Assessing and developing students' English language proficiency prior to clinical placements: a pilot study

Havery, C; Johnson, A

Assessing and developing students' English language proficiency prior to clinical placements: a pilot study

Havery, C

Johnson, A

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 2020, 14, (1), pp. 42-53
Issue Date:: 2020-09-06

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Havery, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6755-4839
dc.contributor.author	Johnson, A
dc.date.accessioned	2020-09-16T07:13:58Z
dc.date.available	2020-09-16T07:13:58Z
dc.date.issued	2020-09-06
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Academic Language and Learning, 2020, 14, (1), pp. 42-53
dc.identifier.issn	1835-5196
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/142708
dc.description.abstract	As universities cater for increasing numbers of students from linguistically diverse backgrounds, there is a need to develop effective post-enrolment spo- ken language assessment and development programs to ensure students have adequate English language levels for clinical placements. This paper presents an evaluation of a pilot project that embedded a clinical communication strat- egy into the first year of a nursing degree to ensure students had a level of English language considered safe for clinical placement. The strategy con- sisted of an initial language screening task to identify students in need of de- velopment, a follow-up compulsory language program for those identified, and a post program language assessment task, in which students needed to achieve a threshold level, in order to proceed to clinical placements. The study was conducted in a large metropolitan university in Australia. Data collected included pre- and post-assessment results, survey data on students’ evalua- tions, and student results from two clinical placements following the commu- nication strategy. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to an- alyse data. The study found: the communication strategy was effective in iden- tifying students in need of language development; the majority of students improved their communication skills during the language development pro- gram; and the threshold level of language used to determine whether students were ready to proceed to clinical placement seemed appropriate. The study suggests that combining initial and post-assessment with an intervention, all of which are systemically integrated into a degree program, results in a strat- egy with high educational impact.
dc.language	en
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Academic Language and Learning
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy, 1303 Specialist Studies in Education, 2004 Linguistics
dc.title	Assessing and developing students' English language proficiency prior to clinical placements: a pilot study
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	14
utslib.location.activity	Australia
utslib.for	1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy
utslib.for	1303 Specialist Studies in Education
utslib.for	2004 Linguistics
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/DVC (Teaching and Learning)
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	true
dc.date.updated	2020-09-16T07:13:34Z
pubs.issue	1
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	14
utslib.citation.issue	1

Abstract:

As universities cater for increasing numbers of students from linguistically diverse backgrounds, there is a need to develop effective post-enrolment spo- ken language assessment and development programs to ensure students have adequate English language levels for clinical placements. This paper presents an evaluation of a pilot project that embedded a clinical communication strat- egy into the first year of a nursing degree to ensure students had a level of English language considered safe for clinical placement. The strategy con- sisted of an initial language screening task to identify students in need of de- velopment, a follow-up compulsory language program for those identified, and a post program language assessment task, in which students needed to achieve a threshold level, in order to proceed to clinical placements. The study was conducted in a large metropolitan university in Australia. Data collected included pre- and post-assessment results, survey data on students’ evalua- tions, and student results from two clinical placements following the commu- nication strategy. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were used to an- alyse data. The study found: the communication strategy was effective in iden- tifying students in need of language development; the majority of students improved their communication skills during the language development pro- gram; and the threshold level of language used to determine whether students were ready to proceed to clinical placement seemed appropriate. The study suggests that combining initial and post-assessment with an intervention, all of which are systemically integrated into a degree program, results in a strat- egy with high educational impact.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/142708