Actividad “pre test”

There has been a great deal of literature written in respect of the contribution that English-speaking skills within the international student body studying in Australia contribute to their employability outcomes. This literature review begins by analysing the independent variable of language proficiency as a requisite factor in determining international postgraduate academic success and satisfactory employability. Several research studies have been conducted on the predictive validity of the International English Language Testing Service (IELTS) and various independent variables that potentially contribute to poor communications skills: de La Harpe et al. 2000; Feast, 2002; Birrell, 2006b; Woodrow 2006; & Watty 2007.

Feast’s research (2002), which focused primarily on the impact of English language proficiency on student performance noted the reliance tertiary providers have developed on income revenue from fee-paying students, particularly revenue generated from international students. Feast argued the need to refuse entry into postgraduate programs to international students with language entry levels under 6.0 across all four bands (p84).

As previously stated, Birrell also argued the need for professional bodies and institutions to implement a higher entry level IELTS score (7) for graduate entry into Australian accounting and IT programs (2006b, p53). His data analysis showed that around one third of former international students who gained a Permanent Residency Visa in 2005-2006 did not achieve the “competent speaker” band 6 English standard in the IELTS test (p53).

Woodrow’s primarily quantitative research (2006) investigated the predicative validity of IELTS scores in the education of postgraduate coursework students, with the addition of academic staff attitudes to English proficiency as an independent variable (p53). One outcome of this research was the identification

of other variables as possible influences on academic success. These included: previous professional experience; prior English language learning experience, as well as student motivation (p51-55).

Watty’s research (2007) involved 15 focus groups across three locations to determine the role particular variables, namely: prior learning experiences; cultural backgrounds and the assessment practices encountered had played in perceived student attainment of required generic skills (p26). This research determined English competency has the potential to impact heavily on student learning (p26). Watty (2007) concluded with a similar recommendation to that of Birrell: namely the importance of professional bodies taking a lead role in the call for change in English language requirements for the accounting and IT professions. Watty (2007) further recommended that the Australian government, as a concerned stakeholder within the production of work ready graduates, should also become involved in discussions concerning policies and strategies for implementation around uniformly acceptable English language proficiency standards within Australian tertiary institutions.

Literature delineating the difficulties higher education institutions face when teaching international students learning in a second or third language is also prolific and includes work undertaken by de La Harpe et al. 2000, and Bretag 2007. The research undertaken by de La Harpe, et al. (2000) suggested that the high level of students from non-English speaking backgrounds enrolled in higher education courses has meant academics teaching these students are ill- equipped to meet student needs.

Bretag (2007) contributed to this body of literature by providing interview responses from 14 academics from ten universities on the issue of increased academic plagiarism within international cohorts. Bretag identified that of 23 reasons given to explain the reasons for why students plagiarise, six related to English language issues, which included “poor English and linguistic ability (particularly the inability to manipulate complex, technical language” and “inappropriate entry standards set by the university resulting in students not

having the necessary skills to succeed” (pp15-16). Bretag agreed with the claims of Birrell stating “None of my respondents would be surprised that a third of the former international students who had graduated from their universities and obtained a permanent resident visa in Australia in 2005-2006 were assessed as having poor English” (p20).

A literature review of research into English proficiency would not be complete without an acknowledgement of the research conducted by the University of Melbourne’s Centre for the Study of Higher Education (CSHE) on behalf of the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), which followed on from publication of the findings of the Bradley Review. The project examined the influence of English language proficiency (ELP) on workplace readiness and employment outcomes for international students and graduates who seek to work in Australia (Arkoudis et.al. 2009). The study involved a mixed-method approach of semi-structured individual interviews, focus groups, and quantitative analyses of statistical data sets obtained from: The Australian 2006 Census data; Australian Education International (AEI) data from January 2002 to June 2008, and the former Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Australia (October 2005 and October 2006).

The study concluded that international students’ employment outcomes do not match their Australian domestic counterparts and that international graduates experience greater difficulties finding full-time employment after graduation. The authors deemed that along with language proficiency challenges, international graduates are perceived by prospective employers as lacking in strong profession-specific skills and a general well-roundedness. The definition of well- roundedness the researchers argued includes graduates’ personal characteristics and attributes, the diversity of their experiences and skills, as well as their cultural fit into the workplace (Arkoudis et.al. 2009).