OATdb Archive

2014 - 2015

English Language Institute

Goal
Improve The Quality Of The English Language Institute
We will improve the quality of the English Language Institute by continuiing to advocate for a lab and dedicated classrooms, and by providing a curriculum with learning outcomes that will prepare students to matriculate to college level classes.

Objective
Develop Learning Outcomes That Prepare ELI Students For Matriculation Into Undergraduate Programs
The ELI Director and Staff will systematically develop the curriculum and learning outcomes for each level with the goal of preparing students for college level work upon completion of the ELI. Students must master the learning outcomes for each level before moving on to the next level.



Indicator
College Level Reading And Writing Skills Upon Completion Of ELI
Most ELI students have the goal of matriculating into undergraduate programs.  We will develop a curriculum with learning outcomes that enables students to achieve the necessary skill levels in English and reading to be successful in undergraduate studies.  Levels 2 through 5 will have learning outcomes that prepare students to seamlessly progress from one level to the next.

Criterion
College Readiness Scores On The TSI
80% of ELI students taking the TSI, will score at college level on the Reading and Writing sections.  The TSI is used for domestic students to help determine college readiness and placement. Scoring into college level English and Reading will indicate that the learning objectives for each course are on target.

Finding
College Readiness Results
There have been numerous changes in the ELI, including the hiring and quitting of a new ELI Director.  Before leaving however, the director and instructors worked to develop a curriculum for each course that was seamless and would prepare students for college level work, demonstrated by passing scores on the TSI.  However, enrollment dropped significantly, and with the instability of the ELI management, data has not been corrected on Level 5 students graduating from the ELI.


Action
Review Of TSI Scores
We will make collecting data a priority this year, and retroactively go back and measure TSI pass rates on the 2014-2015 sessions.  One variable that affects success rate on the TSI is student participation.  Our intensive program requires a great deal of dedication and time on studies throughout the entire program.  If a student passes Level 5 with a C average, it is likely that they will place into developmental English and reading on the TSI.


Objective
Advocate For Dedicated Lab And Classroom Space For ELI
The quality of ELI instruction is compromised by our lack of classrooms and a lab the students can use during and after classes.  We will continue to express the need for classrooms and meet with Academic Affairs on a regular basis to identify possible solutions

KPI
Advocate For Six ELI Classrooms And A Language Lab
Ultimately, our goal of advocating for space is actually acquiring the space.  We would like to have a plan or the classrooms and lab by Spring 2016.

Result
Assigned Classrooms, Language Lab And Instructor Offices
Academic Affairs found space in ABIII for six classrooms, a Language Lab, and instructor offices by SU15.  We completed installation of technology needed for the lab before the FA15 first session began.  This has made a tremendous difference in teacher satisfaction and convenience, in turn benefitting our students.

Action
Improving Classrooms And Technology
We have the classrooms outfitted with needed desks and equipment.  We are still loading the selected software for the Language Lab and hope to be able to use it by FA15 2nd session.

Goal
Increase Enrollment In The English Language Institute
We need to increase and diversify student enrollment in the ELI.  Global and economic trends can seriously affect students' ability to study abroad so recruiting students from many different countries is imperative for survival of the ELI.

Objective
Generate Agreements With Agents To Recruit Students For ELI
Research indicates that it is a common practice to use foreign agents to recruit students for English Language Programs especially if they are not located in a top ranked institution.  Competition is keen for these students so using agents is a viable option.

KPI
Write Agreements With Recruiting Agents For ELI
We will research the best practices for writing agent applications, agent agreements, training materials, and marketing materials. Director will attend NAFSA workshops and seminars to learn how to engage reputable agents.  Will have the goal of having completed and signed at least five agreements this year.

Result
Update On Agents For ELI Recruitment
We have completed Agreements with over 20 agents from around the world.  It took over six months to get the application and Agreement written and approved, and Agreements in effect.  We hope to see the agent referred students for FA2.  We have created the initial marketing materials, training materials, and information needed to promote the ELI and other academic programs.

Action
Maintaining, Training And Developing Agent Relationships
Even though we have over 20 Agent Agreements, we have only 3-4 who have sent us applications or made inquiries.  We have got to devote more time and manpower to interacting regularly with all the agents, sending them program updates, and scheduling time to train them over Skype. It is has been a tremendous challenge because we have one person dedicated to domestic and international recruitment and she is also responsible for developing and coordinating short programs, the ISO and GAP Program.  She is actually do at least two positions but we do not have the funding to hire more help so we will do the best we can to continue to develope relationships with these recruiters and engage more who will send us students.

Objective
Visit A Texas University With A Successful ELI
In order to learn best practices for recruiting, we will make plans to visit a university that has a successful ELI and robust international student population.

KPI
Visit To The University Of North Texas
We arranged a visit to UNT and will meet with their recruiters, English Language department and office that provides services and events for international students.


