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Managing
an EFL Department
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Eight basic principles of
management are put forth by Peters and Waterman in their national bestseller In Search
of Excellence (1982). These principles are based on a theory that has stood the
scientific test of time and apply to the management of EFL departments as well as the
world of corporate business. In gathering material for their book, the authors talked
extensively with executives around the world who were known for their skill, experience,
and wisdom on the question of organizational design; and they visited a dozen business
schools in the USA and Europe.
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Two theorists from academia, Karl Weick of
Cornell and James March of Stanford, were cited by Peters and Waterman as the exemplars on
the theory of management. Weick says that organizations learn and adapt very slowly. They
continue obsolete, habitual internal procedures "long after their practical value has
lost meaning."
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I am reminded of how our language department
required us to record student grades in our registers, on record cards, and on three
different computer printouts. Why? Because we always did it that way. EFL departments that
get rid of obsolete administrative and academic practices will free themselves to try out
new productive ways that will improve their academic and administrative environment.
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Chronic use of the military metaphor leads
people repeatedly to overlook adifferent kind of organization,one that values
improvisation rather than forecasting, dwells on opportunitiesrather than
constraints,discovers new actions rather than defends past actions, values arguments
morehighly than serenity andencourages doubt and contradiction rather than belief.
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March depicts organizational learning and
decision-making as streams of problems, solutions, participants, and choice opportunities
interacting almost randomly to bring the organization forward. It is critical that EFL
departments stay open-minded, creative, and experimental. Keeping positive attitudes
toward change can revitalize the department and foster productive improvements.
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This article will discuss in detail how the
eight principles identified by Peters and Waterman can be directly applied to the
management of an EFL department. It will begin by defining excellence in order to
generalize about what excellent EFL departments can do to outshine other departments. I
will draw upon specific examples from my management experience as chairperson of the
English Language Center at King Abdul Aziz University that may assist managers of other
EFL programs to successfully accomplish their management objectives.
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For EFL departments, the answer includes the
following:
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- to become more effective language teachers;
- to take advantage of the current methods of teaching, testing, and curriculum design;
- to develop new programs, materials, and services;
- to permanently improve personnel relations;
- to build cooperative relations with client colleges and administrators;
- to build expertise in an area in which the department is not yet involved;
- to respond to changes in the academic and administrative environment.
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Peters and Waterman see this last item-the
ability to respond to any sort of environmental change-as definitive to excellent
management.
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An EFL department must insist on excellence. It
must keep things simple. It must respond to the students and the faculty. It must listen
to the teachers and treat them like adults. It must allow teachers time to analyze and
innovate. while tolerating a degree of chaos in return for regular experimentation and
fast action.
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The research by Peters and Waterman suggests
that an intelligent approach to organizing must include at least seven variables:
structure, strategy, people, management style, systems and procedures, guiding concepts
and shared values (i.e., culture), and the current and projected strengths and skills of
the organizational entity. This article will explore how these variables within the eight
basic principles relate to an EFL department.
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Let's now review the principles to see how they
can apply to the management of EFL departments:
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1. A bias for action-A preference for
doing something rather then sending aquestion through cycles ofanalyses and committee
reports.
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Whenever a problem arises, EFL departments
should address it immediately. Standard operating procedure in excellent organizations is
"Do it; fix it; try it." The recommendation is to allow staff members to test
out new ideas on the students and learn from the results. Many practical ideas will be
generated by staff members working in real situations.
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A bottom-up management style is recommended.
Ideas for change in our department are generated from the bottom and then are evaluated
and managed at the top. Our department coordinators serve as line managers to directly
supervise how things are going. One example of a problem that we had to deal with was
increased enrollment and the need to increase the size of our classes. As a result of the
greater numbers, the material had to be modified to suit teaching a larger group. The
program coordinator experimented with the material, cutting out certain parts and
supplementing others, and then testing results until the program worked well once again.
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Our staff members are from all over the world
(Egypt, USA, Philippines, Somalia, India, Pakistan, and Canada), including both native and
non-native speakers, with different qualifications and experience. Collectively they offer
a wide and varied perspective on how problems can be resolved. They take into
consideration the traditional background of the Saudi Arabian students and their learning
preferences. The solutions they generate are based on theoretical research, as well as on
practical experience. Therefore, the solutions are derived out of a need for a unique
customized solution.
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Murphy (1990) makes a strong case for bottom-up
innovation. He states that innovation generated by the teachers gives them a sense of
ownership; consequently they will implement these changes much more readily than
innovations imposed from the top. In the process of allowing teachers to create solutions,
they grow professionally.
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2. Staying close to the students-learning
their preferences and catering tothem. EFL departments must stay close to the
students. Peters and Waterman state that excellent organizations "listen intently and
regularly." Satisfied students should be the rule, not the exception. Feedback from
students and staff members must be carefully considered and acted on. My office door is
always open at the Center, and students feel safe coming into my office and speaking
frankly about their needs and concerns. I know that when I keep hearing the same problem
from different students in different classes, the problem is real and must be resolved.
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Student questionnaires at the end of the
semester as well as surveys given anytime during the course can be helpful in keeping
administrators abreast of current attitudes and needs. They help to identify material and
exercises that are useless or outdated. They also let you know when students become bored
with material that has been used for too many semesters.
