ERIC Number: EJ1104930
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1934-5267
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Extending Support for English Language Learners: A University Outreach Program
Andrade, Maureen Snow
International Journal of Multicultural Education, v13 n2 2011
As universities in English-speaking countries recruit and enroll international students, a variety of forms of support are typically offered on and off campus to help students make a successful transition. The most common challenges for nonnative English-speaking international students are linguistic and cultural. In spite of meeting English proficiency score requirements for admission, students report struggling with the demands of academic English. This article describes a model for an on-site English language program to help students improve their levels of English proficiency prior to their arrival. Program effectiveness was assessed through pre- and post-test measures of students' English language skills, interviews with stakeholders, and observations. Students' gains in proficiency were moderate due to the limited amount of time they had available for course attendance and study, but gains in affective factors were strong. Challenges in the implementation of the program and how they were resolved are described.
Descriptors: Outreach Programs, English Language Learners, Cross Cultural Training, Language Proficiency, Language Skills, Program Effectiveness, Pretests Posttests, Interviews, Observation, Educational Strategies, Educational Practices, Language Tests, Affective Behavior, Academic Aspiration, Public Relations, Linguistic Input, Language Acquisition, College Programs, Foreign Culture, Second Language Programs
International Journal of Multicultural Education. Eastern University, 1300 Eagle Road, St. Davids, PA 19087. Tel: 610-341-1597; Fax: 484-581-1276; e-mail: ijme@eastern.edu; Web site: http://www.ijme-journal.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A