Language assistants: enhancing the learning experience

Author: Joan Hoggan

© Joan Hoggan, British Council

Table of contents

• Personal development portfolios
• Online support
• Student ambassadors
• Related links

The development of the British Council Personal Development Portfolio arose from a desire to recognise the transferable skills and experience acquired during the language assistantship in a more formal way.  A collaboration with several universities and the Centre for Recording Achievement has resulted in a 'default' PDP which universities can customise in accordance with their own QA requirements for dual certification from the BC and the home institution.

Response from participating students and tutors has been very favourable - 'for the first time, students were able to acknowledge the changes they go through which are usually obvious to members of staff who see them return from their year abroad.'

This session will describe the various elements of the British Council PDP, and will also outline the pedagogical support and materials available on the dedicated LanguageAssistant website, developed with the co-operation of ELT specialists in the British Council.

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the British Council supports and enhances the learning experience of students taking part in the Language Assistants programme.

The programme celebrated its centenary last year, and at the centenary celebrations the new Chairman of HSBC bank, Stephen Green, gave the following encouraging words:

Languages are virtually a pre-requisite for graduates joining our international management programme today.  In our latest intake, the 24 joiners collectively spoke 23 languages, plus English.  This reflects our firm belief that an understanding of other cultures and languages is both an enriching experience, and good for a business that describes itself as ‘the world’s local bank’.

Despite its 100 years, the Language Assistants programme is still very young and dynamic, with over 2000 students (2163 in 2005-06) working in 20 countries every year.

Personal development portfolios

Tutors have always reported to us the extent to which their students have matured through the experience of being an assistant. They acquire new skills - learning how to manage people, understanding how to operate in a different cultural context, acquiring new communication and presentation skills.

• They gain in confidence and self-esteem, and they walk taller and carry themselves more assertively.
• They show a great improvement in their skills of team-work, listening, communication, managing groups, responding to problems, working with deadlines and they show a much greater awareness of the problems and needs of language learners.

Although tutors have always been aware of these changes, students had not. This, coupled with a desire to recognise and monitor in a more formal way the transferable skills and experience acquired while students are away from their home university, led us at the British Council to explore possibilities for accrediting the Language Assistantship.

The 2002 Languages and Related Studies benchmark statement confirmed HEFCE's Quality Assurance findings that residence abroad is a key experience within a modern language degree, leading to personal growth, linguistic fluency and enhanced employability. It is important that students are aware of the skills they have acquired and that they can articulate these when presenting themselves to different audiences, including employers.

The BC undertook a consultation exercise with several universities which regularly send their students on the Language Assistants programme. In the course of this consultation it came as no surprise that no university would accept a qualification imposed, or even suggested by an outside body. It was important to develop some kind of certification which could be owned and developed by each institution, in co-operation with the BC, and be responsive to institutional and departmental needs. (one of QAA's stated intentions).

However we were fortunate that the Subject Centre put us in touch with Rob Ward of the Centre for Recording Achievement (now an associated centre of the HE Academy) and Dr Syd Donald of the University of Leeds who had been involved for many years in recording and accrediting the skills acquired during the year abroad, using student logs. Both Rob and Syd were very interested in the concept of Personal Development Planning.

It was a recommendation of the Dearing Inquiry that HEIs develop a Progress File to include

• A transcript recording student achievement
• A means by which students can monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development (Personal Development Planning)

And of course the QAA required Personal Development Planning to be implemented at all HEI from Autumn 2005.

As a result of a pilot study involving 5 English universities the British Council has now produced a default' Personal Development Portfolio which HEIs can customise in accordance with their own QA requirements.

The main elements of the British Council scheme are as follows:

• a face to face briefing meeting
• initial goal or target setting processes related to general academic
• linguistic and personal development as appropriate this involves completing a pre-departure checklist (of their expectations, worries, personal goals) and a skills audit (of their strengths and weaknesses) on a scale of 0-10
• the maintenance of a log or diary* during the year abroad in order to document experience and chart key developments
• not less than 3 milestone' submissions of material throughout the year. This usually involves answering a series of questions on personal, academic and linguistic issues, either those in the default PDP or institutionally derived equivalents
• a final report of around 1000 words and an up to date CV
• a face to face meeting, individually or in a small group, to review the above

*Can be paper/web based, in English or in target language - use of the target language will enable them to demonstrate to themselves their progression throughout the year, linked in turn to their increased self-confidence.

In seeking approval to run the scheme and to be eligible for certification, the relevant QA of the HEI needs to confirm it has met the key requirements of the BC PDP.

The experience of Liverpool University , one of the pilot universities, has been particularly encouraging. The Year Abroad tutor, Robert Blackwood has been very enthusiastic, noting that the impact of the PDP has far exceeded their expectations. In the pilot year, 2003-04, 11 students participated, rising to 37 in the current year. For Liverpool the PDP is an option, but the possibility of acquiring joint BC-HEI accreditation is a particular incentive for students to participate in the scheme..