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As changes occur in Saudi elementary and
secondary schools, freshmen classes present new challenges to our staff members. Increased
efforts in English language training effect the level of knowledge the students possess
when they enroll. We are also affected by newer generations of Saudi students who travel
abroad and have interests that are global rather than local. Other changes have come from
the surplus of satellite dishes that are now being used by Saudi families. Satellite
transmissions and cable TV have made it possible for most citizens to be eye-witnesses of
world events; and as a result, our English curriculum must now reflect an awareness of
global issues.
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3. Autonomy and entrepreneurship-breaking
the department into small functionalunits and encouragingthem to think independently and
competitively.
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In our department "autonomy and
entrepreneurship" translate into allowing program coordinators to operate
independently and competitively. For example, the coordinator of the first year science
ESP program operates independently from the second year science ESP program coordinator,
and both coordinators work feverishly to generate new ideas and methodologies for
teaching, testing, and assessing the curriculum. Practical risk-taking is encouraged. As a
result, there is a continuous generation of learning materials and new tests. Ideas that
work are repeated and the ones that don't work are filed for possible use in another
situation.
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4. Productivity through people-creating in
all employees the awareness thattheir best efforts are essentialand that they will share
in the rewards of the department's success.
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Reinforcing positive action with verbal and
written rewards, and eliminating negative efforts with direct constructive criticism will
produce excellent results. Unlike private institutions, public institutions cannot provide
profit sharing or bonuses to staff members; however, formal recognition in departmental
memos and end-of-the-year reports, lunch outings, and thank-you cards can also be
satisfying to those staff members who have put out a lot of effort to improve a program or
keep administrative problems in check.
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Acknowledging the individual staff member who is
ranked number one in the organization is a simple concept, but it occupies a major portion
of management time. My colleagues have proven to me that if I create a working environment
where it is safe for them to make mistakes and where their personal efforts will be
recognized and directly rewarded, they will respond in kind exponentially. Respecting
staff members' motivational needs requires sensitivity and willingness to shout praise out
loud for some members and shake hands or nod approval to others.
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5. Hands-on management-insisting that
managers keep in touch with thedepartment's essential business.
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Excellent EFL managers can learn from their
business counterparts at excellent organizations like IBM and Hewlett Packard. By
regularly walking the hallways they can get firsthand information about what is going on,
assessing student and staff punctuality, and the condition of resources. Observe teachers
to get a "feel" for the class dynamics. Is it a happy, motivated classroom or a
formal, structured classroom? Are the students eager to learn more or are they bored and
uninterested? These are questions that can be answered easily by the manager simply being
present on a periodic basis.
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Be sure that classrooms are tidy, material is in
supply and easily accessible, and that equipment is in good repair. Finding the office or
the classroom in a state of disorder is psychologically disturbing to staff members and
students. It's important for staff members to share in decorating their office and
classroom space. Creating a pleasant teaching and working environment will positively
affect student and staff morale. Simply hanging new posters and bringing a few small
plants will go a long way in improving the physical environment. Make sure that the
maintenance staff keeps the classroom dusted and vacuumed. Technicians must repair
equipment and order spare parts promptly. Stock must be taken of supplies and teaching
materials so everything is available when needed.
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6. Stick to knitting-implementing the
programs that the organization can dobest. Another common feature of excellent
organizations is doing what you do best and not straying into fields that are unfamiliar.
Certainly within an EFL department, careful consideration of staff qualifications and
abilities will determine what can and cannot be done. It is risky for a department with
specialists in English and science to wander off into development of material for other
faculties unless new personnel are recruited with an expertise in the targeted fields.
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7. Simple form, lean staff-keeping few
administrative layers, with few people atthe upper levels. Staying lean is the
rule. This feature is probably easily achieved in EFL departments where budgetary
considerations do not allow for over-staffing. I suspect that most of us suffer from
under-staffing rather than over-staffing. Sharing responsibilities and encouraging
inter-departmental cooperation becomes an important feature of an excellent EFL department
where under staffing puts everyone in need of last minute assistance to complete an
assignment on time. We have kept strong relations with other departments by sharing
responsibilities like proctoring exams, etc.
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8. Simultaneous loose/tight
properties-fostering a climate where there isdedication to the central valuesof the
department combined with tolerance for all employees who accept thosevalues.
Peters and Waterman state that excellent organizations are "both centralized and
decentralized." While autonomy is given to the employees, a few core values are
centralized. These include a commitment to customizing the curriculum to meet the specific
needs of the students and teaching with excellence. Staff members in excellent EFL
departments will love what they do and the students whom they serve. You should be able
"to feel" the intensity of the staff members' dedication to their work and the
students.
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Inquiry into excellent and innovative EFL
department management practices should be a continuing effort of EFL administrators. The
principles described in this article attempt to guide EFL managers to search for
excellence. I hope these principles will help them to appreciate the importance of
organizational management in improving the overall effectiveness of their programs.
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Susan
Chenard is the former chairperson of the English Language Center at King Abdul
Aziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She has worked as a communications/marketing
consultant and currently resides in Cairo, Egypt. |
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