Abstract

The primary aim of this project was to determine literacy gains for low-level and pre-literate ESOL students on a one-semester literacy programme. The project was undertaken collaboratively by the National Association of ESOL Home Tutor Schemes Inc., the Auckland University of Technology and the School of English and Applied Linguistics, UNITEC. A majority of the student participants were refugees and the remainder new immigrants. The students were from seven different source countries. One hundred and eighteen students participated in Semester 2, 2001. Sixty-two students completed most of the tasks and tests associated with the project. The research involved the use of tutor and student profiles, use of self-assessments, the design and administration of parallel performance tests, the use of case studies, classroom observations and personal interviews.

The results of the study found that the students had made significant gains. Gains were measured through the use of test descriptors which represented eight levels of literacy ability as defined by the programme curriculum. This scale was used for both self-assessment and performance tests. The gains were clearer on the tests than on the self-assessments, signalling that testing, even if students from this background are unused to it, is a worthwhile exercise. Tests, however, need to allow for some student collaboration. It is felt that by allowing learners to work in groups of similar ability anxiety would be significantly reduced.

Variances in test results between the classes taught by native speakers of English and those taught by bilingual tutors were not significant, thus indicating that both types of instruction are of equal value at this level. Two thirds of the students at the beginning of the programme indicated that they preferred to be taught by a bilingual tutor. Therefore it is clearly important, especially in the early stages of a course for students to have access to a tutor who understands their language and background.

Results also indicated the significant benefits of the 12-hour weekly classes over the 2-hour ones. However, even those students in the 2-hour weekly classes had made significant progress over the 20-week programme. Clearly, any instruction is better than none, and the more intensive a programme, the greater the potential gains.

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