Page 13 - ELG1701 Jan Issue 443

Page viii ELmiddle east 2017 January 2017 ELreviews Page 5

Saudis struggle with flagship programme Positive assessment

t’s no secret that the English-
medium technical, vocational,
Ieducation and training sector
in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(KSA) has been struggling with Jefferson Youth investigates why so many Colleges of Excellence Wayne Trotman looks at a solid title on EAP testing Book of the month
its flagship Colleges of Excel- president for strategic partnerships
lence programme, with many in Saudi Arabia, run by foreign training providers, are now closing at Colleges of Excellence, both
of the problems arising because agreed to address our questions, Assessing EAP: Theory and extension acivities and refer- interpreted it to suit or support Special Educational Needs detail: dyslexia, dyspraxia (coordination
Western partners failed to antici- but at the time of going to press Practice in Assessment ences to stakeholder support, their own agendas. Other areas Marie Delaney, Oxford University Press; difficulties), ADHD (Attention deficit
pate the specific challenges of companies TQ Pearson and LCI ness department teaching formal had not responded. Literacy such as identifying the correct focused on are understanding 978-0-1942-0037-0 hyperactivity disorder), social difficulties,
teaching in the country. both pulled out of managing two lessons because of a shortage of We also contacted two British Anthony Manning, Garnet type of EAP test for a particular statistics and using descrip- autism, speech difficulties and, finally,
The Technical, Vocational, Edu- CoEs each, citing serious losses. teachers’. Minutes of a heads of CoE teachers for their opinions. Education; situation. The following chap- tive procedures to analyse test Many language teachers have had little or gifted students. The author, an educational
cation & Training Corporation – a Back in March 2016 British department meeting at Techni- Mark Allen worked at two CoE 978-1-7826-0226-2 ter looks at the background to results. I felt at home with sec- no training in teaching students with special psychotherapist, advises us to ‘see the
provider under the supervision of educational website FE Week cal Trainers’ College seen by the colleges: TQ Pearson in Al Haqo construct validity, a feature of tions here on ‘the mean, mode educational needs (SEN). This 104-page person, not the disability’. This book is rich
the Ministry of Labour – runs reported that, as of December Gazette state that the college had in Jizan province and at LCI in he past decade has assessment which concerns the and medium’ and even ‘standard guide for primary and secondary school in practical ideas and strategies – using
technical colleges in the KSA and 2015 Pearson was ‘in a legal dis- 54 per cent of students who were Layla, Al Aflaj. He said, ‘It was quite rightly seen the suitability of certain test items deviation’, but felt I was enter- teachers is therefore most welcome. It has mind maps, playing mood music, learning
owns a 40 per cent stake in the Col- pute’ with the CoE to claw back absent after the summer holiday interesting working at these col- Tteaching of English for included for assessment in rela- ing seriously deep waters when three parts. The first two provide a general through games and colour-coding patterns
leges of Excellence (CoE) colleges some of its losses, citing breach period, with a further 360 students leges and a challenge as students academic purposes (EAP) come tion to the courses being taken confronted with explanations on understanding of SEN and teaching within words. The section on assistive
network. The CoE was set up by of contract because of low for which it had no attendance lacked motivation. The schools increasingly into the language by students. Just think how many symmetrical distribution curves approaches such as differentiation. Part technology is especially useful. Informative
the Saudis in 2014 to provide the enrolment at its colleges. Liz record at all. Upton declined to were both far too focused on teaching and learning spotlight. times you’ve heard your students described as ‘leptokurtic’, ‘plat- three explores seven types of SEN in and helpful.
local economy with skilled Saudi Tudball, Pearson English direc- comment on this. Head of the delivering education that would This movement has been a complain after the test, ‘We ykurtic’ and ‘mesokurtic’.
