2007 esl student outcomes survey report - langara college · 2014-08-14 · the 2007 english as a...

2007 ESL Survey2007 English as a Second Language

Student Outcomes Survey

Report

Ministry ofAdvanced Education BCStats

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Data Main entry under title: 2007 ESL Survey : 2007 English as a Second Language Student

Outcomes Survey : report [electronic resource]

Funded by the Ministry of Advanced Education.

ISBN 978-0-7726-6010-7

1. English language - Study and teaching as a second language (Higher) - British Columbia. 2. College students - British Columbia - Statistics. 3. Educational surveys - British Columbia. 4. Education and state – British Columbia. I. BC Stats. II. British Columbia. Ministry of Advanced Education.

PE1068.C3T96 2008 428.0071’1711 C2008-960116-5

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ContentsHighlights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..3

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..5Background. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5ESL.Program.Delivery.in.the.Public.Post-Secondary.System.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6ESL.Student.Outcomes.Surveys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7The.2007.ESL.Student.Outcomes.Survey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7About.this.Report. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Findings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..9Description.of.Former.Students. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Previous.Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Reasons.or.Goals.for.Enrolling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Sources.of.Funding. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Skill.Improvement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Overall.Training.Experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Satisfaction with Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

Evaluation of Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2�

Use of Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Further.Education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Employment.Outcomes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Key Labour Market Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25

Comparisons Across Immigrant Groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26

Comparisons with Other B .C . Immigrants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Social.Adaptation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..31

Appendix.A:.Survey.Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..33English.as.Second.Language.Student.Outcomes.Committee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Cohort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Data.collection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Reporting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Percentages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

Appendix.B:.Questionnaire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Highlights

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HighlightsThe 2007 English as a Second Language (ESL) Student Outcomes Survey interviewed

students who took English language training at a B.C. public post-secondary institution be-tween September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006. The survey included former students from 17 different post-secondary institutions. Survey interviews were conducted between August and November 2007; 1,821 former ESL students completed the survey. The following are high-lights from the survey findings:

Description.of.Survey.Respondents63% were between the ages of 25 and 4467% were female93% originated from a country outside of Canada58% of those who originated from outside of Canada had been in the country for less than five years at the time of the survey26% were Canadian citizens at the time they took their last ESL course

Previous.Education92% of survey respondents had completed high school before coming to Canada1

45% had a university undergraduate or graduate degree65% had taken previous English language training

Reasons.or.Goals.for.Enrolling77% of respondents said improving their employment situation was an important reason for enrolling2 80% said improving their ability to use English in daily life was important72% said preparing for further study at a college or university was important91% said that their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in achieving their most important goal

Sources.of.Funding41% of survey respondents relied on financial support from family while taking English language training41% relied on employment as a means of financial support30% relied on funding through the Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program (ABESAP)

1 Former ESL students who gave Canada as their country of origin were asked about their highest level of formal education before taking English language training.

2 Respondents said this goal and the ones that follow were extremely or very important reasons for enrolling.

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2007 ESL Survey Report

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Skill.Improvement87% said their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in improving their writing skills84% said their training helped them improve their reading skills86% said their training helped them improve their listening skills83% said their training helped them improve their speaking skills63% of respondents said their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in improving their English skills in all four skill areas

Overall.Training.Experience81% of survey respondents were completely or mainly satisfied with their English language training89% rated the overall quality of instruction in their training classes as very good or good91% rated the scheduling of their courses as very or somewhat convenient

Further.Education58% of respondents indicated that they took further education after leaving their English language trainingOf the former ESL students eligible for this survey, 22% went on to enrol in a college-level course at one of B.C.’s public colleges, university colleges, institutions, or Thompson Rivers University between September 2006 and September 200754% of those enrolled in college-level courses at B.C. public post-secondary institutions were taking programs in Arts and Sciences or Business and Management

Employment.Outcomes76% of survey respondents were in the labour force at the time of the survey (either em-ployed or looking for work)66% were employed at the time of the survey38% of those who were employed said their job was related to their previous education or employment

Social.Adaptation90% of employed respondents said their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in using English at work84% of respondents said their training was helpful in using English in the community82% said their training was helpful in using English to use services82% said their training was helpful in using English in social settings87% said their training was helpful in using English to understand English media

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Introduction

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IntroductionEach year thousands of people across British Columbia whose first language is not Eng-

lish enrol in English language training courses to improve their proficiency in the language. Developing proficient listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills is particularly important to immigrants and refugees and is seen as key to successful adaptation to the community, op-portunities for further education, and participation in the workforce. The goals of English as a Second Language (ESL) programming in B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions are to open doors to these individuals and support them in making a strong contribution to the B.C. economy and society.

BackgroundThe first goal of the provincial government’s strategic plan is to “make British Columbia

the best educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent.” To that end, ReadNow BC, the provincial literacy action plan, was developed—this plan is aligned with cross-ministry initiatives that include adult literacy, such as WelcomeBC and WorkBC, and with the Adult Opportunities Action Plan.

Under the Adult Opportunities Action Plan, the Ministry will implement strategies to help British Columbia’s adults attain the literacy skills necessary to participate fully in society and the economy. One of the goals of the Plan is to improve literacy rates for key populations, including recent and established immigrants to British Columbia. Recent studies indicate that of the 1 million British Columbians between the ages of 16 and 64 who do not have the lit-eracy skills to function competently in English, about 450,000 of them are members of the immigrant population.

British Columbia is experiencing labour market and skill shortages, due to a low provincial birth rate, an aging population, and other factors. With these shortages expected to continue, it is more important than ever to facilitate access to English language training for the skilled newcomers and immigrants who can help meet the province’s labour needs.

In British Columbia’s public post-secondary education system, English as a Second Lan-guage (ESL) is part of a larger cluster of programs commonly called developmental or ac-cess programs. Adult Basic Education (ABE), including literacy, and Adult Special Education (ASE) are the other two program areas in this group.

Expanding access to developmental programs continues to be a priority for the Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED). ABE, ESL, and ASE courses are essential to many adult learners who seek to upgrade their literacy, language, or academic skills to meet goals for education, employment, and social adaptation. B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions must meet an-nual performance targets set by AVED for these program areas.


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Under the Agreement for Canada–British Columbia Co-operation on Immigration, the federal government transfers funds to British Columbia for the design and delivery of set-tlement and adaptation services for immigrants, including the provision of ESL training. A portion of that funding is transferred to AVED to support the training delivered by public institutions.

The Ministry of Attorney General (MAG), as the lead on immigration and multicultural-ism, also funds ESL programs delivered by some colleges, school districts, private, non-profit, and community agencies. (Learners from these programs were not included in this 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey project. MAG conducts a separate outcomes survey for their ESL programs.)

ESL.Program.Delivery.in.the.Public.Post-Secondary.System.Seventeen public post-secondary institutions in B.C.3 receive funding from AVED to of-

fer a broad range of ESL courses and programs to B.C. residents whose first language is not English. Most of these programs have been aligned to the Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB), which are “a descriptive scale of communicative proficiency in English as a second language expressed as 12 benchmarks or reference points.”4 These benchmarks are used by ESL providers across the country to describe and measure an adult learner’s ability in the four skills areas (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in English and thus to facilitate transfer from program to program, province to province. The CLB consist of three stages: basic proficiency (CLB 1–4), intermediate proficiency (CLB 5–8), and advanced proficiency (CLB 9–12).

AVED-funded ESL programs at B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions include the fol-lowing:

English for Academic Purposes courses (CLB 6–9) focus on language skills, as well as study skills, critical thinking, problem solving, and co-operative group work. They prepare students for academic, technology, career, and vocational programs, as well as society and the workforce. (Note: CLB levels for these courses were confirmed in a recent project undertaken by the pro-vincial ESL articulation committee.)

