Improve experience and skills development : creating a new curriculum

A case study on closing the gap between second language provision at A Level and at degree level.

This case study is also available in Welsh.

Summary

I was appointed through the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol Staffing Plan to co-ordinate the School of Welsh Second Language pathway. The provision needed changing to improve the student experience and to create better opportunities to develop their skills in the language. I was given the opportunity to completely overhaul Second Language provision - at level 4 (year 1) and level 5 (year 2). This included restructuring the modules on offer, adapting the content and teaching methods and providing extracurricular and unattached opportunities that would reinforce the learning.

The changes have had a great influence on the Second Language provision at the School of Welsh. Creating new provision has given me the opportunity to work closely with students to ensure that we as a School meet their needs and create a flexible curriculum and develop the students’ language skills in all contexts.

Background

The second language provision needed overhauling to close the gap between second language provision at A Level and at degree level. I wished to facilitate the process of transferring to a Higher Education situation and equip student with the ability to develop their linguistic skills as well as fostering confidence to use the Welsh language in different situations and contexts.

The new provision is based on a spiral curriculum which provides opportunities for students to review and reinforce knowledge to develop and learn anew.

Approach

The following aspects were initially considered:

Communication with students

Student input was used during the restructuring process by means of focus groups and informal conversations. Regular feedback was also requested during the transition to ensure that the provision responded to student needs.

Adapting the timetable

The old provision was based on learning 20 credits across the year - so 4 modules, 20 credits over the whole year.

The new provision is based on a completely different structure and includes 2 intensive (20 credit) modules over a period of 5 weeks each during the Autumn Semester. These are the bridging modules which reinforce patterns and skills developed during the A Level course.

The timetable was adapted to create a spiral curriculum where modules blend into each other.

In 2015/16, 120 credits were offered in Welsh to students for the first time. This increase is very important to increase contact hours with the target language.

Contact hours

Contact hours for each module were increased from 2 contact hours on each module to at least 4 hours. Students studying 120 credits in Welsh on the second language pathway will now have at least 16 contact hours.

Learning content

In the two transition modules there are opportunities to respond to student needs by ensuring flexibility in the learning sessions. Contact and non-contact learning methods are used, as well as regular use of formative assessment and feedback for the learning sessions. Students can guide their own learning and link this with learning outcomes.

Informal learning

Based on student response, regular informal activities are arranged to reinforce the learning and to provide opportunities to use the Welsh language outside the classroom. These activities include informal language sessions, a closed Facebook group and a weekly conversation club. These are informal and voluntary activities but as is seen from the response below, the effect is very positive.

Challenges

Increasing contact hours and providing more formative assessments means that there is more demand on staff time but the response is very positive and an increase was seen in student attainment levels last year.

Results

The first cohort to follow the new provision graduated this year. The response has been very positive and attainment levels were certainly higher with a greater number of students attaining a 2:1 degree.

There were also positive responses from external examiners during recent years and it was noted that there is not as great a gap between the best and those who achieve a 3rd class / low 2:2 degree.

Student feedback

"[Angharad] uses her own time to provide extra activities for second language Welsh students from Years 1-3. Although she does not teach us in the third year, she is always willing to help anyone of us by reading through our work, correcting grammar or providing work sheets to encourage improvement. She utilises social media through the 'Criw Cymraeg' Facebook page in which she posts helpful links, updates and information on any extra sessions we can attend. Without her relentlessly hard work in the first year and extra support in the third year of my course, I highly doubt that any one of the second language students currently in the third year, including myself, would be able to reach any level of proficiency in the language."

"As a second language Welsh student, [Angharad] has supported me and other pupils throughout our degree at the School of Welsh and has arranged informal sessions outside lectures for us to have an opportunity to converse in Welsh. She is supportive, creative and does her very best to ensure that we improve our language skills without even realising it!"

Learning points and insights

I shall be involved with a project to integrate students during 2016/17 to provide opportunities both on the curriculum, and extra-curricular, for students from various cohorts and at all levels to collaborate and interact with each other. This will build on current second language provision and will strengthen that provision.

I am keen to continue to develop the provision by responding to student needs and feedback. This project has shown the importance of student input to the process. I would like to continue to work with students to develop ideas and changes in future and provide opportunities for students to guide their own learning.

The dedication and input of staff and individuals - beyond the classroom in particular - has been central to the success of the new provision. Unfortunately there is no room to note these work hours in the workload model which can be challenging when considering staffing etc. Beware of undertaking informal activities - they will eat your time but the results and the impact on students experience are great... and worth the trouble!

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