English Placement Practice and Instruction: A Needs Analysis from the Perspective of Technological University Students

英語能力分班教學之需求研究：一所科技大學學生的觀點

10.7060/KNUJ-HA.201012.0001

蘇紹雯(Shao-Wen Su)

EFL教學 ； 英語能力分班 ； 大一英文 ； 科技大學 ； EFL instruction ； English placement practice ； Freshman English ； university of science and technology

高雄師大學報：人文與藝術類

29期（2010 / 12 / 01）

1 - 27

英文

能力分班教學之效益至今仍未有定論且備受爭議。本研究採用問卷調查與統計量化方式，輔以文獻探討，檢視一所科技大學英語能力分班情況、分班教學之效果與其學生對英語能力分班教學之需求，並以橫向方式研究學生基本資料變數對學生相關議題看法之影響，以供改善技職體系英語能力分班教學之參考。參與此研究有該校十個系共452位大一至大三學生。研究結果顯示：(1)英語能力分班對英語教學所產生的效益，大致上有助於學生學習英語、了解教學內容、接受老師教法、降低學習焦慮。(2)英語能力分班對提升學生學習動機、主動學習與課堂專注力方面，所收成效相對較小的成效。(3)英語能力分班對學生英語能力的提升並無顯著效益。(4)學生對英語能力分班教學效益議題之看法呈現微弱滿意度。(5)基本資料變數，對學生就相關議題的看法有所影響；相較其他次樣本，男學生、工科學生與低成就者對英語能力分班教學效益與措施議題持較正面態度。(6)三層級能力分班方式比兩層級者受到大多數學生肯定；四技英文能力的培養也受到大多數學生的贊許，此正吻合該校現階段大一與大二英語教學之實際作為。(7)大多數學生認為教材內容應強調日常生活用途，至於學生評量則應採老師自行設計且具較有彈性的評量方式。本文最後提出改善科技大學英語能力分班教學之建議。

There are pros and cons of placement practice, which are hard to come to conclusion. The purpose of this study aims at examining students' perceptions of English placement practice and instruction at a university of science and technology. Complemented by a literature review, a quantitative questionnaire survey was adopted in this study, with the participation of 452 students from 10 departments. The result of the study has indicated: (1) The ability-grouping practice engenders some instructional and learning advantages. The apparent benefits are that English placement practice was helpful for students' English learning, understanding the teaching content, and accepting their teachers' teaching methods. Of noticeable gains of the English grouping practice was lowering students' stress level in learning English. (2) The positive effects of the practice on students' learning in terms of elevating motivation and interest, becoming active and positive learners and increasing levels of focus in class received relatively low percentages of agreements. (3) Student's learning failed to show much significant improvement (31.6% students' agreements) as a result of implementation of the English ability-grouping placement. (4) All in all, the respondents tended to skew towards mild satisfaction with the outcomes of the ability-grouping practice and instruction. (5) The demographical variables impacted students' perceptions of some items regarding the outcomes issue as well as evaluation of the English placement practice. The placement practice was more endorsed by males, students from College of Engineering, and low achievers in relation to their learning improvement and the assessment system than by females, high achievers, and students from other colleges. (6) A three-level grouping practice, instead of a two-level one, approved by most of the respondents corresponds to the current practice of Levels A, B and C. The cultivation of ”4 skills” accredited by a majority of the participants also met the feature of the teaching materials currently used in both Freshmen English and Sophomore English. (7) A majority of the respondents maintained that the content of teaching materials should emphasize general topics related to daily life. The participants also favored teacher-autonomy and flexibility of student assessment measures. Suggestions for perfecting the English placement practice in the technological university will be provided at the end of the paper.

