ESL 24 Student Interest Survey (Scroll down for the results)
The ESL department is thinking about offering a new course, ESL 24. The department is interested in your thoughts about the content and activities of this course and has developed a survey to gather your opinion. Participation in this survey is voluntary. All of your responses are anonymous and will be kept confidential. Your responses will be summarized and may be used to develop future ESL courses. You are not required to answer any question you are uncomfortable answering and your grade in this course will not be affected in any way should you choose not to participate in the survey.
Please take a few minutes to read the course description below and fill out the survey.
ESL24 course description:
This speaking/listening course for group “B” (21A/B) or “A” (Eng 1) level non-native speakers of Englishassists students in acquiring listening/speaking skills necessary to successfully participate in and complete their non-ESL college courses. Students will listen toacademic lectures (on topics from awidevariety of disciplines)for main ideas and details and improve the speed and accuracy of their note taking by gaining facility in the use of abbreviations and by learning outlining techniques.They willpractice asking questions in class to better clarify concepts presented in these lectures, and they will learn how to moreeffectively participate in class discussions.They willlearn strategies andtechniques forapplying the information gained from lectures to enhance theirunderstanding of theirtextbook, study for exams, and prepare other class assignments.
1) Choose the statement that best describes your opinion about ESL 24. [CIRCLE ONLY ONE RESPONSE]
a. This course is exactly the course I need to succeed in my other classes at SMC. [SKIP TO ITEM 2]
b. There are parts of this course that I need, but other parts that I don’t need. [ANSWER ITEM 1a]
c. This course is not the course I need to succeed in my other classes at SMC. [ANSWER ITEM 1a]
[RESPOND TO 1a ONLY IF YOU ANSWERED b OR c TO QUESTION 1 ABOVE]
1a) Please tell why you think this course does not meet your needs:
2) For each of the following statements, please indicate whether you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree. [PLEASE CHECK ONLY ONE RESPONSE FOR EACH ITEM]
Item / Strongly Agree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly Disagreea. I would prefer to take a course that focuses only on the speaking skills needed to succeed in my other classes.
b. I would prefer to take a course that focuses only on the note taking skills needed to succeed in my other classes.
c. I would prefer to take a course that focuses only on the listening skills needed to succeed in my other classes.
d. I would prefer to take a course developed specifically for my major that focuses on the language skills needed to succeed in that major.
3) Choose the statement that best describes you. [CIRCLE ONLY ONE RESPONSE]
a. I will definitely take an ESL 24 class if it is offered in the future.
b. I may take an ESL 24 class if it is offered in the future. [ANSWER 3a]
c. I will not take an ESL 24 class if it is offered in the future. [ANSWER 3a]
[RESPOND TO 3a ONLY IF YOU ANSWERED b OR c TO QUESTION 3 ABOVE]
3a) Please tell us why you are unsure about taking or would not take ESL 24:
ESL 24 Student interest survey results 8/09 – Santa Monica College
SIDE 1, Question 1: Choose the statement that best describes your opinion about ESL 24:
(#s indicate # of students who answered with preceding letter)
a (ESL 24 is exactly the course I need to succeed): 110
b (There are parts of this course I need, but other parts I don’t need) : 44
c: (This course is not the course I need to succeed in my other classes at SMC) : 30
· Side 1, question 1a. REASONS from students who circled b:
b = There are parts of this course that I need, but other parts that I don’t need.
Please tell why you think this course does not meet your needs:
1) Because I fell that this class should have more speaking and listening to prepare my ears for non-esl classes. Sometimes I have to read the word or sentences to understand.
2) Parts I need: better English, parts I don’t’ need: time consuming
3) It is because there maybe have something that I want.
4) Actually most of grading is based on our assignment. This means we need learn more about writing skill I think.
5) Writing is my weak part.
6) Because I actually took non-ESL courses, but I could understand what teachers said, but speaking is difficult for us, so I choose b for #1.
7) That is unnecessary class to transfer. I mean this class in to in IGETC and not major required.
8) I think I speak English everyday, so I don’t need speaking class.
9) I think discussing is not useful.
10) It would be definitely helpful but I’m not sure.
11) Because I can communicate well in English conversation, but at the same time I need a lot of help with outlining techniques.
12) It might be helpful, but if I study hard in my major class, it doesn’t matter to understand my major because some people who transferred graduated before didn’t take this kind of class. Some students need it, some students don’t need it. But it’s a good idea!!
13) Because it is not in IGETC.
14) ‘F1 student pay fee’ is very expensive. One unit is $220. I will enroll the so many other class. I don’t have enough money.
15) I need a grammar class, but I will take this class in winter or spring semester.
16) It has three units. I would like to take, but it’s waste of my time. Too many units.
17) I think this course is good, but I have grammar and vocabulary problems. If this class involves good speaking and pronunciation exercise I would take it.
18) I have a lot of another class. Also, another class have increased listening and speaking to me.
19) some of it sounds like counseling class and speech class.
20) I don’t need speaking/listening. I might need the note-taking strategy part.
21) I believe that you have to learn all of that at some point, how could you go to a university not knowing how to take notes or ask questions? So I don’t think we need a class focusing on any of that, but maybe SMC could integrate some of those points in 21A/B.
22) Some classes have over one hundred students. There are no chance to participate.
23) I need a course focus on listening and pronunciation, not in a classroom. A computerized room (laboratory of computers) where every single student can practice would be a better idea.
