Students' perspectives of an EAP pathway program

Increasing numbers of overseas students are applying to study at universities in Australia. Many students who meet all of the university's academic entry requirements except English language proficiency are offered pathway programs which prepare them for their tertiary studies. To date, much of the research relating to international students focuses on their progress in tertiary, rather than pathway programs, and little is known about the students' own impressions. One such program in Western Australia was the subject of a two-phase study which was carried out through interviews with thirteen students from a range of cultural and linguistic backgrounds, in order to find out what perceptions they had of its effectiveness. The participants noted that they had benefited from taking this program, as it had provided them with a good transition to studying in Australia, but a number of obstacles still had to be overcome. The results also reveal that readiness to study in a tertiary institution goes well beyond the achievement of an English language proficiency score for entry. Modifications to the program are recommended

Issues of English language proficiency for international students

In the last 20 years or so, there has been a phenomenal increase in the number of international full-fee paying students applying to study in Australian universities, The revenue provided in this way has helped to address the problems faced by cash-starved universities facing recurring funding cuts over the same period. Furthermore, the presence of such students on any university campus provides immeasurable enrichment to the student body in terms of cultural diversity and research potential, and indeed it is very tempting in an ever,-increasing global market, to be as flexible as possible with prospective international students. However, the process of admission also demands careful consideration on the part of the various stakeholders involved. Although several factors need to be taken into account, the most obvious and certainly of primary importance would be the need to prove proficiency in the English language, Given that English is the dominant means of communication in the university, all students are required to draw from a complex web of linguistic resources to construct meaning and to complete the range of tasks required of them during their tertiary studies, This volume deals :with the overarching theme of issues of English language proficiency for overseas students studying in an Australian university. This focus can be viewed from many angles, and there are certainly many key facets involved, a selection of which is explored in the papers of the portfolio. These include the following broad areas: recruitment and admissions, language testing and technology, curriculum and inclusivity, English language support, academic conduct and finally the specific needs of international students, as viewed from their own perspective

Predicting international students' clinical and academic grades using two language tests (IELTS and C-test): a correlational research study

Academic English tests are used to ascertain if international English as a Second Language nursing students have sufficient language skills to commence their nursing degrees, and later, if they have sufficient English for nursing registration. However, an academic English test may not be appropriate for clinical contexts. This study examines the relationship between two types of English test and the performance of forty-nine undergraduate international nursing students in both their first year of theory-centred academic topics and practice-centred clinical topics. An academic English test, called the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), anda general English proficiency/processing speed test using a variation of the cloze-test (C-test) format were administered at the commencement of the students' course of study. At the end of one year, grade percentages were collected. It was found that both the IELTS test and the C-test were significantly correlated to both types of topic, albeit with different patterns. The two English tests were also tested for similarities in the constructs they measured, with a significant overlap found. The implications are to rethink the way English tests are applied to entry in university degrees involving a clinical component and, by extension, to direct universities to rethink how nursing students are supported during their degree. The question is also raised about the practice of using academic English tests for professional nursing registration purposes. The benefits of the two testing approaches are also considered, particularly the large differences in monetary outlay and time found between the two tests, given their performance in explaining the variance in grade outcomes

An Investigation into the predictive validity of the IELTS Test as an indicator of future academic success

In recent times there has been an increase in the number of overseas students choosing to study in universities in English-speaking countries. As a result, the issue of eligibility criteria has become an important one, with measurement of proficiency in the English language being a key aspect. At present, one of the most widely used tests for this purpose is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This test is used at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. The purpose of this study is to investigate how accurate IELTS is as a predictor of performance and success in the Schools of Business, Science and Engineering. To do this a small-scale quantitative study was carried out amongst first-year undergraduate students from diverse non-English-speaking backgrounds who were admitted on the basis of their IELTS score. The findings show little evidence for the validity of IELTS as a predictor of academic success, confirming previous research findings which suggest that language is but one of many important contributing factors.19 page(s

The predictive validity of IELTS

In recent times there has been an increase in the number of overseas students choosing to study in universities in English-speaking countries. As a result, the issue of eligibility criteria has become an important one, with measurement of proficiency in the English language being a key aspect. At present, one of the most widely used tests for this purpose is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This test is used at Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. The purpose of this study is to investigate how accurate IELTS is as a predictor of performance and success in the Schools of Business, Science and Engineering. To do this a small-scale quantitative study was carried out amongst first-year undergraduate students from diverse non-English-speaking backgrounds who were admitted on the basis of their IELTS score. The findings show little evidence for the validity of IELTS as a predictor of academic success, confirming previous research findings which suggest that language is but one of many important contributing factors