpretation and suggestions derived from this data are presented in the conclusions. B - Semi-structured interviews - I interviewed seven EFL teachers from the School. They represented a broad range of opinions. The interviewees were asked permission to be recorded. The principles of anonymity and confidentiality were stated before the interview and were respected. The interviews took place at the end of the first semester, i.e. in July/August 2004. During the interviews, the teachers could see the tabulated results of the QPT and contrast these with their perceptions. The semi-structured interview questions were the following: 1. What is your opinion about the linguistic and communicative level your students had at the beginning of the year you are teaching? (Please refer to the attached document about international levels and to each year separately.) See chart below. 2. What linguistic and communicative level do you think your students can reach at the end of this year? (Please refer to the attached document about international levels and to each year separately.) 3. What information do you have about the effort that our School is making to introduce international standards? 4. Are you in favour of the introduction of international standards? Why? Why not? This procedure was extraordinarily useful. It proved to be very adequate, especially because of its flexibility and the degree of control the interviewees kept during the conversation. The dialogues with the interviewed teachers and students were surprisingly rich and thought provoking. I was aware of the source of bias mentioned by Nunan (1992) i.e. the asymmetrical relationship between the participantsand therefore, I tried to minimise its effect by creating a friendly atmosphere in which the students could express their views freely. During the interviews the teachers could see the chart in Appendix 1, which describes, in general terms, ALTE and European Union levels. These procedures proved to be very useful and necessary, as the teachers, in general, were not well acquainted with the levels.

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- I also interviewed two focus groups of students The first group was made up of 4 students from the 1 st year of the English Teaching Course, where materials of Alte level 2 were being piloted. The second group was made up of 4 students from the 3 rd year of the English Teaching Course, where materials of Alte level 3 were being piloted. The principles of confidentiality and anonymity, again, were stated and respected. These interviews were recorded and transcribed. The interviews were held at the beginning of the second semester, i.e. in August 2004.
VIII CATEGORIES THAT EMERGED DURING INTERVIEWS WITH TEACHERS

AND STUDENTS Category 1: Opinion about the introduction of international standards All the interviewed teachers agree with the idea of introducing international standards in the English Teaching Course for various reasons. a) It is a government policy, and Chile is part of an international community. It is absolutely necessary to be assessed internationally because we are citizens of the world, not only of Chile, and we have to be tested whether we like it or not. b) The Government of Chile is interested in raising the communicative competence standards in English both of teachers and students in the schools of the country. The Ministry of Education is aware of the reality that English is being taught in Spanish in many schools. That is why the Ministry of Education has set a minimum level of language competence, aligned with Alte 3, for teachers of English to be able to stay in the state owned or subsidised system. Your concern came rather parallel to the concern of the Ministry. () Teachers of English are not teaching in English, and students are being tested as well. They dont speak English, they can read very little and they dont produce, they cannot communicate in the language

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c) The government has given a powerful signal to the English teachers. It is not enough to learn English while at the University. Professional development is a continuous necessity. that means they have to continue studying, continue developing, going to seminars and speaking English, and worrying about it. It was something that had to be done. Teachers with over 20 years of experience were unwilling, they didnt matter about it, in terms of knowledge (of the language), in terms of theories The ones who were teaching for 5 years, of course, thats something different. There you are afraid, you are willing to learn, to try new things d) Our students will attain higher language proficiency levels. ... and I think for our students who are going to become English teachers, that is great. We did not have anything like that in the past. We did not know what our level of English was when we left University e) International standards are prestigious. This measure will improve the Chilean educational system. The teachers also suggested some measures we, as a School, could take to participate in this process more effectively: Some teachers feel the need to improve their language proficiency. I havent been assessed internationally, I would like that. interested in pursuing a course Im

Another teacher, suggested we could have a meeting with an expert in international standards, so that we can accomplish our goals in a better way. We can see that some teachers feel identified with the concept of teacher development, as Adrian Underhill defines it: Teacher Development is the process of becoming the best teacher you can be. () Teacher development is a continuous process of transforming human potential into human performance, a process that is never finished. (Adrian Underhill, 1997)

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Teachers are not afraid of change. On the contrary, they know innovation has a high cost in terms of the time they need to devote to implement it. All the same, they feel that change is an essential need. Students, on the other hand, acknowledge there has been a tremendous change. Some of their opinions were quite positive: the system and methodology used to be different. Now even the teachers are teaching in a different way. All the emphasis is on the use of language, the everyday life, indeed. This is positive in the sense that it is a challenge and that way we feel encouraged. But the change is too noticeable. At the same time, we know they are giving us the tools to be able to project ourselves internationally. This is extremely beneficial. On the other hand, the students hold a positive view about the course books Objective PET and Objective FCE. They stress the fact that with these books the emphases are in the use of the language, vocabulary expansion. At the same time, they find them user-friendly and a good support for their learning. Focus group 1 You can study from this book on your own because the instructions are clear. The order is very clear and easy to understand and it is supplemented by the other subjects. At school, we had to write only. Now we need to listen and do many things. Focus group 2 There isnt a grammar focus. We are applying knowledge now. This is better because we are not only memorising things, but we are applying them () This will be very useful when we become teachers. I noticed the change in the vocabulary, mainly. More phrasal verbs are used. Grammar is replaced by use. The book helps us to get ready for the Exam on our own. Now everything is about the use of the language; it is about real life indeed.

