Читать книгу Start & Run an ESL Teaching Business - T. Nicole Pankratz - Bodner - Страница 34

Once you know what programs and services you will be offering, you need to set up a method of intake and assessment that allows students to access your services and find the right tutorial match.

In both large and small tutoring businesses, the intake procedure might consist of an interview or “consultation” that establishes a student’s level, goals, needs, preferences, availability for sessions, and budget. During the consultation, the student would be given information about tutors, programs and services, and schedules.

In terms of tutoring, defining a student’s level is necessary for two reasons. First, some students (as well as many parents) are eager to monitor the linear progress of their language abilities. (After all, hiring a tutor can be expensive, and most customers want to see results.) Second, some tutors are uncomfortable tutoring students with certain ability levels, and a mismatch can do more harm than you might expect since unhappy students may tell other students about their experiences.

While not always necessary, keeping records of the “start and end” levels of every student has other benefits. For instance, students who progress exceptionally well can become walking advertisements, living proof that your services have value and produce results. With this in mind, you might want to devise entrance and exit assessments that can be compared to each other. Monthly or periodic assessments are also appreciated by students who are concerned about their progress and need help identifying the areas in which they need the most help.

Your evaluation system should be generic, meaning that it shouldn’t incorporate the program content designed for a particular student. However, the system should be designed so that it evaluates measurable skills, such as reading comprehension and speaking ability. What you’ll need to do is define each assessment level.

Perhaps the easiest way to define the levels is to use a premade assessment “test,” such as those featured in grammar textbooks and websites. Another option is to follow a formal system that uses a videotaped interview and a writing assignment assessed according to grammar levels described in a grammar text. The results are later compared to the results from an exit assessment.

A simpler system, ideal for smaller, less formal tutorial services, is to have a student read and answer questions about a short newspaper article (newspapers are typically written at an 8th Grade or middle-school level, and are therefore somewhat advanced for the ESL learner). A student who cannot manage the vocabulary in the heading and lead paragraph might be deemed Beginner (or Level 2, or whatever terminology you have decided to use). A student who can understand the words but not the real meaning of the article might be an Intermediate student. And a student who can understand most of the vocabulary and can talk about the subject discussed in the article might be an Advanced student. Another option would be to interview the student, listening to his or her grammar level. You can start with easy questions, such as, “Tell me about your family.”

Whichever system you use, the important thing is to ensure that the entrance results can be fairly compared to the exit results. The other thing to keep in mind is your target market. If your target market is the academic, bookish type, they will likely appreciate the kind of assessment system that resembles their destination — college or university. If your target market is looking for an alternative to the academic setting, they will probably be more comfortable with a less intimidating, more low-pressure type of assessment system.

As an example, suppose your mandate and target market are similar to those of 123 Tutoring Services — custom-designed ESL programs for at-risk youth and students with physical challenges. Your assessment system is likely to be relatively informal, with an emphasis on speaking and listening. The content of both your entrance and exit assessments would likely be familiar topics that are easy to discuss. You would measure oral grammar skills, keeping in mind the student’s confidence level.

When it comes to evaluating students, be warned: Students with limited English skills are sometimes sensitive (and even defensive) about being categorized as a beginner-level student. If your target market is not academic and therefore not interested in having a score to improve upon, you might want to devise a system that de-emphasizes traditional labels. However, if your students require or request more tangible evidence of improvement, you will need a system that features terms or figures indicating progression.