English for Access courses (CLB 1–8) provide students with the language and socio-cul-tural skills to participate in and contribute to Canadian society. They may include basic lit-eracy, integrated and specific language skills, survival skills courses, and community-based ESL for special groups.

English for Work courses help second-language speakers learn the language of their oc-cupation, find and keep jobs, and go on to take further training and studies. They include preparatory skills, vocational English for specific purposes (ESP), adjunct ESL, and job search ESL programs. (Note: A project to realign learning outcomes for English for Access/Work courses with CLB levels is underway.)

3 Please see Appendix A: Survey Methodology for a list of these public institutions.

4 Grazyna Pawlikowska-Smith. Canadian Language Benchmarks 2000. Centre for Canadian Language Benchmarks, Ottawa, 2000.

Introduction

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ESL.Student.Outcomes.SurveysPublic post-secondary institutions in B.C. provide ESL courses and programs based on

the highest curriculum and teaching standards. The stakeholders who fund and deliver these programs need the means to measure the scope and quality of the services offered to people who seek to improve their English language skills. To that end, there have been previous ESL student outcomes projects that have collected data for the publicly-funded institutions and the ministry responsible for post-secondary education.

The 2003 College and University College ESL Student Outcomes Survey included students who were enrolled in at least one ESL course at some point between July 1, 2000 and June 30, 2002. The response rate for this telephone survey was 45 per cent (out of 8,972 cases, 4,022 surveys were completed; 3,445 people completed the survey in English, while 567 required the help of multi-lingual survey staff members using languages other than English.) The report described former students’ responses to more than 30 questions in areas such as demographics, learners’ perceptions of the quality and success of their experiences in their courses, and employment and further education outcomes.

The English as a Second Language Student Outcomes Project (1996–1999) had three components:

A. Leavers Study1,404 students interviewed by telephone in 1996

B. Pilot StudyIn-class survey in 1996 and focus group study and phone surveys

C. Full StudyThe 1998 report, Outcomes of BC College and Institute ESL Students, included both qualitative and quantitative data:

2,330 students completed an initial in-class questionnaire1,221 respondents completed by a follow-up telephone survey

The 2007 ESL Survey used a different questionnaire and data collection methodology than these earlier surveys. As a result, comparisons with these previous surveys are not appro-priate.

The.2007.ESL.Student.Outcomes.SurveyThe 2007 English as a Second Language (ESL) Student Outcomes Survey project was

developed through the collaborative efforts of B.C.’s public colleges, university colleges, insti-tutes, one university, and the Ministry of Advanced Education. Information from the survey is being used by AVED and MAG to support decision-making and to inform the development of accountability frameworks. The data will also enhance understanding of former students’ transition to further education and the labour market. Public post-secondary institutions use the feedback as a basis for planning, evaluating, and improving programs and services.

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The snapshot taken by the 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey shows a group of learners who took publicly funded ESL courses at a B.C. public post-secondary institution between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006 (international students were not included). At the time of contact, the respondents would have been out of formal ESL training at a particular institution for approximately 10 to 24 months.5

The survey has provided information on:The characteristics of former ESL students.Students’ reasons for taking ESL training and how they supported themselves finan-cially.Students’ assessment of the quality of their ESL education experience in the B.C. public post-secondary system.Former ESL students’ transition to further education.Labour force participation and employment outcomes of former ESL students.Students’ assessment of how their ESL experience contributed to their social and eco-nomic participation in B.C.

About.this.ReportThis report presents a summary of the findings from the 2007 ESL Student Outcomes

Survey. This summary report does not include an analysis of results by institution, although the results were analyzed across several demographic and other factors (e.g., highest level of education). Where interesting or statistically significant differences across respondent groups exist, these have been highlighted. (Please see Appendix A: Survey Methodology, for more details on the report analysis.)

The first part of the report focuses on former ESL students themselves and their demo-graphic characteristics. The next few sections provide some important background informa-tion about ESL students’ levels of previous education, reasons or goals for enrolling in ESL, and sources of funding while taking ESL training. This is followed by respondents’ ratings of skill improvement and other aspects of their overall training experience. The final sections of the report focus on outcomes—what students did after they left ESL training, namely further education, employment, and social adaptation.

5 Please see Appendix A: Survey Methodology for a description of the selection criteria for inclusion in the survey.

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4.5.6.

Findings

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FindingsDescription.of.Former.Students

BC Stats and the Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED) identified 4,050 past English language training students to be included in the 2007 English as a Second Language (ESL) Student Outcomes Survey. Of these, 1,821 former students responded to the survey, yielding an overall response rate of 45 percent.6 Given the challenges associated with finding former students so long after their courses, this response rate was quite good and was the same as was achieved in the 2003 College and University College ESL Student Outcomes Survey.

The 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey included former students from 17 public post-secondary institutions across B.C., although more than half (52 percent) were from Vancouver Community College, and 84 percent were from one of five institutions: Vancouver Commu-nity College, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Camosun College, Douglas College, or Kwantlen University College.

Overall, 88 percent of respondents were from an institution within the Lower Mainland, 8 percent were from an institution on Vancouver Island, and only 4 percent were from institu-tions in the Interior and Kootenays or Northern B.C. regions. Given that most institutions are located in urban areas, and furthermore, that most immigrants move to urban areas, almost all respondents (98 percent) lived in urban areas, and only a small fraction (2 percent) lived in rural areas.7 As a result, urban/rural comparisons are not possible in this report.

The cohort of former ESL students eligible for the survey represented a wide range of ages—from 17 to 81 years old at the time of the survey, with a median age of 34 years. The majority (63 percent) were between the ages of 25 and 44. The survey respondents had a simi-lar overall age distribution and the same median age (34 years).

Two-thirds of the students eligible for the survey were female. Males and females were equally likely to respond to the survey, so females represented two-thirds of respondents as well.

6 Please see Appendix A: Survey Methodology for a description of the methods used for cohort selection and data collec-tion.

7 Urban/rural status was determined based on former students’ postal code data, as provided by the institutions they at-tended.


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Survey respondents were asked to provide their country of origin. Seventy percent of all respondents were from Asia, 11 percent were from Europe, 10 percent were from North and Central America (including Canada), and 8 percent were from South America, Africa, or Oce-ania.

Within Asia, the most common countries that respondents originated from were: China (and Hong Kong), Iran, India, Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Other common countries that respondents cited were Canada, Russia, and Colombia.

Under 2521%

25 to 3430% 35 to 44

33%

55 and Over3%

45 to 5414%

The majority of respondents were between 25 and 44 years old

The majority of survey respondents were from Asia

1,278

201 18981 67

3

Asia Europe North andCentral

America

SouthAmerica

Africa Oceania

Findings

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Respondents who immigrated to Canada from another country were asked when they came to Canada to live. More than half (58 percent) had been in Canada for less than 5 years. About a quarter (29 percent) had been in Canada for between 5 and 10 years, and only 13 percent had been in Canada for 10 years or more.

At the time they took their last ESL course, almost three-quarters of all respondents were permanent residents (landed immigrants), and just over one-quarter were Canadian citizens. Only a handful of respondents (n=39) reported some other citizenship or immigration status, such as refugee claimant, dual citizen, or visa holder.

China and Iran were the most commonly cited countries of origin

Country of Origin# of

Respondents% of

Respondents

China 484 27%

Iran 214 12%

Canada 132 7%

India 118 6%

Korea 97 5%

Philippines 83 5%

Taiwan 73 4%

Russia 59 3%

Hong Kong 41 2%

Colombia 33 2%

Vietnam 33 2%

Almost three-quarters of respondents were permanent residents at the time they took their last ESL course

Canadian citizen

26%Other

2%

Permanent resident

72%


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Given the diverse age structure of this population, it is not surprising that respondents came from a variety of different family situations. More than half of all respondents were part of a couple (with or without children), and 45 percent of all respondents had children.