1. Kitao, S. K., Kitao, K., Nozawa, K., & Yamamoto, M. (2001). Teaching English in Japan. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from http://www1.doshisha.ac.jp/~kkitao/library/article/tejk.htm
2. Peng, S.-M. (n.d.). Taking care of the right of all students: The arguments about ability grouping and non-ability grouping. Retrieved December 3, 2007, from http://www.tw.org/wave/sch11.txt
3. Allington, R. L.(1980).Poor readers don't get to read much in reading groups.Language Arts,57,872-876.
4. Argys, L. M.,Rees, D. I.,Brewer, D. J.(1996).Detracking America's schools: equity at zero cost?.Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,15(4),623-645.
5. Arnove, R. F.,Zimmerman, E.(1999).Dynamic tensions in ability grouping: A comparative perspective and critical analysis.Educational Horizons,77(3),120-127.
6. Barr, R.(1975).How children are taught to read: Grouping and pacing.School Review,83,479-498.
7. Chang, P.(1987).A descriptive case report of TEFL program planning for non-English majors: The Fu-Jen experience.The Fourth Conference on English Teaching and Learning in the Republic of China
8. Chen, M.-H.,Lin, Y.-C.,Feng, H.-C.(2004).Students'and instructors'perceptions of ability grouping in English listening learning.Journal of Chang Jung Christian University,8(1),107-123.
9. Chien, C.-N.(1987).A study on "Different Level English Instruction"in Freshman English classes at Chung Yuan Christian University.Chung Yuan Journal,16(1),74-79.
10. Chien, C.-N.,Ching, H.-L.,Kao, L.-H.(2002).Study on a different leveling English instruction policy for "Freshman English" in Chung Yuan Christian University.Chung Yuan Journal,30(4),505-516.
11. Executive Yuan(2002).Council for Economic Planning and DevelopmentCouncil for Economic Planning and Development,未出版
12. Good, T. L.,Marshall, S.(1984).Do students learn more in heterogeneous or homogeneous groups?.Student diversity and the organization process, and use of instructional groups in the classroom,New York:
13. Haakenson, P.,Wang, C.,Dakin, C.,Tsan, Y.,Fisher, W.(1992).University Freshman English in Taiwan: A proposal based on the Tunghai model.The Proceedings of the Ninth Conference on English Teaching and Learning in the Republic of China
14. Huang, C.-C.,Chen, S.-W.,Lin, S.-J.,Su, B. S.-C.(2002).A review of implementing ability grouping program of English instruction at the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology.The Proceedings of the Seventeenth Conference on National Technological and Vocational Education
15. Ireson, J.,Hallam, S.(2001).Ability Grouping in Education.London:Paul Chapman Publishing.
16. Kan, P.-K.(2006).Taiwan,Graduate School of Foreign Languages and Cultures, Fo Guang University.
17. Li, S.-T.(2005).Taiwan,Graduate School of Japanese, Tamkang University.
18. Lin, M.(1992).Designing an effective English program in universities of technology in Taiwan.Ninth Conference on English Teaching and Learning in the Republic of China
19. Liu, X.-Q.(2003).University English education: status quo and prospect.Electronic Journal of English Education,2
20. Milis, R.(1998).,Washington, DC:Office of Educational Research and Improvement.
21. Nevi, C.(1987).In defense of tracking.Educational Leadership,44(6),24-26.
22. Oakes, J.(1985).Keeping track: How schools structure inequality.New Haven, CT:Yale University Press.
23. Ou, H.-Z.(1997).A comparative study of English reading proficiency.Studies in English Language and Literature,2,1-12.
24. Persell, C.(1977).Education and inequality: The roots and results of stratification in America's schools.New York:Free Press.
25. Segro, G.(1995).Meeting the needs of all students: Making ability grouping work.Nassp Bulletin,79(568),18-26.
26. Shang, H.-F.,Jang, S. C.(2002).A Comparative Analysis on ability grouping.The Fourth Conference on Applied English Personnel Cultivation,Jungli:
27. Shih, C.-Y.(2005).Graduate School of English, National Taiwan Normal University.
28. Slavin, R.(1990).The effects of ability grouping in secondary schools: A best-evidence synthesis.Review of Educational Research,60,471-499.
29. Slavin, R. E.(1987).Ability grouping and student achievement in elementary schools: A best-evidence synthesis.Review of Educational Research,57(3),293-336.
30. Slavin, R. E.(1993).Students differ: So what?.Educational Researcher,22(9),13-14.
31. Sowers, J. L.(1996).Oregon, CA,Portland State University.
32. Tsai, M.-J.,Lin, S.-J.,Wu, Y.-M.(2000).The effects of placement on the students'learning of listening and speaking skills.The Proceedings of the Foreign Language Teaching and Humanity Education Symposium
33. Wang, S.-P.(1998).An experimental study of college English ability grouping.The Proceedings of the Fifteenth Conference on English Teaching and Learning in the Republic of China
34. Yu, Q.-F.(1994).The assessment of ability grouping in the college lab program: The Soochow experience..The Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on English Teaching,Taipei:

1. Su, Shao-Wen(2016).A Perceptional Inquiry into How English Placement Practice Impacts EFL Teaching and Learning from the Perspective of Washback.高雄師大學報：教育與社會科學類,41,49-73.
2. 廖彥棻(2020)。從一所頂尖大學英文輔導班學生觀點初探英文能力分級教學之成效與影響。東吳外語學報，48，17-55。
3. (2017)。探討臺灣高等教育英語能力分班之教學：以非英語系能力分班為例。教育學刊，48，81-128。
4. (2022)。通識英文教師能動限制：一所私立大學建制俗民誌分析。高等教育，17(1)，83-124。