The British Council and CfBT worked with Colleges of Excellence to improve EFL provision in 33 new TVET Colleges in Saudi Arabia

1. ENGLISH IN TVET – A
STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
Paul Woods, Consultant

2. WHAT IS THIS SESSION ALL ABOUT?
1. Vision, mission, values, goals and objectives of the
strategy for EFL.
2. A model of continuous improvement.
3. Capabilities and Positioning (SWOT).
4. The role and process of QA in the colleges.
5. Action planning and recommendations:
Student outcomes, TLA, Leadership &
Management, Facilities and resources.
6. Evaluation of the strategy.

3. VISION
CoE: “Connecting learners to world class
training, opening the door to a successful
future”
The vision for EFL is that all students will reach
their maximum potential through a differentiated
learning programme which provides them with
both the interpersonal communications skills
needed to communicate effectively in the
workplace, and the cognitive academic language
abilities required for their chosen
vocational/technical areas of specialisation.

4. MISSION
CoE : “We foster relationships between top
quality training providers, learners and
local employers”
The mission for EFL is
to provide students with the English language
skills needed to access vocational education
through the medium of English, in order to
obtain high quality globally recognised
vocational qualifications and to communicate
effectively in English in the workplace.

5. GOAL FOR EFL
To provide high quality EFL provision which
enables vocational students to enter and succeed
on internationally recognised SSS vocational
programmes and to communicate effectively in
English in the workplace and wider society.

6. OBJECTIVES FOR EFL
1.Provide a framework for colleges to drive quality in
EFL delivery which will lead to a cycle of continuous
improvement
2.Achieve a level of English language competence
which enables students to access vocational
education effectively
3.Promote excellence in student learning and
achievement by motivating students through
relevant and appropriate learning experiences
4.Support the development of a core curriculum
based on CEFR levels

7. ……..OBJECTIVES
5. Support the development of e-learning strategies
6. Monitor and support the development of a cadre of
committed and professionally qualified teachers
7. Monitor and support the development of an
assessment programme which fully meets
requirements
8. Monitor and support the development of a cadre of
managers
9. Ensure that colleges provide optimal facilities and
resources needed to achieve all of the above

8. A MODEL FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

13. RECOMMENDATIONS – THE QA PROCESS
Establish a Quality Assurance Steering Group.
Agree an annual Self Assessment Review (SAR).
Revise and update the Internal Quality
Improvement Plan (QIP).
Focus on English.
Appoint an internal QA Lead for English.
Ensure staff are familiar with the EFL Quality
Framework.

14. RECOMMENDATIONS – DOMAIN 1
STUDENT OUTCOMES
Ensure students achieve good progress.
Use placement tests which discriminate adequately.
Document learning goals in an Individual Learning
Plan.
Take account of students’ preferred learning styles
and strengths.
Give awards recognising achievement as well as
attendance.

15. ….STUDENT OUTCOMES
Schedule formal and informal formative
assessments regularly.
Use formative assessments to assess what students
have learned.
Provide mock examination exposure in the trimester
prior to any summative assessment.
Make student induction programmes
comprehensive.

16. ….STUDENT OUTCOMES
Motivate students by using technology.
Make study skills/skills for employability a key
element of the FY programme.
Incorporate short periods of work experience.
Consider offering certificated short courses.

17. DOMAIN 2 – TEACHING, LEARNING AND
ASSESSMENT
Agree a modular core curriculum for the Foundation
Year for students with low level literacy skills on
entry.
Develop schemes of work at college level.
Ensure that schemes of work cover both cognitive
academic language and the general English needed
for basic interpersonal communication and to pass
the exit exams.
Consider adopting e-learning components of
published courses.

18. TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
College-based TPD using the TVET website.
Individual self-study.
Support for certificated external training.
Short face-to-face training courses.
Coaching for managers.
Support for attendance at conferences.
Using the Cambridge Teachers’ website.

20. …. TEACHING LEARNING
& ASSESSMENT
Make access to the internet widely available.
Make adequate provision for students who are not
yet literate in English.
Develop an intensive pre-course module on literacy
in English.

21. ASSESSMENT
Develop a system-wide tailor-made placement test
and diagnostic assessment.
Stream students by level.
Assess student progress regularly.
Repeating.
Provide further staff training in various aspects of
testing.

22. DOMAIN 3– LEADERSHIP AND
MANAGEMENT
Use the Teacher Profile.
Appoint Heads of English with EFL as well as
TVET/FE experience.
College involvement in the teacher recruitment
process.
Establish a clear progression and training for
national staff.
Teacher induction.
The performance management process.

23. DOMAIN 4 FACILITIES AND RESOURCES
Invest adequately in the equipment and resources
needed for vocational subjects.
Use visual displays throughout the college.

24. …. EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS
Develop an e-learning strategy.
Acquire a learning management system/platform.
Consider installing an interactive display system.
Develop a strategy for using portable handheld
devices.
Use a variety of teaching materials and resources.
Establish a Learning Resource Centre.
Promote the use of book boxes and class sets of
simplified readers.
Promote and develop the TVET English website.

27. THE RESULT – CONTINUOUS
IMPROVEMENT