Previous.EducationFormer ESL students were asked about their highest level of formal education before com-

ing to Canada.8 In general, former ESL students were well-educated. Ninety-two percent of respondents had completed high school, and almost three-quarters (72 percent) had taken

8 Former ESL students who gave Canada as their country of origin were asked about their highest level of formal education before taking English language training.

Survey respondents represented a wide range of family situations

Single person with no children

37%

Part of a couple with

children38%A single

parent6%

Part of a couple with no

children19%

Most former ESL students had obtained a relatively high level of previous education before coming to Canada

10%

34%

8%

15%

4%

20%

6%

2%

University graduate degree (masters, Ph.D.)

University undergraduate degree (baccalaureate)

Some university

College or technical institute with diploma/certificate

Some college or technical institute

High school with diploma

Some high school

Elementary school or no formal education

Findings

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some form of post-secondary education. One-third of respondents had obtained a university undergraduate degree, and an additional 10 percent had obtained a university graduate de-gree.

Education requires time, and as might be expected, age was significantly related to the highest level of education respondents had before coming to Canada. For the most part, previ-ous educational attainment increased with age. However, on average, respondents aged 45 to 54 and 55 and over had lower levels of education when they came to Canada than their 35- to 44-year-old counterparts.

Approximately two-thirds (65 percent) of all respondents had taken English language training before enrolling at their institution. These respondents were asked where they had taken their training and were allowed to provide two responses.

Just over half (52 percent) of those who had taken previous English language training had taken training in Canada, and 57 percent had taken previous training outside of Canada.� Of those who had studied in Canada, more than three-quarters (77 percent) had studied in B.C.

9 Categories do not add to 100 percent because students were allowed to provide two responses.

34%

57%

64%

47%

6%

28%

22%

21%

29%

37%

21%

16%

13%

17%

39%

17%

4%

7%

19%

3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

55 and Over

45 to 54

35 to 44

25 to 34

Under 25

University degree

Some post-secondary (with or without credential)

High school diploma

Did not complete high schoool

Highest level of educational attainment before coming to Canada varied with age


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Reasons.or.Goals.for.EnrollingFormer students were asked a series of questions relating to their reasons for enrolling in

English language training. Students were very likely to rate improving their employment situ-ation, improving their ability to use English in daily life, and preparing for further study at a college or university as important goals. In fact, large majorities of students rated each of these reasons for enrolling as extremely or very important.

When asked to provide the single most important reason or goal for enrolling, former stu-dents most often said their goal was to be able to use English in daily life, followed by prepara-tion for further study at a college or university. Although only 19 percent chose a reason related to employment as their most important goal for enrolling, it is important to keep in mind that 77 percent of all respondents said improving their employment situation was an extremely or very important reason for enrolling.

Overall, 91 percent of respondents said that their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in achieving their most important goal. This percentage was consistent, whether respondents said their most important goal for enrolling was to improve their em-ployment situation, to be able to use English in daily life, or to prepare for further study at a college or university.

Respondents had multiple goals for enrolling in ESL training

72%

80%

77%

13%

14%

13%

15%

6%

10%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Prepare for furtherstudy at a college or

university

Improve ability to useEnglish in daily life

Improve employmentsituation

Extremely or very important

Moderately important

Slightly or not at all important

Findings

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Sources.of.FundingOne source of student financial assistance available to ESL students in the public post-

secondary system is the Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program (ABESAP), offered through StudentAid BC. The ABESAP program provides funding in the form of a non-repay-able grant to students enrolled in developmental programs who can demonstrate financial need. Students can receive funding for tuition and some fees, books and supplies, and in some cases, transportation and eligible childcare expenses.10

Overall, 37 percent of respondents indicated that they applied for ABESAP funding. Of these, most (85 percent) indicated that they did receive funding through this program.

In addition to ABESAP, former ESL students relied on several other sources of funding to finance their English language training. Respondents were asked “How did you support your-self financially while you were taking English language training?” Overall, the most common sources that former students relied on were employment income and family support. Personal savings and other government funding were also commonly mentioned sources.

10 Ministry of Advanced Education (http://www.aved.gov.bc.ca/adulteducation/abesap.htm)

Many respondents said using English in daily life was the most important reason for enrolling in ESL training

Use English in daily life

41%

Prepare for further study

at a college or university

38%

Other2%

Employment-related

19%


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The sources of financial support used by former ESL students varied according to their age, family status, and citizenship or immigration status. For example, those in the youngest age group (under 25) were less likely to rely on employment income than respondents from other age groups. Also, as might be expected, successively older age groups relied less and less on family as a means of financial support.

The differences in funding sources by family status were dramatic. For example, while 41 percent of all respondents relied on family for financial support, this figure was only 13 percent for single parents. Single parents were more likely than others to rely on employment income, ABESAP funding, and government funding such as grants, scholarships, or special assistance.

Former ESL students relied on various sources of financial support

Source of Financial Support % of Respondents

Family support 41%Employment 41%ABESAP 30%Savings 15%Other government funding

(grants, scholarships, special assistance programs) 13%

Government loans(Canada Student Loan, B.C. Student Loan)

2%

Bank loans or credit cards 2%Other 1%

Note: Up to 3 responses were recorded for each respondent

Age affected how students supported themselves financially

% of Respondents

Source of Financial Support Under 25 25 to 34 35 to 44 45 to 5455 and

Over

Family support 56% 42% 37% 31% 27%

Employment 28% 47% 43% 42% 50%

ABESAP 20% 34% 34% 29% 23%

Savings 16% 11% 16% 19% 14%

Other government funding (grants, scholarships, special assistance programs)

18% 11% 11% 18% 11%

Findings

�7

Although Canadian citizens and permanent residents were equally likely to rely on em-ployment income as a means of financial support, the similarities ended there. Permanent resi-dents were more likely than Canadian citizens to rely on family support (44 percent versus 34 percent, respectively) and far more likely than Canadian citizens to rely on ABESAP funding (35 percent versus 17 percent, respectively). On the other hand, Canadian citizens were more likely to rely on savings (20 percent, versus 13 percent of permanent residents) and govern-ment funding such as grants, scholarships, or special assistance (26 percent, versus 9 percent of permanent residents).

Single parents relied on different sources of financial support than other respondents did

% of Respondents

Source of Financial Support

Family support

Employment

ABESAP

Savings


Single(no

children)

Couple(no

children)

Couple(with

children)Single parent

40% 48% 44% 13%

43% 43% 35% 54%

26% 32% 30% 43%

14% 14% 17% 11%

16% 10% 11% 25%

Canadiancitizens

Permanentresidents

34% 44%41% 41%17% 35%20% 13%26% 9%

With the exception of employment income, Canadian citizens relied on different sources of funding than permanent residents did

% of Respondents

Source of Financial Support

Family support

Employment

ABESAP

Savings



��

Skill.ImprovementEnglish language training focuses on helping students to improve in four main skill areas:

reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Respondents were asked to rate how helpful their English language training was in improving their English skills in each of these four areas.

Almost all former ESL students said that their training was very or somewhat helpful in improving their skills in at least one of the four skill areas. In fact, the majority (63 percent) said that their training was helpful in all four areas, and a further 21 percent said it helped in three of the four areas.

Large majorities of respondents said their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in improving their writing skills (87 percent) and listening skills (86 percent). The proportions who said their training was helpful in improving reading skills and speaking skills were slightly lower, at 84 percent and 83 percent, respectively.