technicians, thereby decreasing tor of communications, replied TTC English Department Neil be successful in the UK but move away from an unhealthy haven’t studied this yet!’ The Two chapters that I was also
its over-reliance on nine million to the Gazette with a statement Turley was also recently removed. really lacked any thought in over-emphasis on the design of scenarios provided here along particularly interested in read-
expats. Since then the programme saying, ‘Pearson confirms it has The TTC is no stranger to dif- respect of the unique challenges courses and material aimed at with the many probing ques- ing several times were those that Jetstream Upper especially like the collocation values and self-esteem. These
has been beset with financial withdrawn from an agreement ficulties. Previously, it had been faced in Saudi.’ getting students to pass English tions will certainly help flex the should concern all involved in Intermediate activities: students study exercises are woven into the
problems, low enrolment and man- to run three Saudi Colleges of run for seven years by the Ger- Dr Gerard O’Reagan taught language proficiency exams mental muscles of all concerned testing of any kind: ‘washback’ Jeremy Harmer and Jane extracts from several syllabus in the additional
agement issues. With 37 colleges Excellence, with the colleges man company GIZ IS, but the maths at the TTC for four years which will hopefully enable readers, and I would certainly and ‘ethics’. Washback concerns Revell, Helbling; ‘concordance lines’ and work ‘Think’ strand and cover
run by heavyweights from, among transitioning to new providers management was removed by and identified other issues. them to cope when they move up recommend the inclusion of the extent to which the tests 978-3-8527-2989-3 out the missing keyword from interesting topics like
others, Germany (GIZ IS and from June 2015.’ the CoE hierarchy in 2015. The ‘The results of assessment tests to faculty classes. The title under these and other such tasks on provided affect what goes on in context. The six-module problem-solving, happiness
FESTO), the USA (Laureate Inter- The website also reported that Gazette spoke to Professor Wer- indicated the students lack the review here goes to great lengths courses helping to train would- the classroom. For example, if This new adult general English writing section is well- and appreciating other
national and Interlink) and the UK meeting minutes by LCI’s own ner Stueber, the previous Dean of appropriate foundation in math- to extend this; it focuses on how be designers of EAP testing. there’s an element of oral assess- course is full of interesting structured. This high-level cultures. The content is
(Lincoln Colleges International, management board suggested TTC who oversaw the college’s ematics and the appropriate to design tests that accurately Assessing EAP covers a lot of ment at the end of the course, topics including film heroes course book has varied content corpus-informed and includes
TQ Pearson and many others), that ‘due diligence had not been Courtesy Peter Dowley transition to a CoE. He was too English language skills. They assess the language ability of ground; further chapters look at then such matters need to be and villains and the and a crisp, modern layout. plenty of exam preparation
unconfirmed reports on social effective’ prior to taking on busy to comment in detail, but typically achieve a low A1 on the students on the many varieties of using test specifications to build covered in class. The chapter Montessori method of Worth investigation. exercises. The ‘WordWise’
media suggest this programme, CoEs in Saudi Arabia. added, ‘I wish you success and CEFR scale, which is roughly faculty-related language courses EAP tests, identifying and sam- also provides examples where education. It also includes boxes present useful phrases
worth £1 billion to the British The Gazette’s investigation certainly confirm that problems equivalent to an Ielts score of 2 – an area that in my own experi- pling the EAP that needs to be the washback was less than ben- deliberately controversial Think Student’s Book 1 and expressions. The book
economy alone, may be scrapped found many problems. The Tech- THINKING AHEAD The Centres of Excellence network was set abound in Saudi Arabia’s profes- in English, and their mathemati- ence is generally neglected. assessed, and preventing prob- eficial, however. Concerning discussions such as Herbert Puchta, Jeff Stranks includes a photo-story with
in 2017. So what went wrong? nical Trainers College (TTC) in up by in 2014 to provide the economy with skilled Saudi technicians sional training sector’. GIZ lost cal ability is equivalent to what Assessing EAP looks initially lems in EAP testing before they ethics, page 140 quotes an aca- immigration and the refugee and Peter Lewis-Jones, CUP; several episodes, linked to
British media reports confirm Riyadh, which has been a CoE two other technical colleges, one a Western student would have in at the purpose and function of arise. The latter provides cases of demic who feels language tests, crisis which should be 978-1-1075-0880-4 video extracts, which may
many foreign training providers since 2014, has been particularly the general manager of LCI lecturers for their courses. Since with a tie up with FESTO in Qas- the early years of high school.’ testing, in particular the com- students’ complaints that most of especially poor ones that badly approached cautiously. The appeal to younger students.
have run up huge losses in these badly hit. (TTC was formerly KSA. He denied the charge, LCI took over the contract all sim province, and another, Yanbu This failure by Western course plexities involved in doing so by us will be familiar with. Mark- affect the candidates’ future, twelve units include ideas for This A2-level book aims to The section on phonology
ventures within the CoE net- overseen by TVET, but since 2014 saying, ‘All lecturers have groups have dedicated lecturers.’ College of Technology, again due providers to understand the educa- using either formative or sum- ing and grading tests of EAP should come with a health warn- online research and develop the ‘whole learner’. provides useful extra practice.
work. The education.investor.uk it’s become part of the CoE sys- masters degrees. Junior teach- We also uncovered evidence to its management being removed tional needs of local students or to mative means. The several tasks, – not an issue that most teachers ing – like dangerous drugs and opportunities for students to This involves going beyond This course book contains
website reported that Canada’s tem.) We found two trainers who ers and workshop technicians that students from higher trimes- by the CoE hierarchy. take into account that many would figures, diagrams and tables that I know get excited about – again chemicals. n make videos with their language teaching to include fresh, stimulating content.