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The shift from the emphasis in teaching usage to fostering the use of language has been acknowledged by students. This adds complexity to the language learning process, but is valued positively by the students as being real language. David Crystal highlights the difference between the study of use and usage in the following terms: There is a major qualitative difference between studying the components of English structure () and studying the domains of English use. The structural properties of the language are many and complex, but at least they are finite and fairly easy to identify: there are only so many sounds, letters, and grammatical constructions, and although there is a huge vocabulary, at least the units (the lexemes, p. 118) are determinate and manageable. None of this applies when we begin to investigate the way English is used: we are faced immediately with a bewildering array of situations, in which the features of spoken or written language appear in an apparently unlimited number of combinations and variations. (Crystal 1995) David Nunan (2001) reinforces the importance of developing the ability to use language in a communicative way in the following terms: a basic principle underlying all communicative approaches is that learners must learn not only to make grammatically correct, prepositional statements about the experiential world, but must also develop the ability to use language to get things done. () It was recognised that simply being able to create grammatically correct structures in language did not necessarily enable the learner to use the language to carry out various real-world tasks. P.25 It is clear that the teachers and the students are faced with a much more complex and paramount task if they are to teach and learn the components of English as well as the actual use of it. The students have also perceived more connections among the different components of the language improvement subjects (Lengua Inglesa and Prctica de la Lengua Inglesa) as a result of the implementation of international levels: The connection among the subjects was not so noticeable in the first semester. () Now there is a kind of chain where the four components are linked. (Focus Group 1)

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Everything is more connected than before. What we study in Usage is the same as in Proficiency and English, but everything related to FCE. (Focus Group 2)

However, gradually, during the interview, the students expressed more and more criticism towards the issue of the international levels, and especially about the Alte level 3 (or FCE). We are only getting ready to take the exam. Wed better enter a language school then We even took a mock exam. Isnt that too much? And when they tell us that we have to take it at the end of this year, I do not think we will be ready. () We feel too much pressure. The students have felt the increase in the demands of language competence as a result of the introduction of international levels in the School. They have mixed feelings about this project. On one hand, they feel the need for challenge, but, on the other, they have resented the pressure. The students themselves suggest ways in which the pressure could have been lowered: It is not necessary to say this is the FCE, this is the way it is done, and you have to take it. Instead we should concentrate on revising what is weak, applying our knowledge of the language, not losing the right track. Overemphasising exam skills could be counterproductive. It may be that the teachers in their effort to keep up to the national demands and international standards have set objectives that are not realistic and are not taking into account the learners feelings. We cannot forget that our first aim is to help our students to develop language competences and skills, not just to prepare them for an exam. Jeremy Harmers suggestion suits this situation very well: When we are preparing students for an exam, we need to ignore the exam from time to time so that we have opportunities to work on general language issues, and so that students can take part in the kind of motivating activities that are appropriate for all English lessons. Harmer, 2004 p. 333

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Creativeness and autonomy can be fostered and tension lowered in many ways, according to Harmer: Just because students need to practise certain test types does not mean this has to be done in a boring or tense manner. () Students can be encouraged to write their own test items, based on language they have been working on and the examples they have seen so far. The new test items can now be given to other students to see how well they have been written and how difficult they are. On the whole, there is broad consensus for the implementation of international standards in our School. The teachers and students recognise the need to introduce changes aligned with national and international requirements. Standards provide a common basis for the elaboration of language syllabuses, curriculum guidelines, examinations, textbooks, etc. () It describes in a comprehensive way what language learners have to learn to do in order to use a language for communication and what knowledge and skills they have to develop so as to be able to act effectively. (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages CEF)

Now that the School is engaged in introducing international standards, we have a very interesting opportunity for starting or reinforcing teambuilding. The challenge both for the teachers and the learners is huge and worth considering how to face it collectively.

Category 2: Information about International levels Almost all the teachers felt there was lack of information about this school project. They received some written information in the first meeting of the acade,oc year about the international levels to be attained at each year of the Course. The first year students also received this same information, but there were not follow-up meetings to learn about the implementation of this project. Two teachers stated: we havent had a special meeting for talking about these levels, for exchanging our experiences, for studying more about them I think we dont have a monthly meeting in order to discuss about this.

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 I dont feel well-informed () Im not very familiar with all the things described here. I think it would be very interesting if all the teachers talked and shared all this that you are recording now because I think it would be interesting to hear the other teachers. Although the students showed interest, they were really confused with these sudden changes. About these tests: what are they about? Where and when are they given? What are the benefits as teachers? If we are going to be English teachers, we should talk about these topics; know what is happening, comment the news. What we know is that, in the near future the Ministry will demand the FCE as the minimum level to become an English Teacher. Is this true? We thought that taking the test was obligatory, as they talk all the time about that. I didnt know it was optional. I am confused. Michael Fullan (1993) states four main capacities which are necessary to deal effectively with change: Personal vision-building When personal purpose is present in numbers it provides the power for deeper change. Inquiry Reflective practices, personal journals, action research, working in innovative mentoring and peer settings are some of the strategies currently available. Inquiry means internalising norms, habits and techniques for continuous learning. Mastery Mastery and competence are obviously necessary for effectiveness, but they are also means (not just outcomes) for achieving deeper understanding. Collaboration People need one another to learn and to accomplish things. Smallscale collaboration involves the attitude and capacity to form productive mentoring and peer relationships, team building and the like. Fullan 1993, pp 12-18 (headings added)