Although 87 percent of respondents said their English language training was very or some-what helpful in improving their English writing skills, this percentage varied based on levels of previous education. For example, former ESL students who had not completed high school were less likely than those with a university undergraduate degree to say that their training was helpful in improving their English writing skills.

The majority of respondents found their training helpful in all four areas of skill improvement (reading, writing, listening, and speaking)

Helpful in all 4 areas63%

Helpful in 1 area4%

Not helpful in any area

2%

Helpful in 2 areas11%

Helpful in 3 areas21%

Findings

��

English language training helped former students improve their English skills in four areas

47%

48%

52%

53%

37%

37%

34%

34%

17%

16%

14%

13%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Speaking

Reading

Listening

Writing

Very helpful

Somewhat helpful

Not very or not at all helpful

Although respondents’ ratings of how their training helped them to improve their English writing skills were affected by their previous levels of education, prior educational attainment did not have an impact on helpfulness ratings in the other three skill improvement areas (read-ing, listening, and speaking).

ESL training helped improve English writing skills, especially for respondents who previously had an undergraduate degree

Highest level of education attained before coming to Canada

% of Respondentswho said very or

somewhat helpful

Did not complete high school 84%

High school diploma 83%

Some post-secondary (no credential) 89%

College or technical institute diploma or certificate 84%

University undergraduate degree 90%

University graduate degree 87%


20

Overall.Training.Experience

Satisfaction.with.Training

Former ESL students were asked to rate their satisfaction with the English language train-ing they took. Most (81 percent) said they were completely or mainly satisfied with their training.

Those who said they were only partially satisfied or not satisfied at all (n=337) were asked why, and almost all provided a response. About one-fifth of those who responded expressed dissatisfaction with their instructor, and another fifth said that they were not satisfied with their skill improvement or learning outcomes.

The teacher did not teach very well, did not focus on helping or explaining and working with students, their errors or difficulties with the language.

The training did not really improve my language skills as much as I would have liked.

Other reasons that some respondents were not satisfied with their training included dis-satisfaction with the amount of time the course allowed for practice or one-on-one instruction, concern that the course was too easy, or feeling that the course placement was at an inappropri-ate level.

There should have been more one-on-one exercises and speaking to other class-mates.

I was put into the wrong level of English training; I found it was too easy.

Most former students said they were completely or mainly satisfied with their English language training

Completely satisfied

38%

Partially satisfied

16%

Not satisfied at all3%

Mainly satisfied

43%

Findings

2�

Evaluation.of.Courses

Respondents were also asked to rate the overall quality of instruction in their English lan-guage training classes. Despite the fact that some students mentioned quality of instruction as a reason for being only partially satisfied or not satisfied at all with their training, most former students (89 percent) thought the overall quality of instruction was good or very good. Only 3 percent of respondents said the overall quality of instruction was poor or very poor.

When asked to rate the scheduling of English language training at their institutions, 91 percent of respondents said the scheduling was very or somewhat convenient.

A large majority of respondents said that the overall quality of instruction was very good or good

Very good45%

Good45%

Poor or very poor3%

Adequate8%

More than half of all respondents said the scheduling of their training was very convenient

Very convenient

54%

Not very convenient

8%

Not convenient

at all1%

Somewhat convenient

37%


22

Those who said the scheduling was not very convenient or not at all convenient were asked why (n=158), and almost all provided a response. Approximately one-third said that course scheduling conflicted with their work schedule. Another third expressed a preference to have courses offered at a different time or on a different day.

I found the time the class was scheduled was too early in the evening to get to after work.

I did not like that the courses were just held on Saturdays. I would have liked the courses to be every day Monday to Fridays.

Other reasons given by some respondents as scheduling difficulties included conflicts due to children or other family commitments and transportation or travel issues. Former students who had children were more likely to report that scheduling was not very or not all convenient (10 percent), compared with former students without children (7 percent).

Due to conflicts with my young son’s school times, I was always late because I needed to get my children to school first.

I lived a long ways away and it took me three hours to get there and back for a two-hour class. I would have rather had longer classes.

Use.of.Services

Another aspect of former students’ training experience is whether or not they use available resources offered through their institutions. Just over three-quarters (76 percent) of respondents said that they had used the library, counselling and advising services, or a language or learning help centre while they were studying at their institution. However, this percentage varied by citizenship and immigration status. While only 67 percent of Canadian citizens reported using these services, 79 percent of permanent residents said they had used these services.

Canadian citizens were less likely to use library, counselling, or language help services at their institution

100%

76%67%

79%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Allrespondents

Canadiancitizens

Permanentresidents

Findings

23

Further.EducationAfter leaving their English language training programs, 58 percent (n=1,061) of former

ESL students indicated that they went on to take further education. Respondents who said that their English language training was very or somewhat helpful in improving their English writing skills were more likely to take further education than those who said the training was not very or not at all helpful.

The majority of respondents who went to further studies took this subsequent education at a public college, university college, or institute. Smaller percentages of those who took fur-ther studies went to public universities or private institutions.

Respondents who said their ESL training was helpful in improving their English writing skills were more likely to take further education

58% 60%

51%

All respondents ESL training washelpful in

improving Englishwriting skills

ESL training wasnot helpful in

improving Englishwriting skills

Perc

etn

t w

ho

to

ok

furt

her

ed

uca

tio

n

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

Most respondents who took further education studied at a public college, university college, or institute

2%

1%

11%

12%

15%

61%

Other

Community organization

Public school (e.g., public high school)

Private institution

Public university

Public college, university college, or institute


2�

AVED’s Central Data Warehouse (CDW) contains enrolment data for B.C.’s public col-leges, university colleges, institutes, and Thompson Rivers University. Administrative data taken from the CDW indicate that between September 2006 and September 2007, 22 percent of the initial cohort of former ESL students eligible for this survey had enrolled in a college-level course at one of B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions.11 This percentage was higher for those who responded to this ESL survey (27 percent) than for the non-respondents (18 percent).

Those who went on to take college-level courses at B.C. public post-secondary institutions were studying in a wide variety of program areas. Together, programs in Arts and Sciences and Business and Management accounted for just over half of all former ESL students who enrolled in a college-level course between September 2006 and September 2007.

Of the former ESL students who enrolled in college-level courses at a B.C. public post-sec-ondary institution between September 2006 and September 2007, the majority were enrolled in either diploma (45 percent) or certificate (30 percent) programs. These proportions were almost identical for both survey respondents and non-respondents.

11 Institutions last submitted data to the CDW in October 2007; these data are current as of mid-September 2007.

Major Program Area n % of Total

Arts and Sciences 276 31%

Business and Management 200 23%

Health Related (see also Nursing) 77 9%

Engineering, Electrical and Electronics 71 8%

Recreation, Tourism, Hospitality and Service 66 7%

Nursing 47 5%

Computer and Information Services 22 2%

Mechanical and Related 19 2%

Visual, Performing and Fine Arts 18 2%

Legal and Social 16 2%

Education and Library Science 12 1%

Agriculture, Natural Resources and Science Technologies 11 1%

Construction and Precision Production 7 1%

Communications 2 0%

Unknown 13 1%

Total 887 100%

Former ESL students went on to study in a wide variety of areas

Developmental Education and Continuing Education 30 3%

Findings

25

Employment.Outcomes

Key.Labour.Market.Indicators

Based on definitions from the Labour Force Survey (Statistics Canada), individuals are considered to be in the labour force if they are employed or looking for work. At the time of the 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey, two-thirds of survey respondents were employed, and three-quarters were in the labour force. The unemployment rate (the percentage of those in the labour force who were unemployed) for former ESL students was 13 percent.