Algonquin College had become appear to have gone on to become do not require them.’ Due to a ters are teaching those from lower The Gazette contacted some of have a low level of English lies at appear in this and the other four- provides lengthy teacher quotes smartphones or cameras. I exercises on critical thinking, Recommended.
the latest institution to announce team leaders without the manda- lack of teachers, TTC timeta- ones and often in Arabic, and the stakeholders from senior man- the root of most of the problems teen chapters help to highlight that illustrate their frustration Wayne Trotman is a teacher
its withdrawal from the CoE tory masters degree – the ‘staff bles show that students were have seen two emails from TTC agement at CoE HQ in Riyadh to that the project has seen. n such matters. Of particular value over the use of a poorly pre- educator at Izmir Katip Çelebi Reviews by Pete Sharma for the Bournemouth English Book Centre: www.bebc.co.uk
scheme with an estimated loss pages’ from TTC’s old website told to do ‘guided self-study’, staff members to management get a sense of the main issues sur- and interest are the end-of-unit pared answer key and how they University, Izmir, Turkey
equivalent to £3.5 million, showing two team leaders as hav- which means studying alone in referring to ‘students teaching rounding the CoEs. Paul Whittle, Jefferson Youth is the
excluding operating losses ing a BA and Celta only. a classroom. Upton did not deny students’, with another referring vice-president of CoE Contracts pseudonym of an English
(October 2016 Gazette). British We put this to Scott Upton, this but said, ‘All students have to ‘reports of students in the busi- and Dr Abdulaziz Al Amr, vice- teacher working in the Gulf
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British Council Morocco’s Paul Harvey explains what has kept him in EL Gazette New Media Ltd Head of Research
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Kruins, deserts, mountains towards the Delta. duction of new courses at the are linguistically very adaptable; News and Features Editor Farbod Zarinnarges
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is in Casablanca, Morocco’s larg- a day-to-day basis. There have Ielts preparation courses have speaking Berber as well. This
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coast. Casablanca is Morocco’s and a lot of urban development, too. As well as the implementa- As with most cities in North @ Copyright UK and abroad of all editorial content is held by EL Gazette New Media Ltd.
business hub, but Rabat has the especially in the north. Both tion of these new courses, the Africa, the cost of living is cheaper Reproduction, in whole or in part, is forbidden save with express permission of the copyright holder.
feeling of a large town rather than Casablanca and Rabat now have Training Projects team is devel- than in Europe. Like anywhere, it
a metropolis. I have been working efficient tramway systems and oping online distance learning depends where you choose to live,
at the British Council, Rabat for the high-speed railway network courses. I have also seen a great but on a full-time teacher’s salary
eleven years, initially as a full- is already under construction increase in corporate contracts there is a good range of affordable
time network teacher and now as between Casablanca and Tangier. for the British Council and this accommodation and no neces- An idea that makes
a freelance member of staff. Intercity coach services, although has added variety to teaching sity to share. Life becomes more
Casablanca has a well- not always ‘bang on time’, are a assignments. expensive if you choose to shop
resourced teaching centre, which lot more efficient now. The process of getting a work at the French or Moroccan super- sense in any language...
houses both the teaching team One of the most significant visa has also been made a lot markets and eat at the higher-end
and also part of the exams and changes I have seen over the smoother than it used to be. Brit- restaurants, but affordable local
business support services (BSS) last decade is the increase in ish Council teachers are supported shopping and eateries are eve-
teams. Rabat has a ‘hub’ where the use of English and the num- by a member of the local British rywhere. Fruit and vegetables in
the various British Council ber of people acknowledging Council staff in doing this. Morocco from local markets are
teams (Education and Society, the usefulness and, indeed, the Education too is changing generally cheap, plentiful and Advertise in EL Gazette
Arts, English and Exams, BSS) necessity of learning it. The Brit- and, with it, attitudes to what hugely varied.
are based, but does not have its ish Council has been involved goes on in a classroom. I have There are direct flights from
own dedicated space for teach- over the last two years in train- found from many years’ expe- the UK to Casablanca, Rabat,
ing. Instead, teaching takes place ing Moroccan state school rience of working with both Fez, Marrakech, Agadir and
off site in two partner premises. teachers (not only teachers of Moroccan students and teachers Tangier – a huge and varied +44 (0)20 3735 9672
There are around 25 teach- English) to teach for the new in public and private education range of places to visit, and
ers in both cities. The minimum English baccalaureate, and one that, although much in education weather (in the north) that is
requirement to work as a of the other projects planned for is fairly traditional, Moroc- never overly hot or overly cold: sales@elgazette.com
teacher is a Celta/Trinity plus April is the opening of a kinder- cans are, in general, very open just three of the many reasons
two years’ full-time post-cer- garten in Rabat to cater for the to more dynamic approaches in that have kept me here for eleven
tification teaching. There are needs of very young learners. the classroom. This is especially years. n