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The School has a big advantage to implement change. There is consensus among the teachers about its necessity as well as contextual pressure. However, it had not been able to make the School community feel part and own the innovations. Category 3: Streaming students according to their linguistic level on entry At the beginning of the year, the students of First year were split according to their score in the Computer Adaptive Test. The weaker students were placed in Section 1, whereas the stronger ones were placed in Section 2. According to some teachers we cannot put extreme pressure in first year students, given the fact that there is not any entrance test for them. The aim of the first year, in terms of language, should be to level students and at the same time to encourage them and set realistic goals so that they do not get disappointed from the beginning of their teaching course. levelling them, getting them to be enthusiastic about what they are going to do because this is the way they are going to earn their living, and not to kill them with this pressure of reaching the PET level () they could panic and they dont learn anything. If a student doesnt get to level 1 at the end of the year, they shouldnt stay in the course because that means no interest because you cannot start and finish at the same level. It means no interest, no abilities. We can see that some teachers think that setting Alte level 2 as the goal for the first year students is not realistic. Demanding at least Alte 1 level at the end of the first year would be fairer. The teachers think, though, that we should be very strict in this demand and not let students with a lower level get into the second year. As regards streaming first year students according to the results of the Computer Adaptive Test, some teachers expressed their doubts. In the first place, they stated that the weaker students can benefit from an atmosphere where English is spoken more or less fluently by most of the students. Everybody speaks English, even if you want to borrow an eraser. So that helps a lot. This atmosphere helps a lot. (Referring to Section 2).

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Even stronger, was the argument that stated that there could be a discriminatory bias in splitting the students according to their language level. To be honest, Ive never agreed with that. () It is not good for any of them because if you feel like I am so bad that Im in group 1 you feel inferior. In general, we can say that the students perceptions about this decision are good. The split was good. Had we started all together, it would have been a total disorder As some knew more and some knew less, the teacher could devote more time and reinforce the ones who knew less.

About the issue of grouping learners, Nunan (1988) states that: It is assumed by teachers (and learners) that effective learning can only take place in classes that are relatively, homogeneous in terms of student proficiency level. (Recent research into second-language acquisition in the classroom is beginning to question this conventional wisdom). However, the fact remains that teachers consistently nominate mixed proficiency groups as the most difficult to plan for adequately. It is clear from what has been said, that we need to evaluate and re-consider the decision we made about splitting the First year students according to their language proficiency. Category 4: Class Size Different teachers expressed their concern about the big size of the classes in the 1st year. It is very interesting to see that they see class size as a factor that counteracts our Schools efforts to raise standards. Big classes make it difficult to provide personalised attention and feedback to each student. Furthermore, the communicative aims are less likely to be attained with big classes. With more than 25 students in a speaking class, doing pair work, there is too much noise and the teacher does not have enough time to provide specific feedback to individual students. The teacher can provide individual feedback during oral interviews, but then it is a test situation and the students feel under pressure.

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There is not a personalised attention required to develop communicative skills in speaking. We cannot ask the students to reach more than Alte level 1 (basic level) at the end of the first year because we have large groups of 30 students or more. For me the size of the group is important, especially for communicative goals. So, when you are working with a group of 33 students, () it is hard to monitor and help them.() Paying attention to the way they are speaking, in order to measure maybe their language improvement () is difficult. Individual feedback/tutorship was suggested, too. There should be more personalised attention to the students. Special time in the teachers timetable should be allocated to give individual feedback about their progress (apart from the tests). This issue was strongly raised by one of the teachers in the following terms: keeping the students in touch with their progress throughout the semester. It is not about getting a mark, it is about them knowing the way they improve, what they need to make further improvements.

Most international reports maintain a consensual view in terms of the convenience of reducing class size for better students performance. However, this factor has to be accompanied with teacher qualification and classroom management skills to ensure effectiveness of the measure. Reducing class size to below 20 students leads to higher student achievement. However, class size reduction represents a considerable commitment of funds, and its implementation can have a sizable impact on the availability of qualified teachers. Strengthening teacher quality also leads to higher student achievement. There is more than one way to implement class size reduction, and more than one way to teach in a smaller class. Depending on how it is done, the benefits of class size reduction will be larger or smaller.
Ivor Pritchard, Reducing Class Size, What Do We Know? National Institute on Student Achievement, Curriculum and Assessment, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education, 1999

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Category 5: Teachers and Students Roles We should make an attempt to change the attitude the students have towards learning. There is a conformist attitude according to some teachers. They see the course as a series of hoops they have to go through. They just want to pass. Personal tutorship was suggested as a way to encourage on-going learning. The teachers have a crucial role in motivating the students and invite to enjoy language learning and the idea of teaching it to other people in the future. The role of teachers in their classrooms is heavily influenced by the approach to teaching he/she believes in and practises. There is a repertoire of roles from which to draw if the teachers want to promote a change in attitude in the students. For example: Active Teaching () focuses on the teachers ability to engage students productively on learning tasks during lessons sees the management and monitoring of learning as a primary role for teachers. Cooperative Learning (Kagan 1987; Kessler 1992) constitutes an attempt to redefine the roles of both teacher and learner through a methodology which relies less on teacher-directed teaching and more on cooperative group work and pair work activities. (Richards, 1996, p. 102) In Communicative Language Teaching, the teacher has two main roles: the first is to facilitate the communication process between all participants in the classroom, and between these participants and the various activities and texts. The second role is to act as an independent participant within the learning-teaching group (Breen and Candlin 1980:99) If we perceive a conformist attitude in our students, we have to explore ways in which we could promote and provoke change. We could, for example, try different approaches to teaching and learning, like the ones described above and foster autonomous learning Referring to the second year, a teacher stated: Its a very responsible group. The problem is that some of them are not working properly, systematically. You know what that means. Implies doing homework, attending classes regularly, going to selfaccess, studying at home every day, watching or listening to real

