A Comparison of English Language Proficiency Admission Measures for Postsecondary Academic Success

• In Event: 14.045 - Roundtable Session 2
  In Roundtable Session: 14.045-18 - Improving Institutional Conditions for Student Success

Abstract

North America continues to see significant growth in numbers of international students in post-secondary institutions. Many are admitted on the basis of standardized language proficiency tests such as IELTS and TOEFL, while some institutions offer English for Academic Purposes Program (EAPP) courses as substitutes. In the context of course evaluation for student success, a comparison of these three measures of English language proficiency revealed statistically significant differences in terms of course completion rate, and grade point averages of three mandatory first-year engineering courses. These findings support a new directional shift in regards to EAPP design: a deeper and more thorough integration of English language instruction with discipline-specific course to improve student success in post-secondary studies.

Authors

• M. Gregory Tweedie, University of Calgary

• Man-Wai Chu, University of Calgary