tesol-presentation-2011

DesigningandImplementinganExitCourseforGraduatingInternationalStudentsJeanM.RichieMarquetteUniversityTESOL2011—NewOrleans,LAMarch18,2011BelleChase,HiltonHotel2-2:45pmPresentationOutlineTheContext&MandateInitialPlanningfortheCourseModificationofthePlanSampleMaterialsfromTwoWorkshopsAssessmentoftheWorkshopsNextStepsTheContext•MarquetteUniversityisaprivateJesuituniversitylocatedinMilwaukee,WI.•Wehaveastudentbodyofapproximately8,000undergraduatestudentsand3,500graduateandprofessionalstudiesstudents.•Ofthistotal,520(4.5%)areinternational.155areundergraduatesand326aregraduateandprofessionalstudiesstudents,comingfrom67countries.•Tosupportinternationalstudents,theOfficeofInternationalEducation(OIE)offers:•apre-semesterorientationfornewinternationalstudentsandinternationalTAs•5advancedESLacademicbridgecoursesandESLsectionsofFreshmanEnglish•cross-culturalandlegaladvisingforallinternationalstudents•cross-culturalprogrammingeventsandopportunitiesthroughtheOIEProgramCenter•OIEisacomprehensiveinternationaloffice.Italsocoordinatesallformalacademicstudyabroadprograms,establishespartnershipswithinternationalinstitutions,andhelpstointernationalizethecampus.TheMandate•Aspartofouron-goingneedsassessment,inSpring2010,weidentifiedtwotimeswheninternationalstudentsneedmoresupport:(1)whentheyfirstarriveatMarquette(2)astheypreparetoleaveMarquette•Toaddressthisneed,thetwoESLlecturerswereaskedtodesignandimplement2newcoursestoruninAY2010-11:aU.S.UniversityStudySkillsCourse(1credit,pass/fail)anExitCourseforGraduatingInternationalStudents(1credit,pass/fail)•TheESLlecturerswerechosenbecausetheyhaveexpertiseincurriculardesign,knowledgeofthecontent,andteachingexperience.InitialPlanningfortheCourseInSpring-Summer2010,Istartedplanningthis1-creditcourseby:(1)reviewingandgatheringliteraturerelatedtotheproposedcourse(2)searchingforexistingcoursesatotheruniversitiessimilartotheoneproposed(3)draftingacoursesyllabusandschedule(4)locatingandfamiliarizingmyselfwiththeuniversity’snewcourseproposalpolicy,process,andtimelineCourseLearningObjectivesUponcompletionofthiscourse,youwillbeableto:•identifyandreflectonsignificantcross-culturalexperiencesthatyouhavehadintheU.S.•articulatecompetenciesacquiredduringyouracademicexperienceatMarquette•carryoutaculturallyappropriatejobsearchforajobintheU.S.and/oryourcountry•writearesumeandcoverletterforaU.S.audienceand/oranaudienceinyourcountry•understandthecharacteristicsofworkplacecultureandcarryoutaninterviewforaU.S.audienceand/oranaudienceinyourcountry•implementstrategiestoassistwiththere-entryprocesswhenyoureturntoyourcountry•deviseapersonalizedplanformaintainingandimprovingyourlanguageskillsandculturalknowledgewhenyoureturntoyourcountryMajorCourseAssignments1.Studying&LivingintheU.S.Autobiography20%2.JobSearchPaper10%3.CoverLetter&Resume20%4.MockInterview20%5.Re-EntryProcessPaper20%6.ActiveParticipation10%ModificationofthePlanAlthoughweintendedtorunthetwocoursesinAY2010-11,wewereunabletoforthefollowingreasons:(1)InAY2010-11theESLProgramhadthelargestenrollmentinourESLcoursesinthelast10years.(32%increasein#studentsoverAY09-10)(2)AdditionalprojectssuchasourlibraryinitiativewerenotcompletedinSpring2010andcarriedoverintoAY2010-11.(3)WehostedaVisitingScholarfromChinaforthreemonthsinFall2010.(4)Ourworkfortheuniversityassessmentinitiativetookalotoftime.Giventheseextrademands,wedecidednottorunthesecoursesthisyear.Wedid,however,offertwoworkshopseriesinsteadtopilotourmaterials&gathermoreinformationonourpotentialstudents.TheWorkshopSeriesSpecifically,wedeviseda5-partworkshopseriestorunthisspring.Eachworkshopisdesignedtobe1½hoursinlengthandtakesplaceintheOIEProgrammingCenter.Workshop#1•“DiscoveringHowStudyingintheU.S.HasChangedYou:AreYoutheSamePersonYouWere?”Workshop#2•“SoYou’reReadytoWork:FindingaJobandPermissiontoWorkintheU.S.”Workshop#3•“PuttingYourselfonPaper:CoverLetterandResumeWriting”Workshop#4•“TellingYourStory:InterviewingSkillsandU.S.WorkplaceCulture”Workshop#5•“PackingYourSuitcaseandPreparingtoReturnHome”Pleaseseethehandoutforadescriptionofeachworkshop.DescriptionofWorkshop#1“DiscoveringHowStudyingintheU.S.HasChangedYou:AreYoutheSamePersonYouWere?”Thisworkshopwillfocusonhelpingyoutoidentifyandreflectonthespecificskills,qualities,values,andbeliefsyouhavedevelopedduringyourstudiesintheU.S.Particularemphasiswillbeplacedonidentifyingandreflectingonsignificantcrossculturalexperiencesandhelpingyouunderstandwhatyouhavelearnedfromthem.Duringtheworkshop,youwillalsoreflectonhowyourviewofyourhomecountryandtheworldmayhavechangedfromyourexperience.TheinformationcoveredinthisworkshopwillnotonlyhelpyoudiscoverhowstudyingintheU.S.haschangedyou,butitwillalsohelpyoufeelcomfortablewitharticulatingyourexperiencetoyourfamily,friends,andpotentialemployers.ComepreparedtoshareaboutandreflectonyourexperienceshereintheU.S.Facilitatedby:JeanRichie,ESLLecturerOutline&MaterialsfromWorkshop#1Thisworkshopwasdesignedtobeaparticipatory,reflectiveworkshop.Participantswereencouragedtothinkaboutandsharetheirownexperiencesandthenlearnfromeachot