SMS Meeting with CLPA
Speaking of foreign students, our SMS team had a meeting with CLPA yesterday. Included in the discussion is the possibility of integrating a test for foreign students (yes, a TOEFL type of test) in the Admission testing process. Currently, SMS have been doing a separate placement testing for foreigners (as to who will go to the regular English classes and who will go to the English and Filipino for foriegn students).We will call for a meeting with English Area reps, Filipino Area reps, Foreign Students Unit, Registrar's office, CLPA, and the Admissions Office to discuss our proposed programs and explore possible interventions for them.
Also, in the discussion, we agreed that it is high time we look at the importance of testing as a regular procedure. Marife, the CLPA director, gave me the impression that there is still a stigma of sorts when one is called to undergo testing (especially one that is psychological in nature). People still have the misconception (as they do in going to a counselor or psychologist), that going through such means that you are a mental case. Not necessarily. It should not be viewed as an insult to ask teachers (applicants or even invited professors) and students to go through psychological testing. It is supposed to be seen as an opprotunity to find out more about ourselves rather than view it as a mere tool to label your "disorder". Besides, CLPA has a good set of standardized tests and they have a good number of well-trained people who can help develop, administer, and use these tests. Why not optimize the services that they have been very willing to share?
Overall, the almost four hours FGD and meeting with CLPA was well worth our time. We all learned from each other. Proof of an organic system's continuous quest to grow by learning from each unit.
posted by Anonymous @ 12:33 PM
5 Comments:
May i request that the foreign students liaison officer be invited in future meetings?
Wow, great sharing Carlo! I will talk to Odie of CLCIR about your suggestion re using these learning and teaching strategies.
I am all for the TOEFL type test.
Because really , in a 14-week term, there is no time to teach sound design AND english comprehension simultaneously.
- lionel valdellon
SDA - MMA
I agree Lionel. We are looking at this in a comprehensive way and will determine the implications of the increasing number of foreign students on admissions, language classes, instruction, remediation, etc.
A TOEFL-like test could very well be part of the recommendations arising from the study.
I am very glad that this discussion is happening. This is one of the concerns I have in the Admissions Center. I strongly suggest that we set an institutional requirement for English language proficiency using international standards (i.e., TOEFL or IELTS). There are accredited institutions that administer these tests so the College need not develop such tests anymore. In order to serve our clients better, I strongly believe that we should admit students who have working knowledge in English. I heard from someone that Ateneo de Manila has set a TOEFL requirement for international students. We can do the same for DLS-CSB...
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