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Delivering a pilot Institution Wide Language Programme (IWLP) at an Irish University: teachers’ perspectives

Bruen, Jennifer orcid logoORCID: 0000-0002-9279-2978 and López Cuenca, Elena orcid logoORCID: 0000-0003-3781-2953 (2024) Delivering a pilot Institution Wide Language Programme (IWLP) at an Irish University: teachers’ perspectives. Language Learning in Higher Education, 14 (2). pp. 481-496. ISSN 2191-6128

Abstract
This paper analyses the language educator’s experience of delivering an Institution-Wide Language Programme (IWLP) in an Irish University. It uses a focus group to explore the experiences of six International Language Tutors who delivered modules on a pilot IWLP between 2021 and 2024. The findings indicate that designing and delivering the programme was a predominantly rewarding experience for the tutors involved. Positive aspects included engagement levels among students who completed the programme, the freedom to design, deliver and assess modules in a flexible and innovative manner, and the supportive nature of the tutor team. Negative aspects relate to policy issues concerning student eligibility for the programme, operational issues such as (de-)registration, attendance and attrition rates, and misalignment between student and module proficiency levels. Recommendations relate to IWLP design and administration as well as to supports for IWLP language educators. They include the use of hybrid teaching as standard, the opening of IWLPs to all staff and students (using caps on numbers and waiting lists), clear communication to potential participants in relation to the relationship between IWLP language modules and main degrees reflected in simplified registration, deregistration and certification processes, the provision of training in hybrid design and delivery of language modules as well as of appropriate teaching infrastructure, and full integration of the IWLP teaching team into institutional support structures.
Metadata
Item Type:Article (Published)
Refereed:Yes
Uncontrolled Keywords:Institution Wide Language Programme
Subjects:Humanities > French language
Humanities > German language
Humanities > Japanese language
Humanities > Language
Humanities > Linguistics
Humanities > Spanish language
DCU Faculties and Centres:UNSPECIFIED
Publisher:De Gruyter Mouton
Official URL:https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/cer...
Copyright Information:Authors
ID Code:30428
Deposited On:17 Oct 2024 09:03 by Jennifer Bruen . Last Modified 17 Oct 2024 09:03
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