On average, those who were employed worked 33 hours per week. Sixty-nine percent of those who were employed worked full-time (30 hours or more per week), and 31 percent worked part-time.

Respondents were asked whether or not their job was related to any education or previous job they had before coming to Canada.12 Overall, 38 percent of those who were employed said their job was related to their previous education or employment, although this percentage varied significantly based on the highest level of previous education respondents had obtained. While only 22 percent of those with a high school diploma had a job related to their previous education or employment, 50 percent of those with a graduate degree had related employ-ment.

Former ESL students tended to be employed in relatively low-skilled occupations. At the time of the survey, 61 percent of those employed were working in occupations where the skill level was classified as “secondary equivalent” or lower.13 However, former students with higher levels of previous education were more likely to be working in higher skilled occupations. For example, students with a university graduate degree were far more likely than other students to work in management occupations. Similarly, students with post-secondary credentials were more likely to work in higher-skilled occupations than students without post-secondary cre-dentials.

Although the level of prior education was related to the skill level of occupations, previous education did not have an impact on the overall rates of employment or labour force participa-tion.

12 Former ESL students who gave Canada as their country of origin were asked whether their job was related to any education or job they had before taking English language training.

13 Occupation skill levels are based on National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. The NOC is a systematic tax-onomy of occupations in the Canadian labour market. Each occupation is classified according to the education, training, or skills required to enter the job, as well as the kind of work performed.


26

Comparisons.Across.Immigrant.Groups

For immigrants, employment outcomes were related to the length of time they had spent in Canada. Survey respondents who immigrated to Canada from another country were classi-fied into three broad categories, based on groupings from the Labour Force Survey (Statistics Canada):

Very recent immigrants (have been in Canada for less than 5 years) (n=970)Recent immigrants (have been in Canada for between 5 and 10 years) (n=476)Established immigrants (have been in Canada for 10 years or more) (n=221)

In general, immigrants who had been in Canada for a longer time had better employment outcomes. Recent and established immigrants had higher employment and labour force par-ticipation rates than very recent immigrants. Interestingly, the percentage of respondents who said their job was related to the previous education or employment they had before coming to Canada was lower for recent and established immigrants than for very recent immigrants. One possible explanation for this is that immigrants who have been in Canada for a longer period may have had more time to pursue additional training or upgrading of skills, and as a result, may be more likely to have moved on to employment in areas unrelated to their previ-ous education or experience.

i.ii.iii.

Former students with a higher level of previous education worked in higher-skilled occupations

37%

55%

63%

68%

76%

70%

52%

42%

35%

30%

22%

29%

11%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

University post-graduate degree

University undergraduate degree

College or technical institute diplomaor certificate

Some post-secondary (no credential)

High school diploma

Did not complete high school

Secondary equivalent or lower skill level

College or university equivalent skill level

Management or senior management skill level

Findings

27

Although the length of time survey respondents had spent in Canada affected their em-ployment outcomes, their citizenship status did not. Differences between the employment rates and labour force participation rates of Canadian citizens and permanent residents were insignificant. In addition, although Canadian citizens were less likely to say that their job was related to their previous education or employment, this difference was not statistically signifi-cant.

Comparisons.with.Other.B .C ..Immigrants

To evaluate employment outcomes of former ESL students, it is important to consider the unique characteristics of this population. For example, as discussed earlier, the vast majority of former ESL students were immigrants—only 7 percent said Canada was their country of origin.

Immigrants face different labour market challenges than Canadian-born workers, and this is reflected in their employment outcomes. The chart below provides the 2007 annual average employment rates and labour force participation rates for individuals age 25 to 54 for each immigrant group in B.C. and for B.C. overall. As shown in the chart, labour market outcomes for B.C. immigrants are quite different than outcomes for the B.C. population as a whole.

Length of time since immigration affects former ESL students’ employment outcomes

62%

72%

42%

66%

77%

32%

72%

82%

32%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Employment rate Labour forceparticipation rate

Job related toprevious education

or employment

Very recent immigrant (In Canada 5 years or less)

Recent immigrants (In Canada for 5 to 10 years)

Established immigrants (In Canada 10 years or more)


2�

Because immigrants typically fare differently in the labour market than Canadian-born workers, this report compares immigrant former ESL students to other immigrants in B.C., instead of comparing former ESL students to the B.C. population as a whole.

The Labour Force Survey data in the above chart represent individuals in B.C. age 25 to 54. The large majority (80 percent) of immigrant respondents in the 2007 ESL survey were in this age range, so it seems reasonable to focus on this age range to make comparisons between immigrant former ESL students and the overall B.C. immigrant population.14

In the table below, labour market outcomes of immigrant former ESL students aged 25 to 54 are compared with outcomes for the B.C. immigrant population aged 25 to 54. Overall, it appears that immigrant former ESL students have labour force participation rates similar to other immigrants in B.C. However, immigrant ESL respondents who have been in Canada for five years or more appear to have lower employment rates than their B.C. counterparts. This difference may be attributable to a number of factors. For example, although length of time in Canada has been controlled for, other characteristics that may differ between the two groups (such as age distribution, gender, highest level of education, and country of origin) have not been considered. It is also possible that the data for former ESL students exhibit some self-

14 By immigrant group, the number of ESL respondents who were between the ages of 25 and 54 was: Very recent immigrants: n=744 (77 percent) Recent immigrants: n=403 (85 percent) Established immigrants: n=188 (85 percent).

•••

The Labour Force Survey shows that new B.C. immigrants have lower employment rates than the general population

82% 85%

67%72%74%

79%82% 85%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Employment rate Labour force participation rate

B.C. Population

B.C. Very recent immigrants

B.C. Recent immigrants

B.C. Established immigrants

Note: Data is for B.C. population age 25–54Source: Labour Force Survey 2007, Statistics Canada

Findings

2�

selection bias, as ESL students represent a special sub-set of the population—those seeking to improve their English skills. If former ESL students have, on average, fewer English skills than other immigrants (which is likely, given that some B.C. immigrants come from English speak-ing countries), former ESL students may face greater difficulties in finding employment.

Social.AdaptationThe 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey included a series of questions aimed at deter-

mining the degree to which English language training helped students to use English in various social settings. Respondents who had indicated that they were employed were asked if they used English at work (94 percent said yes). All respondents were asked to rate the helpfulness of their English language training in four other areas:

Using English in the community (e.g., volunteering, joining a club, going to a recrea-tion centre)Using English to use services (e.g., medical, police, library, employment centres, gov-ernment services)Using English in social settings (e.g., while shopping, at parties, in restaurants)Using English to understand English media (e.g., radio, TV, newspapers, the Inter-net).

In each area, the large majority of respondents said their English language training was very or somewhat helpful. Analysis of these ratings by gender did not yield any significant dif-ferences.

i.

ii.

iii.iv.

Labour market outcomes of immigrant ESL respondents are similar to those of B.C. immigrants

ESL RespondentsAged 25−54

Employment rate

Very recent immigrants 65% 67% Recent immigrants 66% 74% Established immigrants 73% 82%

Labour force participation rate

Very recent immigrants 75% 72% Recent immigrants 77% 79% Established immigrants 84% 85%

B.C. ImmigrantsAged 25−54


30

English language training helped former ESL students use English in various social settings

50%

47%

48%

49%

58%

36%

35%

34%

36%

32%

13%

18%

18%

16%

10%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

UnderstandEnglish Media

Use English insocial settings

Use Englishto use services

Use English inthe community

Use Englishat work

Very helpful

Somewhat helpful

Not very or not at all helpful

Conclusions

3�

ConclusionsProviding ESL training to residents whose first language is not English is part of British

Columbia’s commitment to literacy and an important part of the strategy to meet current and projected labour shortages in the province. Through the Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED), the province provides funding to 17 of B.C.’s public post-secondary institutions to deliver English language training.

