Abdulhaleem, Ebtesam Abdulaleem (2018) How well does a preparatory year programme in a Saudi university prepare students for the writing demands of medical healthcare colleges?: A gap analysis approach to needs analysis using the CEFR scales. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The Preparatory Year Programme (PYP) in Saudi Arabia offers a one-year intensive English course to matriculating tertiary-level students, with the aim of meeting the high language proficiency levels required at tertiary institutions, including medical and healthcare colleges (MHCCs) where English is the main medium of instruction (EMI). However, students continue to struggle to meet the high requirements in MHCCs, particularly with respect to writing.

The purpose of the current longitudinal exploratory study was to explore students’ writing proficiency at the end of the PYP (Phase I) and the requirements of first-year MHCC students (Phase II), and to identify misalignments between these two levels of proficiency, and to explore the gaps identified (if any) (Phase III).

A mixed-methods gap analysis approach to needs analysis was employed. In the quantitative component, ten CEFR scales were used to identify PYP students’ CEFR levels at the end of the PYP, and these revealed writing proficiency levels between A2+ and B2. One year later, the same scales were utilized, and B2 was identified as the minimum level required in the field of writing for first-year students enrolled in the MHCCs. Concurrently, qualitative data were collected to better understand and explore students’ writing proficiency and how participants perceive writing in terms of what students can do or are required to do with language. The qualitative analyses provided insights into the different causes of gaps that contributed to issues with learners’ writing proficiency.

Comparing the two phases, significant misalignments were found, particularly in relation to the Vocabulary range and control and Reports and essays scales. Other issues included the lack of specificity in the PYP writing course, and limited practice and exposure to medical terminology and relevant writing genres.

These findings can assist PYP stakeholders to address the gaps between the two curricula and better prepare students for their first year of study at the MHCCs. The study also demonstrated the usability and reliability of the CEFR scales for needs analysis studies. Furthermore, it confirmed that the CEFR can be used with minimal training to identify students’ proficiency, provided that it was done via a controlled utilization of the CEFR descriptors.

Item Type:	Thesis or Dissertation (PhD)
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	College preparation programs -- Saudi Arabia, English language -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Foreign speakers, English language -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- Foreign speakers -- Saudi Arabia, Medical colleges
Official Date:	December 2018
Dates:	Date Event December 2018 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Applied Linguistics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Harsch, Claudia, 1969- ; Murray, Neil, 1960-
Sponsors:	Jāmiʻat al-Malik Saʻūd
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	xvi, 394 pages : illustrations
Language:	eng

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