Evaluation of the university of Dammam prepartory year English language programme (PYELP)‎

Abstract EN

This study attempts to find out to what extent the present English language programme in the preparatory year at the University of Dammam helps the preparatory year students improve their proficiency in the English language and succeed in their academic studies.

Combining process and product evaluation, this study focuses mainly on evaluating the following aspects: students' achievement, pedagogy, assessment procedures, teachers and quality assurance.

The design of the study is exploratory where data were collected from 464 first and second year students through a mixed-method approach (quantitative and qualitative), utilizing questionnaires, interviews, observations and document analysis.

The findings indicate that while the Preparatory Year English Language Programme (PYELP) is effective in improving students’ language skills, it does not appropriately prepare students for their second year of studies.

Furthermore, there is no system for quality assurance of all courses which is a real weakness in the PYELP.

The study recommends more alignment of the program outcomes and the degree programs in the colleges to increase effectiveness and appropriateness of the PYELP and better prepare students for academic life in the subsequent years.

Moreover, if the teachers were better understood and integrated into PYELP system, this would ensure that the PYELP is more aligned with the students’ needs for successful engagement with their academic programs.