Peer Assisted Learning (PAL)
Pre-sessional English Pilot Scheme
(2014 -2015)
Jayne Parry (Pre-sessional English Course Tutor, ELT, UH)
English Language Teaching
Introduction
 International students on UH English Language Teaching (ELT)
preparatory courses frequently express a desire to meet with expert
speakers and writers of academic English in order to enhance their
learning experience.
 Second language (L2) learning is enhanced by interaction with the
expert user (Pica, Lincoln-Porter, Paninos and Linnell, 1996).
 Students are required to join communities of practice (Lave and
Wenger,1991; Lave and Wenger, 1998).
 PAL Model: at Birmingham university PhD students are recruited as
Teaching Assistants (TAs) from a number of disciplines as appropriate
to the range of progression degrees of students on the PSE course.
 Humanities small project funding (May 2014).
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PAL scheme aims:
 To provide international students on the PSE course with more interaction with
other international and home students.
 Development of PSE students’ seminar skills.
 Improvement of the subject specific language/content of the PSE preparatory
course.
 Introduction of possible role models from within the subject schools.
 Enhancement of the graduate skills and employability of the Peer Assistants
through their experience of working with international students from a wide range
of educational backgrounds and subject experience.
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The PAL Pilot Scheme
Peer Assistants (PAs):
 Eight Masters and PhD volunteers ( 4 female and 4 male).
 Represented a variety of subject areas:
MSc Management x 3
MSc Marketing x 1
MSc Computer Science x 1
MA HRM x 1
PhD Engineering x 2
 Nationalities included: Vietnamese, Pakistan, Chinese, Nigerian,
Ghanaian, Indian,
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 After an initial day’s training PAs were allocated to a seminar skills
class (2 hours contact time). Where possible students in these
classes shared their subject field.
 PSE lecturers provided support and guidance to PAs.
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Evaluation of Pilot Scheme
 Students’ comments on end of course feedback questionnaire.
 Assessment of students’ preparation for and participation in
seminars.
 Academic Behavioural Confidence Scale (Sanders and Sanders ,
2006).
 PA evaluation discussions of their role and class experience.
 Lecturers’ comments.
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Lecturer’s comments on PA role in class:
 Listening and giving feedback to second group (while I did the first
group) - during the second lesson we switched groups.
 Speaking to students regarding her experience as former PSE student
and now finishing her masters (in HR).
 It was a very positive experience to have another listener/monitor for
seminar work due to time constraints, particularly at this intense
point in the course. I prepared a mind-map on the board of all points
to consider during seminar and asked her to check if students did not
follow input.
 Students responded well to this PA and she contributed a fresh angle
to the group dynamic at this stage.
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Evaluation of PAL Pilot Scheme
Peer Assistants’ comments:
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Student feedback:
Friendly and willing to
answer questions
She gave me a lot of
helpful suggestions.
She was enthusiastic
about our subjects.
We feel comfortable
with this teacher
More hopeful for us.
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Student feedback:
Excellent, they can tell us how to
run a seminar also they can
share a lot of experience with
us. Help us avoid common
mistakes.
I don’t like because he
cannot join in very well
if he doesn’t attend
each class.
I
I think the PA should be more
attendant to students,
helping their doubts on to
write an essay. For example,
because this could help
students and teachers at the
same time.
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Conclusion:
 PAL in small groups enables more students to benefit from feedback and
advice from an expert language user.
 PAs were able to encourage the use of subject specific language and
offer an insight into how seminars are conducted within their schools.
 PAs acted as role models both in terms of academic language use and
study skills, and as an exemplar of the next stage in the student journey.
 PAs were able to demonstrate their graduate attributes and enhance
their employability (voluntary work acknowledged with certificate).
 Further research into the role of the PA is needed which could enhance
the development of PA training and the PAL approach.
 The scheme is being considered for further support from the School of
Humanities so that it can run not only in the PSE course but also in other
ELT programmes.
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References
Lave, J. & Wenger, E. (1991) Situated Learning. Legitimate peripheral
participation, Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press.
Pica, T., Lincoln-Porter, F., Paninos, D. & Linnell, J. (1996) Learner-learner
interaction as a resource for language learning. TESOL Quarterly, 30 p.
59-84.
Sanders, P. & Sanders, L. (2006) Understanding Academic Confidence.
Psychology Teaching Review, 12 p. 29-42
Wenger, E. (1998) Communities of practice: learning, meaning, and
identity. Cambridge: University Press.
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Acknowledgements
Gill Andreanoff and Gill Knibbs (Projects Coordinator, Outreach and Widening
Participation) provided much advice regarding recruitment, training and project
evaluation methods. Further support and guidance was provided by Janette
Bradley (Associate Dean of Learning & Teaching, Humanities), Nicole Duplain (Head
of Languages & ELT), Liz Wray (ELT Co-ordinator), and Sylvie Templeman ( Peer
Mentor Coordinator, Languages).
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