Report on the Basic English Language Skills Project (BELS).

Autor/in	Puhl, Carol A.
Titel	Report on the Basic English Language Skills Project (BELS).
Quelle	(1985), (17 Seiten)Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Academic Achievement; Afrikaans; Basic Skills; College Second Language Programs; College Students; Developmental Programs; English for Academic Purposes; English (Second Language); Foreign Countries; High Risk Students; Higher Education; Language Skills; Program Effectiveness; Program Evaluation; School Holding Power; Screening Tests; Uncommonly Taught Languages + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schulleistung; Basic skill; Grundfertigkeit; Collegestudent; Entwicklungsplan; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Ausland; Problemschüler; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Language skill; Sprachkompetenz; Programme evaluation; Programmevaluation; Screening-Verfahren; Minderheitensprache
Abstract	South Africa's University of the Western Cape developmental program in English as a second language is described and discussed. The program was designed to improve the academic achievement of native Afrikaans-speaking first-year students by improving their English competence. The students are a high-risk subgroup of students in a general developmental English course. In its history of less than two years, the experimental program has improved the course passing rate and the student retention rate and caused an increase in research and experimentation with methods, materials, and testing. The small-group instruction, communicative emphasis, high-quality staff, and additional resources are seen as distinct program advantages. Areas of concern include the influence of frequent boycotts on and off campus, the need for additional space and human and other resources, perceived pressure to produce results, the need for clarification of objectives and emphases, and the need for some syllabus redesign. Recommendations include exploration of new instructional and testing materials and further research concerning the results of this program and comparisons with other, similar programs. A description and analysis of the screening test used for the program are also included. (MSE)
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC