Language Lab Executive Summary

Language Lab
Executive Summary
The Language Lab located within Learning Enrichment at the University of Texas at Brownsville
and Texas Southmost College provides tutoring in Spanish, French, and American Sign
Language. Services are assessed and interpreted at the end of each semester, for which data is
broken down into sections. Weekly contacts report how many students visited the lab during a
particular week. Another section provides a list of the courses that reports from which courses
our students came and sought services. The course breakdown refers to the number of
students who came into the lab from a certain course section and their grade point average.
Student participant numbers, average GPA and D, F, Withdrawal rate are analyzed for the top
three courses in which tutoring is requested. The next section reveals student assessment of
the overall service provided in the labs, followed by an analysis of participant demographics for
students in varying academic success groups.
Spring 2009 Writing Lab Weekly Contacts
During the academic spring 2009 semester the Language Lab underwent new changes in terms
of personnel, student services, and outreach. In terms of personnel four tutors were employed
offering service in French, Spanish, English as a Second Language (ESL), and American Sign
Language (ASL). Joining the staff is a native French speaker, who fulfills the need for a French
tutor within the lab. Two tutors were employed to assist students with Spanish and ESL. The
lab employed one ASL tutor, who resigned after half a semester.
With respect to student services, over the course of the semester, the Language Lab generated
677 contacts, an average of 169 contacts per tutor. A total of 4 tutors provided 175 hours of
available tutoring at a cost of .
Below is a table illustrating the number of students who sought tutoring in the Language Lab on
a weekly basis.
Spring 2009 Language Lab Weekly Contacts
70
59
Number of Student Contacts
60
55
49
50
40 40
40
36
40
39 38
36
37 37
32
30
20
26
16
26
28
25
16
10
2
0
12-Jan
20-Jan
26-Jan
12-Jan
20-Jan
26-Jan
2-Feb
9-Feb
16-Feb
23-Feb
2-Mar
9-Mar
23-Mar
30-Mar
6-Apr
13-Apr
20-Apr
27-Apr
4-May
11-May
The first three weeks saw a steady increase. During the fourth through the seventh week,
numbers fell and then increased once again. Student contact numbers remained steady
between the seventh and fifteenth week. More students visited the lab between the sixteenth
and eighteenth week. Then, during the last two weeks of the semester, the contacts dropped
off rapidly.
Course Breakdown
The following is a list of all the courses for which assistance was provided in the Language Lab:
SPAN 3301, Spanish Literature (1100-1750)
FRENCH (FREN):
SPAN 3303, Advanced Spanish Comp.
FREN 1311, Elementary French I
SPAN 3310, Masterpieces of Spanish
FREN 1312, Elementary French II
American Literature I
SPAN 3311, Masterpieces of Spanish
SPANISH (SPAN):
American Literature II
SPAN 1311, Elementary Spanish I
SPAN 3330, Advanced Spanish Grammar
SPAN 1312, Elementary Spanish II
SPAN 3332, Spanish/English Translation
SPAN 1373, Basic Spanish for Bilinguals I
SPAN 4310, Spanish Phonology and
SPAN 1374, Basic Spanish for Bilinguals II
Phonetics
SPAN 2316, Spanish for Specific Purposes –
SPAN 4316, Spanish Language
Health
SPAN 4371, Chicano Narrative
SPAN 2321, Hispanic Language and Culture I
SPAN 2322, Hispanic Language and Culture
II
Sign Language (SGNL):
SGNL 1301, Beginning American Sign
Language I
SGNL 1302, Beginning American Sign
Language II
The following pie chart contains a breakdown of tutoring services sought by students in the
Language Lab:
Spring 2009 Student Traffic by Subject
STSK
21%
CONV
1%
FREN
27%
SGNL
7%
SPAN
44%
Although the most frequently requested subject for tutoring in the language lab was Spanish, it
should be noted that student enrollment in Spanish coureses is much higher than enrollment in
French and Sign Language. The percentages illustrated in the pie chart are consistent with
student enrollment in the different subject areas. CONV represents tutorial support in the form
of conversational sessions, and STSK represents the number of times students sought study
skills, handouts, or other resources.
Three courses were analyzed to see what impact the tutoring had on student performance in
the class: FREN 1311, FREN 1312, and SPAN 2322. For the tables below, Average GPA is the
average grade in the course converted to a GPA.
French 1311
Visits
Number of Students Average GPA DFW %
1-4
36
2.25
27.78%
5-9
1
1.00
100.00%
10+
1
2.00
0.00%
Nonparticipants
64
2.52
26.56%
FREN 1312
Visits
Number of Students Average GPA DFW %
1-4
18
2.50
11.11%
5-9
2
2.50
0.00%
10+
0
NA
NA
Nonparticipants
11
2.18
36.36%
SPAN 2322
Visits
Number of Students Average GPA DFW %
1-4
7
2.14
85.71%
5-9
1
3.00
0.00%
10+
1
4.00
0.00%
Nonparticipants
78
2.67
13.78%
Student academic results with and without tutoring are mixed. Further investigation will be
needed to determine how the Language Lab can better meet student needs.
Language Lab Student Assessment of Services
Over the course of the semester, the Language Lab conducted student assessment to
determine how effective the tutors were at guiding students through the tutoring cycle and
provide insights on overall customer service provided in the lab. The information provided in
the table below reflects average assessment results.
Spring 2009 Language Lab Assessment
Strongly Agree
22
Did the tutor seem well informed about the
material?
20
The tutor communicated the material well
15
He/She projects a professional image
20
The tutors help me feel welcome in the lab
8
I came prepared for this session
22
This tutoring session has helped me reinforce my
writing skills
Agree
3
5
7
5
9
2
Not Sure
Disagree
3
1
1
The Language Lab received overall positive results. Most respondents agree that the tutors
seem well informed, communicate the material well, project a professional image, help student
feel welcome, and help reinforce writing skills.
7