These public institutions and AVED collaborated to develop the 2007 English as a Second Language (ESL) Student Outcomes Survey project—a survey of former students who took English language training in public institutions. The goal of the project was to provide infor-mation to the province for policy development and accountability and to the participating public colleges, university colleges, institutes, and one university, where the information will be used to improve programs and services.

The 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey has added to our understanding of former ESL students and B.C.’s publicly funded ESL training system by providing information to answer the following questions:

What were the characteristics of former ESL students?

Former ESL students represented a diverse group of individuals. Although the majority of former students were between the ages of 25 and 44 at the time of the survey, ages ranged from as low as 17 to as high as 81 years old. Two-thirds of former students were female. Respond-ents came from a variety of family circumstances—while many were part of a couple and had children, approximately the same percentage were single with no children.

Although the majority of survey respondents were from Asia, there were respondents from every continent around the globe. Both within and outside of Asia, respondents came from a wide variety of countries. At the time they took their last ESL course, approximately one-quar-ter of survey respondents were Canadian citizens.

In general, ESL students were well-educated, but educational attainment varied with age. Overall, almost three-quarters of respondents had taken some form of previous post-secondary education.

Why did students enrol in ESL training and how did they support themselves financially?

Students had multiple goals for enrolling in ESL training, including improving their em-ployment situation, improving their ability to use English in daily life, and preparing for fur-ther study at a college or university. When asked about their most important goal for enrolling, respondents were almost evenly divided between using English in daily life and preparing for further study.


32

Former ESL students paid for their training using a variety of sources. The most common sources cited were family support and employment income, although a number of former students also relied on ABESAP funding.

How did students rate their ESL training experience?

The majority of respondents found their ESL training helpful in improving their skills in all four areas of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Large majorities found their training helpful in each one of these four areas.

Most former students said they were completely or mainly satisfied with their English lan-guage training, and almost nine out of ten said the overall quality of instruction was very good or good. A large majority of respondents rated ESL course scheduling as very or somewhat convenient.

Did former ESL students go on to further education?

More than half of all survey respondents said that they went on to take further education. Of those who took further education, most went on to study at a public college, university college, or institute.

In the year following the enrolment period for survey eligibility, almost one-quarter of all students eligible for the survey enrolled in college-level courses at a B.C. public post-secondary institution.15 These students went on to study in a wide variety of program areas.

What were the labour market outcomes of former ESL students?

At the time of the survey, two-thirds of survey respondents were employed, and three quar-ters were in the labour force (either employed or looking for work). In the case of immigrants, these proportions were higher among immigrant groups who had been in Canada longer.

Although former students tended to be employed in relatively low-skilled occupations, those with higher levels of previous education fared significantly better. Those with prior post-secondary degrees were not only more likely to be in a higher-skilled occupation, but they were also more likely to say their current job was related to their previous education or employ-ment.

How did ESL training contribute to former students’ social and economic participation in B.C.?

English language training appears to be quite successful in helping students to adapt to social settings outside of the classroom. Large majorities of respondents said their ESL training helped them to use English in the community, in social settings, to access services, and to un-derstand English media. Furthermore, of those who were employed and used English at work, nine out of ten found their training helped them to use English in the workplace.

15 This is based upon data from the Ministry of Advanced Education’s Central Data Warehouse, which contains enrolment data for B.C.’s public colleges, university colleges, institutes, and Thompson Rivers University.

Appendix A: Survey Methodology

33

Appendix A: Survey MethodologyEnglish.as.Second.Language.Student.Outcomes.Committee

The steering committee for this English as Second Language (ESL) Student Outcomes Survey project was struck in October of 2006. It was made up of representatives from the Min-istry of Advanced Education (AVED) and from the B.C. public institutions that provide ESL training. AVED’s Learning Programs and Information and Data Management branches were represented, and on the institution side, the committee had representation from those who deliver or oversee the delivery of ESL training as well as members of the Outcomes Working Group, who oversee the BC College and Institute Student Outcomes (CISO) Survey.

The ESL Student Outcomes Committee had responsibility for oversight of the survey and resulting publications. BC Stats was responsible for all project deliverables as well as day-to-day project operations. Funding for this project came from AVED.

The ESL Survey committee was responsible for developing the 2007 survey instrument. While several of the questions in the 2007 survey came from the 2003 questionnaire, the 2007 questionnaire, overall, was quite different. For a copy of the 2007 survey, see Appendix B: Questionnaire.

CohortThe survey cohort included former students who had recently taken ESL training at a B.C.

public post-secondary institution.16 To be included in the survey cohort, former students had to satisfy three selection criteria:

Enrolment period: Students must have been enrolled in an ESL course or program at some point between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006 (International students are not included).Exposure to ESL: Students must have taken the equivalent of at least 0.1 Full-Time Equiva-lent (FTE) in ESL courses.Required period of absence: Students must not have enrolled in any ESL courses or pro-grams at the same institution since September 1, 2006.

Since ESL students may take English language training at different institutions, course dates and FTE equivalents were used to determine which institution was considered the in-stitution of record. The full cohort was extracted from AVED’s Central Data Warehouse and then separated according to institution. Each participating institution was sent their cohort with a request to append contact data and return the entire file to BC Stats. The cohort files were assembled and reviewed for completeness and then passed to the survey contractor for

16 Students who took English Language Services for Adults (ELSA) programs were not included in this survey.

1.

2.

3.


3�

data collection. The final cohort included elements such as name, address, telephone number, gender, birth date, number of ESL courses taken during enrolment period, and whether or not the student received an ESL credential during the enrolment period.

There were 17 public B.C. post-secondary institutions that participated in this project. The following table lists the participating institutions, the number of former ESL students from each who were eligible for the survey, and the number who responded.

Data.collectionField testing of the survey instrument was done between August 17 and August 29, 2007;

there were 144 respondents. The data collection contractor suggested some minor modifica-tions to the questionnaire, to enhance the flow of the survey and to increase the clarity of certain questions.

The data collection contractor undertook a number of steps to contact former students, including:

for records with multiple phone numbers, calling all numbers to determine the correct number;leaving a voice mail and toll-free number for the former students to call at their conven-ience; using a number of directories to track former students whose phone numbers are missing or incorrect;asking for a forwarding number, where possible;

•

•

•

•

InstitutionEligible for

surveyNumber of

respondentsResponse

rate

BC Institute of Technology 262 159 61%

Camosun College 276 123 45%

Capilano College 140 72 51%

College of New Caledonia 18 7 39%

College of the Rockies 9 5 56%

Douglas College 455 252 55%

Kwantlen University College 309 153 50%

Langara College 130 60 46%

Malaspina University-College 26 14 54%

North Island College 13 9 69%

Northern Lights College 4 2 50%

Northwest Community College 16 7 44%

Okanagan College 65 33 51%

Selkirk College 16 8 50%

Thompson Rivers University 59 17 29%University College of the Fraser Valley 166 72 43%

Vancouver Community College 2,086 828 40%

Total 4,050 1,821 45%

Appendix A: Survey Methodology

35

sending emails with the toll-free number, where possible; andusing interviewers with multiple language skills to communicate with people at the given phone number in order to reach the former student.

The telephone interviews for the survey were conducted from August 30 to November 5, 2007. Of the 4,050 former ESL students identified as eligible for the survey cohort, 1,821 completed the interview. In total, 115 surveys were completed with the help of interviewers who spoke a language other than English, including French, Mandarin, and Cantonese. The average administration time of the survey was 14.4 minutes.

The following table shows the disposition of the survey cohort that was submitted for data collection.

