spanish-american institute

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Steering  Committee Meeting Minutes

Program Development, Planning, and Review

February 5, 2013

 

Topic: Review CEA’s Action Report items related to

·        Faculty Mentoring and Proficiency

·         Student Outcomes

·        Program Development, Planning, and Review

·        Ongoing Student Orientation

 

Meeting Date and Time:  February 5, 2013 – 12:00 pm until 1:00 pm

Present:: Dante V. Ferraro, President Spanish-American Institute
                Nori Panganiban, Chairman, ESL-Plus Course of Study
                Thomas S. Schwenke, Dean of Administrative Services

Minutes:

General Discussion:  Each item was reviewed. An approach on the plan to address each reporting requirement was discussed.

Faculty Standards

Standard 2: Faculty has experience relevant to teaching students at the postsecondary level in their areas of assignment and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to professional development.

Reporting requirement 3
Provide evidence of the development, implementation, and assessment of a plan to provide careful monitoring and developmental support for all faculty who do not have experience relevant to teaching ESL students at the postsecondary level in their areas of assignment.

Plan:
Design, develop and implement an internal training and mentoring program, where by the experienced faculty will co-train, provide feed-back on observations, and facilitate coaching sessions with the fellow faculty members. Mentors will work with their assigned colleagues to design a developmental plan to strengthen their teaching skills.

Standard 3: Faculty who teach English demonstrate excellent proficiency in English. In language institutions where languages other than English are taught, faculty demonstrates excellent proficiency in the languages they teach.

Reporting requirement 4
Provide evidence of the establishment, implementation, and assessment of a system to ensure that faculty who teach English demonstrate excellent proficiency in English as required by this standard.

Plan:
In order to demonstrate excellent proficiency in English, the Institute will use the TOEIC test (Test of English for International Communication) to assess the English language of the Faculty. The steps to demonstrate excellent proficiency will be:

1. Prep work of about 90 days
2. Administer the test to each Faculty member
3. Those achieving a grade of Grade of 7 or 8 will be considered proficient.
4. Those with a lower Grade will be required to participate in program to
    strengthen the areas that are considered less than proficient.

Student Services

Standard 3: The program or language institution provides pre-arrival and ongoing orientation (1) to support students in their adjustment to the program or language institution (and to the host institution if applicable) and to the surrounding culture and community, and (2) to help them understand immigration regulations and procedures, as well as health and safety issues.

Reporting requirement 7
Provide evidence that clear, complete pre-arrival initial arrival and on-going orientation to the program and its policies and to the host institution are being provided to all new students. Include possible cross­ cultural issues and all area described in the discussion for this standard.

Plan:
Attach C. Cavage Orientation flow chart. This covers pre-arrival and initial arrival orientation for students regarding their adjustment to the program and its policies, as well as health and safety issues.
Each Faculty member will use the “Ongoing Orientation Monthly Planner” to ensure students are aware of the different aspects of culture and community in New York City and its environs.

Student Achievement

Standard 2: The program or language institution documents in writing whether students are ready to progress to the next level or to exit the program of study, using instruments or procedures that appropriately assess the achievement of student learning outcomes for courses taken within the curriculum.

Reporting requirement 10
Provide data to demonstrate that the instruments or procedures used to determine if students are ready to progress to the next level or to exit the program of study appropriately assess their achievement of the student learning outcomes for courses taken within the curriculum.

Plan:
Select an external testing instrument that can assess students’ achievement of their learning outcomes for courses taken.

 


Program Planning, Development and Review

Standard 1: The program or language institution has a plan, in writing, for development of the program or language institution, including planning, implementation, and evaluation.

Reporting requirement 12
Provide evidence of a plan, in writing, for development of the program that covers planning, implementation, and evaluation and that is comprised of the tasks, processes, responsible parties, time lines, and document as specified by the standard. Include all the areas specified in the Program Development, Planning, and Review Standard 1.  Provide evidence of implementation of the plan.

Plan:
Implement a plan using the model of the TESOL Program Standards for Program Review and Improvement. This model includes identifying the tasks, processes, responsible parties, timelines and documentation for the development of the program.