Result
Lessons Learned From UNT Visit
We learned that they use agents to help recruit, as well as have two full-time recruiters. We were able to obtain marketing tips as well as samples of their marketing brochures. We toured the office that provides student services such as cultural events and activities.  We learned that student workers are heavily utilized for student services and to help with cultural events. There are areas of marketing that they can also help with, such as returning e-mails, doing mail outs, etc.

Action
Continued Review Of Best Practices
We will continue to learn from language institutes who successfully recruit and enroll large numbers of international students.  Also, we will attend workshops and conferences from NAFSA on best recruiting practices.

Objective
Update Layout And Pictures On The ELI Website
We need to reformat the ELI website with more recent and interesting student pictures, pictures of new staff, and review how our program is marketed on our site.  We need to make changes that will appeal to our target audience and have the changes in place as soon as possible.

KPI
Review And Update Of ELI Website
We will assign three staff members the responsibilities of  performing the initial updating of our website as well as keeping the pictures and information recent. Plans are being made to take new pictures of all staff members and post new pictures of students in the ELI.  We also need to check on the Facebook link to see if it is active.  We need to have these changes in place by the middle of the fall semester.


Result
Progress Of ELI Website Updates
We have made significant improvements to our website.  New pictures were added and old ones removed.  Information was reformatted and revised.  We have added a Facebook link where we put dates of social acitivities and pictures taken at the events. Three staff members attended training to be able to update the website. We still need to make improvements and get a professional to make suggestions as we move forward.

Action
Continue Edits To ELI Website
Our website quickly becomes outdated as new staff come and old ones leave, new pictures are taken at current events, and changes occur with the program.  It has become a challenge to have someone keep the site updated.  We added an updated Facebook link is and have a student worker who is technically savy that keeps the site current.  We have to keep working on this site to keep it current as it represents the ELI and the quality of the program.

Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

1. The ELI/ OIP continue to advocate for 6 ELI classrooms;

2. The ELI has focused mainly on the curriculum and instruction, so that the ELI still needs to do a better job to provide support services. A few ELI students are using the support services available through the university. At the same time, the ELI has initiated an academic reminder system, where ELI students at risk receive one on one conferences, and group workshops on time management and career planning. The ELI is looking into developing an ELI tutoring program, which is still int he planning stages.

3. The ELI has revamped the English for Academic Purposes curriculum through a skills matrix identifying when English language skills are introduced and reinforced, through multi-media textbooks that encourage content based learning, where reading and writing for different academic disciplines helps students utilize their reading strategies to navigate new academic content and vocabulary, and this reading strategy awareness makes ELI students aware of writing. Moreover, the ELI also offers a guided research class that links reading and writing to writing across the discipline and the First Year Experience. By introducing students to different ways of reading, and reading diverse types of texts, gives students much needed practice in preparing for core curriculum first year courses.

4. The ELI has seen small enrollment growth, mainly through word of mouth.

5. The ELI is working with many ethical recruitment agencies for ELI student recruitment.

6. The ELI has visited a sister ELI program (UNT). In addition, ELI teachers have attended a professional TESOL conference and received additional information on enrollment and Best Practices.

7. The ELI has attended an informal workshop on preparing for accreditation, and is applying the fruits of that workshop to a 2015 accreditation process.

8. The ELI has ensured that all ELI students complete the APPLY TEXAS applications.

9. The ELI has ensured that ELI Advanced level students have been visited by undergraduate and Graduate Advisors.

Plan for continuous improvement  

  1. We need to contiually revisit Learning Outcomes for each level.  We have new instructors who we want to contribute to the content of our courses.  Initial look at pass rates is not where it should be.  Many ELI students are placing into a developmental class after Level 5.  We need to look at factors that are affecting success besides the course curriculum and outcomes.
  2. We have dedicated classrooms and a Language Lab.  We still need to make a revision to the software and students should be ready to use it by FA15 session 2.
  3. It is imperative that we increase enrollment in the ELI as it has been lower than normal for several reasons.  We are looking at recruitment trips to South and Latin America, including Brazil and possibly Mexico.  We are also focusing on SE Asia as China has been very difficult to recruit in.  A trip to SE Asia is in the planning stages.  Plans are being made to visit the Ministries of Higher Education for several targeted countries.  We will keep researching best practices to increase our enrollment. We are heavily marketing our short programs for next year hoping we will have a summer short program in place.
  4. Develop sophisticated recruitment materials and training materials for agents.  We are nowhere close to having adequate materials including recruitment videos.  We need to work on improving all materials, especially the Agent Guide.
  5. We are committed to keeping our ELI Website updated and interesting.  We market this site all over the world and it should look professional at all times.  This will be an ongoing project as I do not feel that it is where it should be yet.


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