27

authentic language. () Now, I think that they need to change their attitude. We should encourage the students to reflect about their learning and to develop an autonomous attitude. Many of the teacher trainers are self-reflective and seek for their professional development too. And this is, definitely, a good starting point. However good a teacher may be, students will never learn a language or anything elseunless they aim to learn outside as well as during class time. This is because language is too complex and varied for there to be enough time for students to learn all they need to in a classroom. () To compensate for the limits of classroom time an to counter the passivity that is an enemy of true learning, students need to develop their own learning strategies, so that as far as possible they become autonomous learners. (Harmer, 2003, p. 335) Harmer (2003) also suggests different ways in which teachers can promote autonomous learning: - Learner training (e.g. self-reflective questionnaires, vocabulary notebooks, self-analysis discussions) - Homework (e.g. student driven homework, negotiated homework) - Keeping learning journals (voluntary or directed journals, teachers comments, teachers letters) - The self-access centre, with appropriate guidance and appealing, user-friendly classification systems - Staying in touch with the language (e.g. English language TV or radio channels, films, pop songs, newspapers, etc.) - Training students to continue learning, with specific guidance to find what suits them best. - Personal plans based on the students individual needs - Students staying in touch with each other to share interesting web sites, magazines, etc. Penny Ur (2002) refers to a classic study on language learning (Naiman et al, 1978) and indicates that successful language learners are not necessarily those to whom language comes easily, but those who display a number of characteristics, most of them related to motivation. She enumerates the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. Positive task orientation Ego-involvement Need for achievement High aspirations

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5. Goal orientation 6. Perseverance 7. Tolerance to ambiguity The interviewed teachers especially valued students perseverance. There was a group of students who scored very low in the Placement Test and who were not able to communicate in English at the beginning of the First year. However, they were not discouraged and invested their best efforts in learning. We can see that the results for most of them are rewarding, both for the students and the teachers.

Category 6: The plateau effect The Third year students have acknowledged the increase in the demands of the language improvement subjects and are feeling the plateau effect We are stuck because I cant learn any more. We wonder if, some day, we will be fluent enough or we will maybe attain fluency by travelling to an English speaking country. There isnt much to memorise, not much to study because it is the use of the language. () We are not talking about rules, but the use of English. In that sense, it is more difficult. But if we can study and cope with that, why not? The idea is not to make basic grammar mistakes when we are teaching. They are demanding much more from us, to give the best of us The aim (Alte 3) is achievable; maybe not this year, but in the near future, why not? The demands are higher, we have to make our biggest efforts, but the marks are low and that is de-motivating. We can see that the Third year students are experiencing the plateau effect. They cannot see their progress. They have to be much more patient. Progress is now less evident; it is subtler. What can the teachers do? Harmer (2004) suggests: Teachers need to be sensitive to the plateau effect, taking special measures to counteract it. Such efforts may include setting goals clearly so that students have a clear learning target to aim at,

29

explaining what still needs to be done, making sure that activities are especially engaging, and sparking the students interest in the more subtle distinctions of language use. (p. 45) For the above to happen the teachers need to develop their own language competence and their language awareness. Once they have discovered and acknowledged the diversity and complexity of language, teachers will be able to share this with their learners and help them to face the challenge of thinking about language and progressing to be increasingly self-reliant. In the classroom the only views of language that really matter are the ones that teachers and learners have built up in their own heads. (Bolitho & Tomlinson, 1995, p. iv) It is clear from the evidences presented above that teaching English to develop competencies aligned to international standards is complex and needs to be supported by teacher development/training measures for the teacher educators. Category 7: Quality of Initial Teacher Training According to Teacher 2, the prospective teachers should know what it is like to be a teacher, even from the first year. I think students should be able to visit schools and maybe in the future start to teach one class a week. I think students should know what it is like to be a teacher from the very beginning. The third year students, on the other hand, expressed their concern about the delay in getting the methodology training. They declared: We came here to be teachers. That is our priority. () They should teach us to teach English, that is what they do in the Spanish subjects, but in English there is nothing like that. I think all the story about the FCE is excessive. It is okay to get ready for the exam, but we cannot forget that we are here to become teachers. You sometimes have the feeling that we get lost in the way, but then we come back This concern is very valid. This group of students has studied with the old Course syllabus in which the EFL methodology subjects are placed in the 4 th and 5th years. They have had general pedagogy subjects taught in Spanish, but the ELT

30

methodology subjects have been delayed. The remedial measures the School has taken have not been enough. The students perceive the complexities involved in becoming a teacher. teaching involves more than care, mutual respect and wellplaced optimism. It demands knowledge and practical skills, the ability to make informed judgements, and to balance pressures and challenges, practice and creativity, interest and effort, as well as an understanding of how children learn and develop. It recognises the important part other people play in pupils' learning: in the classroom, the home and the local community. Just as teachers must have high expectations of their pupils, so pupils, parents and carers are entitled to have high expectations of teachers. Teaching is a creative, intellectually demanding and rewarding job, so the standards for joining the profession must be high too. Teacher Training Agency, United Kingdom (The underlining is ours.)

The Chilean researcher, Beatrice Avalos (2002) identifies the construction of the pedagogical identity as one of the main aspects in the process of learning to become a teacher. She holds that most young people in their initial teacher training have a weak vocation to become teachers. However, the growth of this identity and vocation can be enhanced if the students develop social sensitivity and the capacity to search for development opportunities. It is the teacher training institutions responsibility to support the personal development of the future teachers and the gradual development of their identity as teachers. The new Course Plan has incorporated progressive teaching practice from the second year. However, the students who are now in their third and fourth year will continue their studies without this important element included in their syllabuses. The teaching practice will take place in the second semester of the Fifth year, which is not at all convenient in terms of shaping the pedagogical identity. The School is aware of this problem and has taken remedial measures to make up for the lack of early contact with schools. For all these students, there is a programme of helpers who go to schools and start getting acquainted with the educational reality. This weakness has been a concern for the School teachers. As one teacher puts it:

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I think the quality of our students is fundamental because, at the end of the day, the employers want quality. The government is urged to improve the quality of English language teachers and if our students do not reach the top quality to which the government is engaged, then employers will prefer to hire students from other universities. In terms of being a profitable university, we need to increase the quality. Nunan (1988),mentions the following indicators of the quality of a school or educational institution: 1. There are clearly stated educational goals. 2. There is a well planned, balanced, and organized program that meets the needs of its students. 3. Systematic and identifiable processes exist for determining educational needs in the school and placing them in order of priority. 4. There is commitment to learning, and an expectation that students will do well. 5. There is a high degree of staff involvement in developing goals and making decisions 6. There is a motivated and cohesive teaching force with good team spirit. 7. Administrators are concerned with the teachers professional development and are able to make the best use of their skills and experience. 8. The schools programs are regularly reviewed and progress toward their goals is evaluated. The School needs to contrast its present practices to these indicators and establish its strengths and weaknesses. Category 8: Teaching lexis Some teachers express their concern for the teaching of lexis, which together with grammar, is absolutely essential to develop language proficiency. Teachers see a necessity to expose the students to different kinds of words, expressions, and patterns. They go to the lab and make lists of words and expressions according to the different topics. These can be tested at any time. Some think that grammar and lexis have to be put together,

32

Some of them dont use the vocabulary. They dont understand that they have to put everything together to have good English. (Teacher 4) Alan Maley used the word lexico-grammar, acknowledging the fact that lexis and grammar work together and not separately. He stated the following: Current thinking, based in large part on the analysis of computer corpora, has emphasized the importance of collocation, and therefore the fact that vocabulary is largely phrasal. Words band together in typical clusters rather than exist in splendid isolation. Lexico-grammar the zone where syntax and lexis cooperate to forge meaninghas become a key consideration in the way vocabulary is taught. Maley, A., (2004) There are interesting efforts in the School to emphasise vocabulary teaching. In First year, for example, the students keep a Vocabulary notebook where they register the new vocabulary learned and examples of its use. In the Reading and Writing classes included in the subject of Prctica de la Lengua Inglesa I and II, the students get acquainted with the fact that there are 2000 top frequency words which are considered the minimum survival kit the student needs to be able to understand 80% of any written text. Vocabulary has been gaining importance in the teaching of English, and there are some teachers of the School that have become more aware of its key role for language learning. As Jack Richards states: Vocabulary and lexical units are at the heart of learning and communication. No amount of grammatical or other type of linguistic knowledge can be employed in communication or discourse without the mediation of vocabulary () Understanding of the nature and significance of vocabulary knowledge in the second language therefore needs to play a much more central role in the knowledge base of language teachers. (Richards 2000) Category 9: Building up team work There were different strong teachers voices stating the need to develop teamwork and for various reasons.

33

f) We should share ideas, materials and help each other. We cannot work in an isolated way. Thats the way things have to be. It is team work, otherwise these things dont work. Thinking in an isolated way doesnt work. Maybe you are not doing something correctly and the other person is going to share his ideas with you. If I dont have things clear, I ask for help. (Teacher 1) g) There should be much more connection among the English language subjects. We need to know what the other colleagues teaching English are doing. The teaching of the different skills should be integrated. What is the use of me asking the students to learn about first aids? The idea would be that they use that in the speaking, reading or writing components, for example () They listen to that, but they are able to use that in another part. It should be like that. (Teacher 1) Some teachers see this way of working as a weakness. Referring to the English subjects related to language improvement and skills Development (Lengua Inglesa and Prctica de la Lengua Inglesa), teachers feel it is absolutely necessary to meet with the teachers who are in charge of the different parts of the same subject. The subject of Lengua Inglesa is divided in three parts, normally taught by three different teachers. If we continue working in this isolated way, I dont feel we are going to get anywhere. Everybody teaches inside his small circle and this is not the point. (Teacher 3) We need to meet regularly. () I have the feeling that everybody is doing a very good job, but there is a big problem: lack of communication. () (Teacher 3) It is a subject that is divided into three, so we need to find time to organise it and co-ordinate One of the components of the subject is like a mystery to me (Teacher 4) h) Meeting time should be part of our timetable. Short regular meetings should be an established practice in our School, part of our policy. Teachers of the same subject (Lengua Inglesa) communicate by e-mail; however, they feel they would like to see their colleagues.