24) This class make me to stay more at SMC.
25) I don’t think we need this class because we already learn listening/speaking in other ESL classes so we don’t need to take this class as a credit class.
26) I want to finish English classes as soon as possible.
27) Because those classes used to be non-credit but because the school doesn’t have money those classes are cost students.
28) Because some parts I don’t need.
29) Because I don’t see any difference between this course and ESL 21A, B.
30) I need to take speech and grammar class.
31) Because some parts of this course are unnecessary.
32) I’m not sure that this class is helpful or not.
33) This course can’t transferable the units, so it is not transferable class. However, if this course just have 1-2 units, maybe I’ll choose. On another hand, this is listening/speaking class. SMC have speech 1, speech 5, that also are speaking classes.
34) Because I already take class, which is helping me with several courses.
35) Because I think my speaking and listening are not bad.
36) I want to transfer.
37) 21A/B are enough classes to prepare for next classes. I don’t have enough time to just preparing.
38) I think I need to do many practice and I wanna try to understand what is SMC college organization (?), I wanna go to the normal college school, just not (?) sure.
39) Don’t have time for it!
40) Some parts are easy to me. I learned them before.
41) Because for some ESL students specially Asians these class are expensive a lot.
42) Listening is the main part that I need to focus which help me understand better.
· Side 1, question 1a . REASONS from students who circled c:
c = This course is not the course I need to succeed in my other classes at SMC
Please tell why you think this course does not meet your needs:
1) I think even I take the class to improve L/S: time is too short to improve a lot. I think watching TV is better.
2) I think I can learn them from my friends.
3) It is not necessary course. Academic schedule is already busy and stressful. Taking more support class will help but will also takes a lot time that is not necessary.
4) I don’t think this is the course I need to succeed in my other classes because I don’t have any difficulties with English. Since I have graduated from high school, and also I am already taking many non ESL classes and I am doing pretty well. There is no need for met to have any other ESL classes.
5) Sometimes, ESL 21A/B already teach us bout the listening and speaking it is not a useless course, but also it is not a useful class.
6) Because I feel so difficult to follow regular courses.
7) My schedule is tied up. I’ve already learned this kind of things in another ESL class.
8) I took this kind of course before in another language institution.
9) Because of financial problem, and I have limited time for transfer. But if I don’t have to take Eng 1 or Eng 2 because of taking ESL 24. I might take this class.
10) Because I’m already taking other classes, and it in not transferable. I do not have enough time.
11) I have to take other classes, like 11B, 21A.
12) I’m not sure that what does it support to improve?
13) Because this course can not be transferred.
14) To prepare for listening and speaking, the most important thing is how many vocabulary you have. If people have enough vocabulary, they can easy to improve their L/S skills according to every time.
15) My major requires a lot of subjects before transfer to UC schools, so I don’t have time to take ESL. Also, it’s waste of time and money because I have enough high TOEFL score on listening and speaking parts.
16) Not international student want to transfer quickly, also we can take only 12 or 18 credits on a semester. WE have many classes what we should take. I think we don’t have reasons to take it. Waste time, money.
17) I’m doing good in my class right now, because my prof. is good. However, my only problems are the some prof. are mean.
18) My speaking is better than my grammer, and I can figure out the mean what the teacher want to do.
19) I think ESL 24 just waste of time.
20) SMC is a transfer school. I suppose students would want to transfer quicker and take less classes. It’s a class that sure will develop listening and writing skills for students but I think there won’t be a lot of students taking it.
21) I think the best way to improve talk is with native speaker.
22) I only stay 1 semester.
23) This course is not a the course I need to succeed in my other classes at SMC.
24) I need to take so many classes in SMC, so I don’t want to take this one.
25) 2 years plan to transfer, do not have time to take this course.
26) I don’t think no students take this class. ESL 24 all international students want to pass ESL programs quickly. I think 21A & 21B already help a lot of thing such as speaking, listening, writing and etc. I think this class is unnecessary.
SIDE 2, Question 2: ( #s indicate # of students that checked that box)
Item / StronglyAgree / Agree / Disagree / Strongly
Disagree
a. I would prefer to take a course that
focuses only on the speaking skills needed to
succeed in my other classes. / 52 / 84 / 32 / 4
b. I would prefer to take a course that
focuses only on the note taking skills needed
to succeed in my other classes. / 33 / 85 / 50 / 4
c. I would prefer to take a course that
focuses only on the listening skills needed to
succeed in my other classes. / 34 / 82 / 52 / 1
d. I would prefer to take a course developed
specifically for my major that focuses on the
language skills needed to succeed in that major. / 74 / 76 / 22 / 1
SIDE 2, Question 3: Choose the statement that best describes you:
(#s indicate # of students who answered preceding letter)
a (I will definitely take an ESL 24 class if it is offered): 71
b (I may take and ESL 24 class if it is offered in the future) : 65
c: (I will not take an ESL 24 class if it is offered in the future) : 40
· Side 2, ques. 3a. REASONS from students who circled b
b = I may take an ESL 24 class if it is offered in the future.
Please tell us why you are unsure about taking or would not take ESL 24.
1) Listening and speaking in my opinion there are weakness of international student. If I want to practice my listening and speaking, I will choose.
2) I’m not sure that I need the class on that time.
3) Because I need to focus on my writing firs and after I may taked.
4) I would take this class because I need to practice in speaking.
5) I already choose the 14 until for the next semester, so I need to think about it carefully.