Evaluating Language Courses at Foreign Language University Centers

Abstract

The background to the empirical study presented in this chapter discusses European Union (EU) policies of promoting language education by elaborating on the major recommendations proposed, demonstrating the engagement of the EU in educational mobility programs. It also discusses EU engagement in foreign language (FL) teacher training through various programs, documents and organizational activities. The chapter demonstrates how these recommendations are implemented in foreign language instruction in foreign language courses run at the tertiary level in the form of the so-called lektoraty. The study carried out is part of an on-going discussion on what an optimal form of teaching FLs should be and how the present situation needs to be changed, amended or straightforwardly revolutionized. Some of the dimensions of the problem obviously relate to teaching itself but inevitably they also relate to the institutionalized policies employed that express FLs’ roles in present-day education and the demands created by the job market and by effective functioning in life in general. The study presented here aims to portray the situation of foreign language teaching at the University of Silesia, through the eyes of both students and their teachers (lektorzy). It demonstrates the positive side of FL courses in their various aspects, from the organizational to the didactic, and crucially points to the defects in their functioning. In the concluding part, ways of improving the situation are proposed for the particular context described.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Student satisfaction questionnaire results: quantitative data (no 498) (translated from Polish) (all the data is given in percentages)

• A foreign language learnt: …………………………

• Level: .……………………………

• I. Please define your level of individual satisfaction with your FL course at the University of Silesia.

No.	Focus	Totally dissatisfied	Hardly satisfied	Fairly satisfied	Satisfied	Very satisfied
Organisation of FL instruction
1.	Availability of information about courses: – in the Language Center (SPNJO) and online – in the department	1.0 0.8	3.8 5.7	1.8 8.2	38.4 38.4	38.6 37.0
2.	Availability of information on the final examination	0.4	2.2	9.4	27.5	60.4
3.	Completeness and clarity of information	0.8	1.4	11.7	30.0	56.1
4.	Online registration for courses	6.3	11.9	28.1	30.9	22.8
5.	The length of a course	2.2	7.7	22.4	34.5	33.3
6.	Conditions (room, equipment)	2.6	0.0	24.1	40.4	28.0
7.	Timetable	0.8	5.6	19.5	38.2	35.8
8.	Availability of materials (coursebooks9	1.2	2.8	15.0	35.6	45.1
Quality of teaching
9.	Comprehensible and communicative classes	1.0	0.0	3.4	19.1	76.1
10.	Pace of classes and intensity	0.0	1.4	8.0	33.7	56.8
11.	Attractiveness of classes	0.4	1.0	9.2	29.7	59.6
12.	Clarity of assessment criteria	1.2	0.4	3.5	21.4	73.5
13.	Availability of lecturers (office hours)	0.8	0.2	3.8	18.9	76.3
14.	Final examination: a. form b. content	0.8 0.8	0.8 0.6	6.2 6.0	26.5 26.6	65.6 66.0
15.	Lecturers’ attitude to students, openness and kindness	1.6	0.2	0.6	7.8	89.7

• II. Please comment on what you think should be changed or improved in your foreign language instruction at the University of Silesia.

• …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Appendix 2: Teacher satisfaction questionnaire: quantitative data (no 48) (translated from Polish) (all the data is given in percentages)

• Which language do you teach? …………………………………………….

• Please define your level of individual satisfaction with the way FL instruction is organised and managed at the University of Silesia.

No.	Focus	Totally dissatisfied	Hardly satisfied	Fairly satisfied	Satisfied	Very satisfied
1.	Availability of information important for lecturers (e.g. requirements, regulations)	0.0	0.0	8.1	37.8	54.1
2.	Administrative work at the Language Center (SPNJO)	0.0	0.0	13.2	34.2	52.6
3.	Administrative work at the Dean’s office	0.0	0.0	29.7	43.2	27.0
4.	Online registration for courses	6.1	15.2	27.3	24.2	27.3
5.	The length of a course (a number of hours)	5.4	67.6	21.6	2.7	2.7
6.	Groups’ size	7.9	36.8	42.1	10.5	2.6
7.	Conditions of work (room, equipment)	7.9	31.6	42.1	15.8	2.6
8.	Timetable	0.0	5.3	39.5	39.5	15.8
9.	Availability of materials (coursebooks, supplementary materials)	0.0	5.4	13.5	43.2	37.8
10.	Availability of: (a) audio-visual equipment (b) rooms with a-v equipment	13.2 13.2	39.5 39.5	23.7 26.3	18.4 15.8	5.3 5.3
11.	Organisation of final examination	0.0	5.3	13.2	55.3	26.3
12.	Opportunities for professional development	10.5	21.1	39.5	28.9	0
13.	Opportunities for promotion	40.5	27.0	21.6	10.8	0
14.	Cooperation between lecturers and the Language Center management	0.0	11.1	13.9	25.0	50
15	Cooperation between the language Center and university departments	2.6	5.3	28.0	50.0	13.2
16.	Cooperation with institutions outside the university	9.7	6.5	45.2	29.0	9.7

• II. Diagnose the biggest problems in your work as a FL teacher

• ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

• III. Suggest changes to be implemented in FL teaching at the University of Silesia.

• …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………