34

I havent been called for a meeting at the beginning of this semester. It is important to have the time fixed in the timetable. (Teacher 1) It has to do with co-ordination. We have to get together. Honestly, I have only had one meeting to co-ordinate in all the semester. there are some moments when you have to see the people, you work with faces Because for communication to take place you also need to see people, you need to see reactions. I think it is quite important because then we could talk about cases, difficult people and the way to try to sort problems out So it would be quite advisable to become more demanding. Demanding everyone to spare some time to co-ordinateAt least once every 2 or 3 weeks. It could be just 45 minutes. (Teacher 5) There are informal co-ordinations among some teachers, but this is a practice that comes out of their personal initiative and not part of the institutional culture of our School. Some teachers meet in pairs to contrast the calendar programme to what they are actually doing, to modify their programmes, to supplement the units with audio-visual material they come up with. Some feel it is absolutely necessary to work in a coordinated way and to have an instance where they could share their successes and failures. Maybe with a simple meeting and you say: Anything new? What are we doing? Where are you? I am doing this. I found this material. Something very brief, but we are in contact. (Teacher 1)

d)

Working in a coordinated way is a must if we want to introduce international standards in our School. If the school is interested in introducing international standards, I think it would be quite advisable to start working together. (Teacher 3) The need for co-ordination in this process of change is essential. As the CEF points out, international standards:

35

provide the means for educational administrators, course designers, teachers, teacher trainers, examining bodies, etc., to reflect on their current practice, with a view to situating and coordinating their efforts and to ensuring that they meet the real needs of the learners for whom they are responsible. A Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, Council of Europe, p. 1 The teachers feel the need to overcome communication barriers and set a common ground when we speak about levels of language proficiency. One of the principles of cooperative learning can be applicable to working cooperatively in an organisation towards improvement and change. Positive interdependence is a crucial element to bring efforts together and maximise the effectiveness of a groups initiatives. Positive interdependence is critical to the success of the cooperative group.(...) When cooperation is successful, synergy is released, and the whole becomes greater than the sum of its parts. California Department of Education, January 2003 Head and Taylor (1997) state three reasons why groups are more effective than individuals in managing change: Firstly, other peoples views are a primary resource for enabling individuals to increase their self-awareness. In a caring and supportive environment, learning from other people how they see you as a colleague and teacher can also be an important way of building up self-esteem and feeling positive about the possibilities for development. Secondly, a group of people who meet together regularly and are free to decide their own agenda tend to develop strong interpersonal bonds which can support an individual member in any decision that they might be making about their own development. () Thirdly, a group of people with similar ideas and objectives can exert a powerful collective influence on the culture of institutions. In the context of organizational change, people do well to combine their efforts in managing the change process, and to make it their business to get the best they can for themselves. p.97

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VIII CONCLUSIONS 1. According to the Computer Adaptive Test results, and considering that it measures the receptive skills of Reading and Listening, together with Grammar and Vocabulary, we can say the following:
-

In the First year, a significant group of students (41%) started at Alte breakthrough level (level 0 in the chart). Setting Alte Level 1 for the First year students, as some teachers have suggested, would mean very little challenge for 59% of the students. In the Second year, the largest group (50%) started at Alte level 2, preintermediate, which added to the students who started at Alte level 1 (31%) give a total of 81% students who started at the pre-intermediate level (receptive skills) or below. In the Third year, the largest group (45%) started at Alte level 2, preintermediate. If we add to this group the 18% who started at Alte level 1, there is a total of 63% of students who started at the pre-intermediate level or below. In the Fourth year, the largest group (56%) started at Alte level 2. If we add to this the percentage of 11% of students who started at Alte level 1, then there is a total of 67% of students who started at the preintermediate level or below.

Considering these results and the teachers and students opinions, I suggest the following scheme as the minimum targets for each course during the present academic . Students 1 year 2nd year 3rd year 4th year
st

Receptive Skills (Listening & Reading) Alte 2 Alte 2 Alte 3 Alte 3

Productive Skills (Speaking & Writing) Alte 1 Alte 2 Alte 2 Alte 3

However, the School has to acknowledge the present reality and provide special support to the students who enter 1 st year with an Alte level 0 or below. Another possibility is to introduce an entrance test, so that students with Alte level 0 would need to improve their level before starting the English Teaching Course.

37

It is clear also, that the School has to raise its linguistic and communicative standards. The students who do not progress during the year should not continue passing the English courses. Quality must be ensured and for this to happen, our teaching methodologies and assessment procedures should be improved. 2. Ownership of change should be developed among the members of the School community. This is a pending task on the part of the School of English Teaching. We have to involve all the students and teachers in the innovations and the first step is to inform the community thoroughly about the Schools and about the Ministry of Education plans. 3. During the academic year 2004, there was an increase in the class size in the First year classrooms. For the first time, we had sections of 30 or more students in language classes. This counteracts the efforts and commitment of the School to implement a communicative approach, which is applicable much more effectively in 15 to 20 students classrooms. We need to discuss this issue, evaluate its effects and make the corresponding wellfounded proposals to the University administrators. 4. Raising the quality of the training of teachers at USS Teacher Training School is an issue that has been raised in different ways by the interviewees. This is a governmental concern, too. The ways suggested to accomplish this aim are varied. One of the main ones is that the prospective teachers should be trained to be EFL teachers from the very beginning of their course. Concerted efforts should be made to introduce reflective teaching and learning as well as early meaningful contact with schools. If we want to develop self-reflective professionals (as some of the teachers suggested in the interviews), the common thread promoted along the course should be the development of self-reflective attitudes and habits. We need to make concerted efforts to encourage our students to reflect about what they learn and how they learn, using different tools such as reflection cards, learning journals, portfolios, etc.. But, most important, we, the teachers, need to discuss our own beliefs about teaching and learning, about reflection and self-reflection, and if it is worth devoting time and effort to these endeavours. We can only develop self-reflective practitioners if WE are self-reflective educators. The initial teacher training subjects (Prcticas Iniciales Progresivas 1 to 5) should aim to bridge the gap between the university and school realities and to equip the students with the necessary tools to face the present challenges of the English teaching profession.

