Overview | Aims | Process | Evaluation | Contact

Overview

ESL for Mathematical and Computer Sciences is a 3 point credit-bearing subject that may be taken by NESB students who:

• have matriculated in a country where English is not the language of instruction.
• entered the University as overseas students presenting an IELTS or TOEFL score.
• matriculated in Australia but were eligible to do ESL in Years 11 or 12.
• and are currently enrolled in, or have already completed at least one first year subject in Mathematics, Statistics or Computer Science.

Aims

To provide:

• knowledge about English in use
• skills in using English
• strategies for further developing language skills.
  
  

The program was designed to provide language skills within the context of first year subjects in Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics.

Process

The construction of the course began with a needs analysis survey of staff and students to determine just where the students' difficulties lay. Content was provided by staff from Statistics, Pure Mathematics and Computer Science while the methodology was devised by Ursula McGowan and Barbara Wake of the University's Advisory Centre for University Education. This collaborative work environment was essential to the project's success. The subject was coordinated in 1995-96 by Mathematics lecturer, Dr Alison Wolff, in 1997 by Dr Catherine Quinn, in 1998 by Ms Alison Jobling and in 1999 and 2000 by Ms Barbara Wake.

ESL for Mathematical and Computer Sciences is run over 1 semester for 3 hours per week. This time is divided into a lecture and workshop (combined) and a 1 hour tutorial. The semester-length program focuses on listening, reading, writing and speaking skills appropriate to the study of Maths and related subjects. There is a special emphasis on speaking throughout the course.

The subject was given in Semester 2. This was to allow time for new first year students to discover and identify the nature of language learning needs they have in the context of maths-related subjects.

The subject deals with the specific problems NESB students encounter. Topics include: strategies for asking for clarification, discussing and explaining statististical data, writing short answers in statistics, tackling "wordy" maths questions, "talking maths" by translating symbols into everyday speech, describing and interpreting graphs, using context in reading, and so on.

For example, 'wordy' problems involving real-life situations are often perplexing for NESB students. To prepare them for this they are taught strategies for making sense of the underlying algebraic problem, even when they can't understand some difficult or culture-specific words the problem contains.

In dealing with statistics and graphs, students learn to differentiate between dissembling and interpreting data and practise the language for doing so both orally and in writing.

In reading articles about the Internet and other computer-related issues, they are helped to identify issues to do with the use of information technology. The students write a short essay and present a seminar which sets out and supports their opinions on current issues in information technology.

The students are also monitored closely during and after the course. They write a weekly journal which is collected several times during the semester. Their comments and suggestions are encouraged and lecturers respond to them and take them into account during their teaching.

Evaluation

A formal evaluation using the University's Student Evaluation of Teaching (SET) as well as informal evaluations found each year that the students were happy with the course. The vast majority of students agreed or strongly agreed they would recommend the course to others and that they had received clear feedback on further improvement.

Contact
Further information is available by contacting:

Ms Ursula McGowan
Advisory Centre for University Education
Tel: +618 8303 4745 Fax: +61 8 303 3553
E-mail: ursula.mcgowan@adelaide.edu.au

Ms Barbara Wake
Advisory Centre for University Education
Tel: +618 8303 5866 Fax: +618 8303 3553
E-mail: barbara.wake@adelaide.edu.au

Adelaide University, Australia. 5005

last updated 27/04/2002