Reporting

Analysis

BC Stats was responsible for cleaning and validating the data received from the data collec-tion contractor. Based on these data (the responses to the survey questionnaire) the necessary variables were derived for analysis and reporting. A tabular report was produced—the ESL Key Outcomes Indicators by Institution—and distributed to post-secondary institutions and the Ministry of Advanced Education in January 2008. The tabular report presented the results for

••

Call Result n

% of Cohort

Completed 1,821 45%

Incomplete 40 1%

Refused/Declined 298 7%

Specific Appointment 5 0%

Soft Appointment 58 1%

Left Message/Call Back 5 0%

Busy 1 0%

No Answer 140 3%

Moved/Left Toll Free Number 9 0%

Business (Not Employed There) 11 0%

Fax/Modem/Pager 8 0%

Travelling Within North America 4 0%

Not in Service/Wrong Number 885 22%

Travelling/Moved Outside of Canada/US 133 3%

Communication Problem/Serious Illness 205 5%

Deceased 0 0%

Ineligible (Still Attending Same Institution)/Don't Know or Refused Q2 131 3%

Non-Qualifier/Claims Never Attended 177 4%

No Phone Number/No North America Number 119 3%

Not Yet Called 0 0%

Total 4,050 100%


36

32 key indicators by institution. The indicators included AVED’s performance measures and others chosen by the participating institutions.

Analysis for this report—The 2007 ESL Student Outcomes Survey Report—included frequencies, crosstabs, and comparison of means; in addition, several tests were used to de-termine if the observed differences between groups were statistically significant. A statistically significant result is one that cannot reasonably be explained by chance alone.

Limitations

The former students who were interviewed—45 percent of those eligible for surveying—were those from the cohort who could be located and who agreed to be surveyed. They may not be representative of all former students.

Although interviewers with multiple language skills were available to help respondents with explanations, definitions, and so on, the survey interviews were conducted in English. The quality of the data obtained is reliant on the abilities of former ESL students to under-stand, interpret, and respond to survey questions in the English language.

Percentages

For consistency and ease of presentation, most percentages in the report text, tables, and charts have been rounded; as a result, totals may not always add to 100.

Unless otherwise noted, each percentage is based on the number of students who respond-ed to the question—those who refused the question or said “don’t know” were not included in the calculation.

Appendix B: Questionnaire

Questionnaire Page 1

Appendix B: Questionnaire SURVEY INTRODUCTION Hello, my name is __________________ and I’m calling for [institution]. I work for a company called _______________ and we need your help with a survey that we are doing for [institution], BC Stats, the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, and other B.C. public post-secondary institutions. We are calling former students who took English language training in B.C. We want to find out if your training was useful to you. This survey is voluntary. You don't have to answer the questions if you don't want to, but the information you give us is important. We hope you will help us. All your answers are confidential. Any information that identifies you will not be shared with anyone. We will use the information only for our research. Permission to Proceed: The survey takes about 10 to 12 minutes to complete. Do you have time to go through the survey with me now?

1. Yes [GO TO Q1] 2. No [Attempt to set up future appointment]

Introductory Questions to Determine Eligibility: Q1 Let me start by asking you, did you take [ELT course name1] from [institution] at some

time between September 1, 2005 and August 31, 2006?

1. Yes [GO TO Q2] 2. No [Probe, else thank and terminate]

Q2 Have you been enrolled in any English language training in B.C. since September 2006?

1. Yes (have been enrolled in ELT in B.C.) [GO TO Q3] 2. No (have not been enrolled in ELT since September 2006) [Go to next

Section] 88. Don’t Know [Attempt to probe. If still no answer, terminate.] 99. Refused [Attempt to probe. If still no answer, terminate.]

Q3 Where have you been enrolled? [OPEN-ENDED] ____________________________________________________________

1. Institution is the same as [institution] [Thank and terminate] 2. If not the same, record institution [Go to next Section]

1 Note: Use last ELT course name for students who took multiple courses



This survey is meant for those who have not been enrolled in English language training since September 2006.

SECTION A: DEMOGRAPHICS

A1 What is your country of origin? [DO NOT READ OPTIONS]

0. Canada [GO TO A4] 1. Taiwan 2. Hong Kong 3. China 4. Korea 5. Iran 6. Afghanistan 7. India 8. Pakistan 9. Former Yugoslavia 10. Vietnam 11. Other Please specify: _________________________________ 88. Don’t Know 99. Refused

A5 When did you come to Canada to live? [OPEN-ENDED] [Month and year] ____________________________________________________________

88. Don’t Know 99. Refused

A4 What was your citizenship or immigration status when you took [ELT course name2] at [institution]? [READ OPTIONS]

1. Canadian Citizen 2. Permanent Resident (landed immigrant) 3. Refugee claimant 4. Other Please specify:_____________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

2 Last ELT course taken, if more than one (same as Q1).

Interviewer note: If respondent says that he/she came to Canada to live and then moved away for some period of time before returning again to Canada, prompt respondent for the month/year when he/she came the FIRST time to live in Canada.



A6 Which of the following best described you when you were taking [ELT course name]? [READ OPTIONS]

1. Single person with no children 2. Part of a couple with no children 3. Part of a couple with children 4. A single parent 5. Other Please specify:_____________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

SECTION B: PREVIOUS EDUCATION

B1 What was your highest level of formal education before coming to Canada? If A1=0 READ What was your highest level of formal education before taking English language training? [DO NOT READ OPTIONS]

1. University graduate degree (e.g., masters, Ph.D.) 2. University undergraduate degree 3. Some university 4. College or technical institute with diploma/certificate 5. Some college or technical institute 6. High school with diploma 7. Some high school 8. Elementary school 9. No formal education 10. Other Please specify:_____________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

B2 Did you take any English language training before you came to [institution]? 1. Yes [GO TO B3] 2. No [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 88. Don’t know [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION]



B3 Where did you take your English language training before you came to [institution]? [OPEN-ENDED] [Record up to two; if unknown, ask province or country, if outside Canada]

____________________________________________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

SECTION C: EVALUATION OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE TRAINING

Interviewer Read: Now I’m going to ask you some questions about your reasons for enrolling in English language training at [institution]:

C2 How important was it to improve your employment situation (to get or to improve your

job)? Was it…

1. Extremely important 2. Very important 3. Moderately important 4. Slightly important 5. Not at all important 88. Don’t know

99. Refused C3 How important was it to improve your ability to use English in daily life? Was it…


99. Refused



C4 How important was it to prepare for further study at a college or university? Was it…


99. Refused

C5 When you enrolled in English language training at [institution], what was your most important reason or goal for enrolling? [DO NOT READ OPTIONS]

1. Employment-related 2. To be able to use English in daily life 3. To go on to Adult Basic Education (high school) 4. To prepare for further study at a college or university 5. Other Please specify: _______________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused C6 How helpful was your English language training in achieving your most important goal?

Was it…. 1. Very helpful 2. Somewhat helpful 3. Not very helpful 4. Not at all helpful 88. Don’t know 99. Refused



C7–10 How helpful was your English language training at [institution] in improving your …

Was it….

1. Very helpful 2. Somewhat helpful 3. Not very helpful 4. Not at all helpful 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

C7 …English writing skills? C8 …English reading skills? C9 …English listening skills? C10 …English speaking skills? C11 How satisfied were you with the English language training you took at [institution]?

Would you say you were…

1. Completely satisfied [GO TO C12] 2. Mainly satisfied [GO TO C12] 3. Partially satisfied [GO TO C14] 4. Not satisfied at all [GO TO C14] 88. Don’t know [GO TO C12] 99. Refused [GO TO C12] C14 Why were you [IF C11=3] only partially satisfied [or IF C11=4] not satisfied at all with

the English language training you took at [institution]? [OPEN-ENDED] ____________________________________________________________

88. Don’t know 99. Refused

C12 How would you rate the overall quality of instruction in your English language training classes at [institution]? Was it…..