38

5. Some teachers are aware of the need to continue improving themselves and expressed the wish to take a language development course. This is logical. If we are implementing international levels, it is convenient to know what the level of the teacher educators is and take measures to improve it. Teaching to develop competencies aligned to international standards is a challenge that most of the teacher educators have faced with their personal resources. However, in order to support this project and in response to some of the teachers enquiry, the Direction found the financial support and started a language improvement course for the School teachers. This course started in August 2004 and was given by a British EFL teacher using the course book Objective Proficiency by Annette Capel and Wendy Sharp. In 2004, 4 EFL teachers from the School attended this course regularly. It is expected that, in the future, language improvement courses could be part of the regular training for teacher educators of the School. 6. We need to evaluate the decision made about splitting the First year students according to their language proficiency. To get a thorough view about this sensitive matter, I gave a questionnaire to all the First year students at the end of the academic year 2004 and asked about how they lived this process. More than 80% of them agreed with the measure and stated that it had been beneficial for their learning. However, we need to continue monitoring this situation. Reflecting about the action research process as a whole, I can say that it has meant gapping the bridge between teaching and research for me. It gradually became a useful tool that has contributed to get a deeper insight into what is going on in our English teaching course. This action research project has also contributed to standardise the terminology we use to describe the communicative and linguistic aims of language use at the different stages of the English teaching course. It has been a collaborative activity, which has implied a great variety of interactive exchanges. I have learned to listen actively and sharpen my awareness to become more alert and open to the different voices of the different classrooms. This has meant a change of habits: I had to develop a stronger willingness to understand and to refrain from judging from appearances and making swift generalisations. Action research has proved to be an empowering instrument. From being objects of study, the teachers and students of the English teaching course have gradually

39

become subjects and owners of the enquiry process, and, I hope, agents of future change. The challenge now is to disseminate the results of all these exchanges and conversations and engage our learning and teaching community in the process of change. My hopes are that, as the participants get more and more involved, the need for change and improvement will become essential for everybody. As Somekh (1996) states with enthusiasm: As colleagues become more involved and move from being participants and informants towards being researchers, they will begin to make an input into the analysis and interpretation of the data you have collected. They will have their suggestions about what it might be most interesting to do next and to that extent you lose control. You get much more powerful opportunities for change but a loss of control over the direction of the changewhich I find very exhilarating and a very interesting way of working. (p.6) I come from this experience with many ideas, different points of view and again with more questions about the future: How can we raise the linguistic and communicative standards of the students? How can we generate a more participative culture inside the School? How can we make all the members of the teaching and learning community feel involved in the process of change? How can we better equip the future teachers with the language and pedagogic tools necessary to meet the challenge of actually developing communicative skills in English in their classrooms? I have become aware of the areas of development the School has to face urgently if it wishes to become a prestigious institution that trains EFL teachers equipped with the tools to face the challenges of our profession. Knowing this also implies a responsibility to spread the word convincingly among colleagues and administrators. Anyway, I am hopeful because the action research experience has made it clear that there are teachers who know what the weaknesses of this young School are and who are open and enthusiastic about change. These teachers are fully aware of the ethical responsibility underlying this enterprise, and also recognize the need to be up to the demands of the dynamic realities of our country and of an everchanging world. A good diagnosis is just a starting point. Anyway, it is an absolutely necessary step towards professional and institutional growth and improvement.

January 2006

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X - Bibliography Avalos, B. (2002), Un proyecto para mejorar la formacin inicial de docentes en Chile: el Programa de fortalecimiento de la formacin inicial docente, Simposio Internacional Perspectivas de Formacin Docente, Lima, Per Bolitho, R. & Tomlinson, B., (1995), Discover English, Heinemann Council of Europe (2001), A Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, Learning, Teaching, Assessment Crystal, D. (1995), The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, Cambridge University Press Elliot, J. (1991), Action Research for Educational Change. Oxford: Oxford University Press.) OUP Fullan, M. (1993) , Change Forces, London: The Falmer Press Harmer, J. (2003), How to Teach English, Longman Harmer, J. (2004), The Practice of English Language Teaching, Longman Head, K. & Taylor, P. (1997), Readings in Teacher Development. Preface by Adrian Underhill. Heinemann Labarca, Alexis (2001), Mtodos de Investigacin en Educacin, Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educacin, Chile Maley, A. (2004), Introduction to Vocabulary, 2nd ed., Morgan and Rinvolucri, M., Oxford University Press Nunan, D. (1993) Research Methods in Language Learning, CUP Nunan, D. (1988), The Learner-Centred Curriculum, A study in second language teaching, CUP Quick Placement Test (2002), produced in collaboration with the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (formerly UCLES). Oxford University Press Richards, J. (2000), series editors preface, in N. Schmitt, Vocabulary in Language Teaching, CUP Richards, J. (2001) Curriculum Development in Language Teaching, CUP Stephen, K & Mc Taggart, R. (1992), Cmo Planificar la Investigacin-Accin , Laertes Somekh, B. (1996) Beyond common sense: action research and the learning organisation, ELT Management, IATEFL SIG Newsletter, Number 22, Nov. 1996 Ur, Penny. (2002), A Course in Language Teaching, Practice and theory, Cambridge University Press

Linkography http://www.tta.gov.uk/php/read.php?sectionid=160&articleid=1051 Teacher Training Agency, United Kingdom http://www.cde.ca.gov/iasa/cooplrng2.html

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California Department of Education, January 2003

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Appendix 1
Common Reference Levels: Global Scale (Extracted from the Common European Framework for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment), Council of Europe) http://www.eui.eu/Documents/ServicesAdmin/LanguageCentre/CEF.pdf 21 June, 2010

Proficient User

C2

Alte 5

C1

Independent User

B2

B1

Basic User

A2

A1

Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations. Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning .Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

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Appendix 2 Cambridge ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) exams These exams are linked to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, published by the Council of Europe.