Feedback from other universities involved in the pilot project suggested that it should either be embedded into the assessment and feedback process of the Year Abroad or be voluntary. This fits the QAA Framework as the QAA views the PDP as

'complementary, rather than integral to the teaching and learning framework'

At Liverpool there were initial concerns voiced by union members about the implications of additional workload. This was solved by making the scheme comparatively light touch, allocating each member of staff 5 students to supervise, with only 2 CVs and a 1000 word report for each. Tutors send emails reminding students to make milestone entries at the appropriate time, but only request sight of these if they are not satisfied that students are fully engaged. However the scheme inevitably requires student responsibility and staff involvement/support. The final decision to accredit is made by the academic staff on the basis of the final report, CV and a 15 minute individual briefing.

At the end of the pilot year it was a revelation to the Liverpool students as to what they had achieved and it was noticeable that returned language assistants gave excellent presentations at the Year Abroad meeting for the next cohort. When male students engaged with the project they gained a lot more than expected

Dr Blackwood commented that the PDP was a splendid opportunity to chart their progress from the beginning of the Year Abroad (when many wanted to come home) to the end (when no-one wanted to leave) and to make the link between the two.

Other universities involved in the pilot project commented:

The PDP scheme allowed students to become fully aware of their own strengths and weaknesses at the beginning of the Year Abroad and thus to consciously tackle those areas where they needed to work on themselves and their already existing skills. The PDP enabled students to focus specifically on the personal aspects of their development which are often neglected in the largely academic procedures. Most students stress their increased confidence, self-reliance and self-knowledge and identify transferable skills such as organisation and time management, communication and presentation skills which are likely to enhance their employability.the PDP can become an essential tool in the preparation for job interviews.

The students' comments echoed this:

• It helped me to learn to blow my own trumpet
• Shows how far you have come, how you have changed
• It helped me reflect and question. The questions made you see things in different ways
• It makes you aware of yourself and your personal development - otherwise you just drift through the experience.
• Like having a friend when you were feeling a bit lonely

To sum up, the BC offers a structured PDP for students spending time abroad in the course of their degree with the following advantages:

• A framework for students to manage their time abroad and record their experience for later reflection, a means of supporting the development and recognition of student self-identity provides evidence by writing it down.
• A mechanism for tutors to manage the accompanying academic and pastoral support processes
• A tool for quantifying the outcomes of the year abroad and providing concrete evidence of the benefits of the general academic, linguistic and above all personal development (distance travelled) in such an experience
• PDP is a visible way for universities to demonstrate their ongoing support to students during their Year Abroad and gives a more tangible added value (as well as value for money/fees) dimension to the four-year course

PDP materials are available on our web site British Council Language Assistants (www.languageassistant.co.uk)

I shall give the final word to one of Liverpool 's PDP student who has just received her certificate from the British Council:

I think the main benefit of the PDP for me, was the ability to look at how my year had changed. Every 2/3 weeks, I would make a point of making a longer entry into my diary and each time I did this I would look back at the previous ones in order to try and remember the areas I had discussed and the way in which I had written it. In doing this, it made me realise just how much had changed in the short space of a few weeks and would always lift me and motivate me to try more and more new things. I always felt really positive after doing one of these big "logs", and would then be setting myself new personal targets to achieve (even if they were small at first!)

Personally I found it exceedingly helpful. Without it I would not have been doing any writing in French and also it asked questions about the year abroad project so it made me feel guilty and would remind me that I had to get on with it!!

I think it was such a good idea as so much changes throughout the year, and it is far too easy to get swept away by the pace of the year and not sit back from it and actually realise how much that you've accomplished. Once you realise this, it gives you even more impetus to go even further.

Online support

Another important addition to the Language Assistants programme in recent years has been the development of a very comprehensive website to inform and support students during the application process and while they are abroad.

Part of our main site is Language Assistant which we have developed in collaboration with ELT specialists from the British Council. This is updated weekly from September to May with teaching tips, materials and links to help assistants in the class and there is a very lively discussion list for sharing teaching ideas which is supported by a virtual mentor'.

Before leaving the UK all assistants receive a teaching manual which complements the website. This year they will also be receiving a CD Rom which includes all the material which has appeared on the website to date. It therefore replicates the website, but the website will continue to be updated.

Student ambassadors

Also we have now established a very successful network of student ambassadors this year in nearly 40 universities throughout England and Wales. Ambassadors are very willing to help tutors give more information about the programme - talking about their experiences at Year Abroad meetings, or be available to answer individual students' questions at other times. They also assist us at Careers Fairs and events as the scheme is now open to graduates. Many of those who spent their year abroad as a language assistant choose to repeat the experience immediately after graduating, in the same or a different country.

Related links

British council Learning: Language Assistant
www.britishcouncil.org/languageassistants

Centre for Recording Achievement
www.recordingachievement.org

QAA: Progress Files for higher education
www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/progressFiles/