1. Very good 2. Good 3. Adequate 4. Poor 5. Very poor 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

Interviewer note: If respondent asks what “adequate” means, say OK or satisfactory.



C15 How would you rate the scheduling of English language training courses at [institution]?

Would you say it was…

1. Very convenient [GO TO C16] 2. Somewhat convenient [GO TO C16] 3. Not very convenient [GO TO C19] 4. Not convenient at all [GO TO C19] 88. Don’t know [GO TO C16] 99. Refused [GO TO C16] C19 Why was the scheduling not convenient for you? [OPEN-ENDED] ____________________________________________________________

88. Don’t know 99. Refused

C16 While you were studying at [institution] did you use the library, counselling and advising

services, or a language or learning help centre?

1. Yes 2. No 88. Don’t know 99. Refused C17 Did you apply for Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program (ABESAP)

funding?

1. Yes [GO TO C18] 2. No [GO TO C13] 88. Don’t know [GO TO C13] 99. Refused [GO TO C13] C18 Did you receive Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program (ABESAP) funding?

1. Yes 2. No 88. Don’t know 99. Refused



C13 How did you support yourself financially while you were taking English language training? [Surveyor note: If necessary to clarify further, you can say, “How did you pay for your living expenses while you were studying…?”][DO NOT READ OPTIONS; ALLOW 3 MULTIPLE RESPONSES]

1. Work 6. Savings 2. Family support 3. ABESAP (Adult Basic Education Student Assistance Program) 7. Other government funding (grants, scholarships, special assistance programs) 8. Government loans (Canada Student Loan, B.C. Student Loan) 4. Bank loans or credit cards 5. Other Please specify: ____________________________________

88. Don’t know

99. Refused

SECTION D FURTHER EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

D3 Are you enrolled in a program of study or taking any courses now?

1. Yes [GO TO D15] 2. No [GO TO D1] 88. Don’t know [GO TO D1]

99. Refused [GO TO D1]

D1 Since leaving your English language training at [institution], have you taken any other courses there or anywhere else? 1. Yes [GO TO D15] 2. No [GO TO D16] 88. Don’t know [GO TO D16]




D15 IF D3=1 READ: What are you studying? <Alternate wording if D1=1> READ: What did you study? [OPEN-ENDED] ____________________________________________________________ 88. Don’t know [GO TO D2]

99. Refused [GO TO D2] D2 Where are you enrolled now?

<Alternate wording if D1=1> READ:

Where have you taken further courses? [DO NOT READ OPTIONS; ALLOW 3 MULTIPLE RESPONSES]

1. Public college, university college or institute 2. Public university 3. Public school (e.g., public high school) 4. Community organization 5. Private institution 6. Other Please specify:____________________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

Note: The interviewer will be provided with a list of institutions and what category they belong in (e.g. private institution) to help with the post-coding of D2. If institution is unknown, location will be requested.



D16 Why did you stop your English language training at [institution]? [OPEN-ENDED] [If respondent provides more than one response, ASK What was your main reason?]

____________________________________________________________ 88. Don’t know [GO TO D5]


Interviewer Read: Now on a different topic, I would like to ask you some questions regarding your employment. D5 Are you working at a job or business now? 1. Yes [GO TO D17] 2. No [GO TO D11] 88. Don’t know [GO TO D11] 99. Refused [GO TO D11]

Interviewer Read: The next three questions relates to your main job or business, that is, the job or business at which you normally work the most hours. D17 Is your job related to any education you had before coming to Canada or to a job you had

before coming to Canada?

<Alternate wording if A1=0>: READ Is your job related to any education you had or to a job you had before taking English

language training? 1. Yes 2. No 77. Not applicable (had neither a job nor any education before coming to Canada) 88. Don’t know 99. Refused

D7 What is your job title? [Surveyor prompt: “For example, if you work in a restaurant your

job title might be a ‘waiter’ or a ‘cook’.”] [OPEN-ENDED] ____________________________________________________________ 88. Don’t know

99. Refused

Interviewer note: Refers to main job only. Obtain fully detailed description: Elementary School Teacher, High School Teacher, Engineering Research Analyst, etc.



D8 What are your main duties? [OPEN-ENDED] _____________________________________________________________ 88. Don’t know 99. Refused D9 How many hours do you work, on average, each week? [OPEN-ENDED] _______ hours 88. Don’t know

99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

If D5=2 (No)… D11 Are you looking for work? 1. Yes [GO TO D12] 2. No [GO TO D18] 88. Don’t know [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION] D12 Are you a full-time student looking for full-time work? 1. Yes – NOT IN LABOUR FORCE [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 2. No [GO TO D13] 88. Don’t know [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

Interviewer note: If respondent has more than one job, refers to hours worked from all jobs combined.



D18 You said that you are not currently looking for work. What is the main reason? [DO NOT READ OPTIONS - ONE RESPONSE ONLY]

1. Studying [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

2. Poor prospect of suitable employment (e.g. low salaries, location, etc.) [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

3. Personal circumstances (e.g. health, family responsibilities, etc.) [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

4. Doing other things (e.g. travelling, sports, volunteering, etc.) [GO TO NEXT SECTION]

5. Waiting for replies from employers/expecting job offer [GO TO D19] 6. Other (Specify): [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 88. Don’t know [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION] D19 Do you have a job that will start in the next 4 weeks? 1. Yes [GO TO D13] 2. No [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 88. Don’t know [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION] D13 Could you have worked within the last month if a job had been offered? 1. Yes - IN LABOUR FORCE [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 2. No [GO TO D14] 88. Don’t know [GO TO NEXT SECTION] 99. Refused [GO TO NEXT SECTION] D14 You said that you are not currently available for work. What is the main reason? [DO

NOT READ OPTIONS - ONE RESPONSE ONLY] 1. Studying – NOT IN LABOUR FORCE 2. Poor prospect of suitable employment (e.g. low salaries, location, etc.) 3. Personal circumstances (e.g. health, family responsibilities, etc.) 4. Doing other things (e.g. travelling, sports, volunteering, etc.) 5. Waiting for replies from employers/expecting job offer 6. Other (Specify): 88. Don’t know 99. Refused



SECTION E SOCIAL ADAPTATION

If Respondent is employed (D5=1 (Yes)) GO TO E4, else SKIP TO E6 E4 Do you use English at work?

1. Yes 2. No [GO TO E6] 88. Don’t know [GO TO E6] 99. Refused [GO TO E6]

E5–9 How much has your English language training at [institution] helped you to use English…

Was it…

1. Very helpful 2. Somewhat helpful 3. Not very helpful 4. Not at all helpful 88. Don’t know 99. Refused E5 …at work? E6 …in the community (for example, volunteering, joining a club, or going to a recreation centre) E7 …to use services (such as medical, police, library, employment centre, or government services)? E8 …in social settings (for example, while shopping, at parties, or in restaurants)? E9 …to understand English media (such as radio, TV, newspapers, or the Internet)?

The information gathered in this survey is used by the B.C. public post-secondary institutions and the B.C. Ministry of Advanced Education, under an agreement of the B.C. Statistics Act. You may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing to the Director of Statistics before November 30, 2007. Would you like the address of the Director?

THANK RESPONDENT

This report is available on the BC College and Institute Student Outcomes (CISO) website at

http://outcomes.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/Publications/special.aspBCStats

2007 esl student outcomes survey report - langara college · 2014-08-14 · the 2007 english as a...

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