The Language Development Across the Discipline Program provides specialized support in language development and acquisition throughout the curriculum, recognizing that isolated language courses are not enough to meet the challenges of forming a bilingual professional. The program helps accelerate Latino student academic achievement because if their personal language skills improve their academic performance will also improve. Feeling secure speaking and writing both languages, Spanish and English, will prepare them for graduate school and their professional career. Each university student goes through the LAD experience at least once before graduation.
Institution:
Universidad del Sagrado Corazón
Academic Level:
Baccalaureate
Issue Area:
Academic Program
Year:
2007
Designation:
Examples of Excelencia
Designation:
Honorable Mention
Key Personnel:
Aviles, Helen
Address:
Universidad del Sagrado Corazó
Address 2:
enter for Language Development Across the Disciplines
Address 3:
Box 12383 Loiza Station
City:
Santurce
State:
PR
Zip:
00914-0383 Goal/Mission:
Promote effective oral and written skills so that students may perform successfully in their academic and professional world.
Outcome:
Consistently the students who have gone through the LAD experience show mean scores exceeding 3.00 points. Results from an in depth study conducted in 2003 showed 80% of the students performing from 3.00 to 4.00 points in English Composition and 97% of the students performing from 2.00 to 3.00 points in English oral communication. An analysis of the English composition skill development through 2004 to 2006 show an increase in student averages from 2.5 to 3.5. The increase for English oral presentations during the same period is also remarkable going from 2.25 to 3.25 approximately. The comparison of the scores of end of semester writing samples of three groups, one LAD and two non LAD groups, done in May 2004, using ANOVA statistical tests, showed no significant differences for non LAD groups but significant differences for the LAD group. The performance of the LAD group students was significantly better. According to external evaluation findings reported in September 2005 the majority of the students surveyed reported an increase from good to very good or from very good to excellent in their language skills after the LAD experience. Students emphasized that skills like pronunciation, grammar, Power Point presentations development, speaking, writing and self-confidence were positively affected by their participation in the program. According to this report the majority of the students expressed satisfaction with the participation in the LAD project and said that they were sure that the skills developed would help them perform better at work. In addition a study conducted by the Spanish component of the LAD staff in 2004 showed that 57% of the students developed excellent communication skills and that 30% developed good communication skills after the LAD experience. Also data collected during academic year 2005-2006 show consistently a better performance by the students who belong to LAD groups.
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