General English KET (Key English Test) An elementary level exam, testing your ability to deal with basic written and spoken communications. PET (Preliminary English Test) An intermediate level exam, testing your ability to cope with everyday written and spoken communications. FCE (First Certificate in English) An upper intermediate level exam - ideal if you can deal confidently with a range of written and spoken communications. CAE (Certificate in Advanced English) An advanced exam - if you can communicate with confidence in English for work or study purposes, this is the exam for you. CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English) A very advanced level exam - perfect if you have achieved a high level of language skills and are able to function effectively in almost any English-speaking context.

The equivalents in the Council of Europe Scale are the following: Main Suite Cambridge Proficiency Examination Cambridge Advanced Examination First Certificate Examination Preliminary English Test Key English Test Council of Europe C2 Mastery C1 Effective Operational Proficiency B2 Vantage B1 Threshold A1 Breakthrough

This information was extracted from University of Cambridge ESOL website: http://www.cambridgeesol.org/exams/general-english/index.html 21 June, 2005

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Appendix 3 Standards of General Language Competence: English Teaching School, Universidad San Sebastin
Levels Listening/Speaking Good command of TL in a wide range of situations. Converses with ease, utilising diverse language strategies. Can participate effectively in discussions and deal with complicated tasks and social situations with confidence. CAN narrate and describe in past, present and future with lengthy connected discourse which is linked smoothly. The only hesitations are the result of the consideration of the appropriateness of expressions. Uses pause fillers, stalling devises and different rates of speech to cope with communication gaps. Extensive vocabulary. Understood without difficulty by all native speakers. L1 structures recede and L1 accent, if present, doesnt affect message clarity. CAN initiate, maintain and close a conversation on a fairly wide range of topics with ease and confidence Generally effective command of TL in most uncomplicated communication tasks and in a range of situations although errors are evident e.g inaccuracies and inappropriate usage. . ABLE to give a coherent talk on a topic new to the speaker and shows the ability to connect discourse in particular when narrating and,or describing. Limits on vocabulary causes some hesitation but language flow maintained most of the time. In general is understood even by those unaccustomed to non-native speakers although L1 interference is evident and communication gaps do occur. CAN deal with a variety of uncomplicated communication tasks and social situations. e.g. Can ask and answer questions, express opinions on abstract, cultural matters, offer advice within a known area and participate in short conversations and discussions although has difficulty linking ideas. Is able to follow a talk on a familiar topic with little difficulty and understand the gist of recordings of unfamiliar but non-technical subjects. CAN construct fairly long utterances but only able to use complex language in well rehearsed discourse. Has ability to combine and recombine known elements of TL but only in a reactive way. Makes long pauses and hesitations but generally understood by native speaker familiar with students of this level although L1 interference impinges on pronunciation and structures of the language produced. CAN understand contemporary literary prose. **MARCELO (LITERATURE) Reading Writing Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation Can produce clear, wellstructured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices

4TH YEAR Advanced (Equivalent to CAE) C1 Alte 4

CAN understand long and complex factual and literary texts, appreciating distinctions of style. CAN understand specialized articles and longer technical instructions, even when they do not relate to the field of Education and English teaching.

3RD YEAR Upper Intermediate (Equivalent to FCE) B2 Alte 3

Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and independent disadvantages of various options.

2ND YEAR Intermediate (Pre-FCE) Alte 2/3

CAN read articles and reports concerned with contemporary problems in which the writers adopt particular attitudes or viewpoints CAN understand the description of events, feelings and wishes in personal letters and articles in newspapers and magazines

CAN write a variety of persuasive and argumentative texts adopting a particular point of view. CAN write short narrative texts with awareness of elements such as plot, characters and settings.

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1ST YEAR Elementary to Pre-Intermediate (Equivalent to PET) B1 Alte 2

Limited but effective command of TL in predictable topics and familiar everyday social situations. Within those limits can ask and answer questions, understand basic instructions and public announcements and initiate and respond to simple statements. CAN give simple opinions and make short contributions in group discussions. Range of language although limited allows the student to participate in and maintain a conversation albeit in a restricted manner with some linguistic inaccuracy. L1 interference causes occasional difficulty in understanding for a native speaker familiar with students of this level.

CAN understand texts that consist mainly of high frequency everyday or job-related language. CAN read short, texts related to varied topics, using reading comprehension strategies like: prediction, scanning, identification of main ideas and patterns of organisation. CAN find specific, predictable information in simple everyday material such as advertisements, prospectuses, menus and timetables CAN understand short simple personal letters and short authentic narrative and descriptive texts. CAN write short texts related to varied topics of everyday life with awareness of the mechanics of the organization of ideas and moving towards developing text coherence. CAN write letters about familiar or predictable matters accurately, giving special attention to formal aspects such as the layout, punctuation and spelling.

Concepcin, October 11th, 2003

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