Enhancing EGAP Courses with ESAP Components: A Case Study in Academic Collaboration

1. Integrating an ESAP component into an EGAP course.BALEAP 2017 Bristol Sue Teale: s.teale@bham.ac.uk Birmingham International Academy (BIA), The University of Birmingham

2. Outline • Why is ESAP important? • A brief background to BIA Presessional Programmes • Teacher Assistants (TAs) and English in Your Subject • My research aims and methodology • Benefits • Future research

3. Why is ESAP important? • Inclusion of subject experts provides “authenticity” and “credibility” (Jordan, 1997:121). • “Authentic materials are essential to EAP and are intrinsically motivating for students” (Alexander et al., 2008:20). • Good collaboration leads to “effective course delivery”. (Charles and Pecorari, 2015:10). • ESAP can be hard to organise due to the “range of learners” or due to “financialconstraints” (Gillet, 2013).

4. BIA Presessional Programmes EAP Post-Graduate (PG) Programme • 373 students • 40 different departments / 100 destination degrees • 30 class teachers and 30 Teacher Assistants • 10 and 6-week subject specific classes • EGAP 85% ESAP 15%

5. Teacher Assistants (TAs) • Postgraduates not lecturers • PhD in preference to MSc/MA • Mostly international students English in Your Subject (EiYS) • 2x 90 minutes sessions a week • 1 TA per 10-week class (shared at 6-week stage)

6. Aims of research • What actual knowledge / insights does the TA bring, that the teacher cannot provide? • Does it matter if the TA is not in the exact discipline of the students? • What are the responsibilities of teacher and TA in the EiYS lessons? • Does the suggested syllabus match the reality of what is taught / needs to be taught? • How could we improve the induction?

7. Research Methodology – Preliminary Study • Analysis of questionnaires - TA and teacher • Comparison of materials with suggested syllabus • Recorded, in-depth interviews with the pairing • Analysis of end of course feedback forms

8. 1) What actual knowledge / insights does the TA bring? • Knowledge of postgraduate life • How to transition from Presessional to degree • Knowledge of research trends • Subject specific terms • Students believe TA (TA interview, 2017)

9. 2) Does it matter if the TA is not in the exact discipline of the students? • “the students would prefer it if the TA was from their discipline” (Teacher Interview, 2017) • “I told them what my research area is… at the beginning” (TA Interview, 2017) • “Works harder” to find materials (TA Interview, 2017) • Had to become familiar with subject specific terms • Requires flexibility - 6-week classes very mixed • May lack knowledge of the specific department • Problem with the TAs that apply

10. 3) What are the responsibilities of teacher and TA in the EiYS lessons? • Teacher decides on what TA should do • Teacher approves materials produced by the TA • Teacher uses materials in follow-up lessons • TAs “are not hired to teach” (TA Feedback, 2016) • TA creates hands-on materials • TA does short presentations • TA is key to the Academic Research Project (ARP)

11. 4) Does the suggested syllabus match the reality of what is taught /needs to be taught? TA and teacher pairing: • Covered most of the syllabus, but concentrated on Subject specific core skills: • Searching for relevant sources • Awareness of genres • Referencing • Critical analysis • Changed the order • Spent time on key areas dictated by student needs

12. 5) How could we improve the induction? • Teachers/TAs share some of the same induction sessions • Clarify roles, expectations and hours • Encourage regular communication TA / teacher • Match carefully: • new and experienced • personalities • Highlight essential elements of EiYS lessons • Give suggestions for practical presentation of materials • Share / collate materials used in previous years

13. Benefits for the University / BIA • Students gain greater understanding of specific research skills / trends • Increases employability of UoB students • Distinguishes our course from other EAP courses • Creates bank of materials

14. Benefits for the students • Feel able to contact the TA • Find out information about living in the UK • Understand life as a postgraduate. • Appreciate there is life after the presessional • See the course as tailored to them • Have relevant, up-to-date, subject specific, materials

15. Benefits for the teachers • Do not have to be subject experts • Are provided with up-to-date specific materials • Less pressured to judge relevance of ARP topics • Can focus on the language when a TA is presenting • Have the opportunity to manage

16. Benefits for the TAs • Gaining teaching experience / presenting • Learning from an experienced teacher • Gaining confidence • Reflecting on own research skills • Earning money

17. Future research • Start earlier • Involve more pairings (successful / not successful) • Observe the EiYS classes • Collect more material from the EiYS lessons • Interview the students • Track the students through their future degree

18. Conclusions • ESAP component incorporated by employing TAs • Core subject specific skills emphasized • Induction needs careful control • Benefits: teachers, TAs, students and the University • Wider research is needed

19. References University of Birmingham Materials and data: • Data from the 2016 EAP PG Course at the University of Birmingham • Interviews with a TA and Teacher conducted at the University of Birmingham, January 2017 • Materials used in one English in Your Subject class in 2016 • Questionnaires sent to one TA and teacher • Teacher Assistant Handbook (2016), The University of Birmingham • 2016 EAP PG Presessional TA - end of course feedback questionnaires • 2016 EAP PG Presessional Teacher - end of course feedback questionnaires • 2016 EAP PG Presessional Student - end of course feedback questionnaires • Alexander, O., Argent, S. and Spencer, J. (2008) EAP Essentials. A teacher’s guide to principles and practice. Reading: Garnet: • Charles, M. & Pecorari D. (2015), Introducing English for Academic Purposes, Oxford: Routledge. • Gillet, A. (2013) ‘EGAP or ESAP?’ Using English for Academic Purposes. A Guide for Students in Higher Education , 4 February. Available at: http://www.uefap.net/blog/?p=39 (Accessed 6th March, 2017). • Hyland, K. (2006), English for Academic Purposes, Oxford: Routledge. • Jordan, R.R. (1997) English for Academic purposes. A guide and resources for teachers. Cambridge: CUP

20. Integrating an ESAP component into an EGAP course.BALEAP 2017 Bristol Sue Teale: s.teale@bham.ac.uk Birmingham International Academy (BIA), The University of Birmingham