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ESL course descriptions
Learning English at Saint Martin's University
All
Saint Martin’s ESL classes involve the student actively in the
learning process. We
believe learning English means using English, so our lessons
always have many kinds of learning activities.
Our students not only study in the traditional way, but our
teachers use many methods to help students practice English and
understand American culture: students go on field trips, meet Americans,
they make things in class, view films, listen to music, use the
Internet, go outside, give reports, play language games, and do art
projects. Our after-class
activities give students a chance to meet Americans, see new places, go
to events, and learn about American culture.
We think a holistic approach is the best and fastest way
to learn a language.
The
following are brief descriptions of English as a Second Language classes
at Saint Martin's University.
Regular ESL classes
ESL Grammar/Writing
Saint
Martin’s grammar/writing classes teach students English structure and
grammar by using it in writing assignments.
Students study from the comprehensive Azar series grammar
textbooks. The teacher
helps the students use new grammar knowledge by many kinds of writing
assignments designed for the kind of grammar they are studying. In addition, students practice grammar in pairs and small
group activities designed to stimulate the free expression of ideas in
structured discussions. Saint
Martin’s students say this class gives them more confidence to write
in English.
TOEFL Preparation
Saint
Martin’s TOEFL classes focus on helping students get the highest score
possible on the TOEFL exam. Our
teachers help the students with the most successful test-taking
strategies, and give them intensive work in all sections of the
computer-based test: listening, structure, reading, and essay writing.
Students work from exercises in the book, from audio tapes, and
from a computer TOEFL practice CD. Students measure their performance through the semester by taking
many mini-TEOFL exams. Students
say this is the most difficult class in our ESL department but also the
most helpful.
ESL Conversation
Conversation
classes are for students to talk, to practice using their English skill
in a relaxed, conversation situation. The teacher’s job is to listen
and to help students to express their opinions and ideas with each other
and the teacher. The
teacher helps the students with pronunciation, correct vocabulary usage,
and conversation styles. Students
often choose topics to talk about and topics are provided by the
teacher. Students say this
class helps them become more confident speakers.
ESL Reading
ESL
Reading classes give Saint Martin’s students instruction in reading
both English fiction and nonfiction.
Students in the lower reading levels work on building vocabulary,
building reading skills such as skimming, reading for the main idea,
summarizing, and anticipating the topic.
Students read from many kinds of materials, magazine and
newspaper articles, stories, essays, poems, children’s books, and
biographies. These classes
give students a solid foundation in reading, improve their vocabulary,
and prepare students for higher level reading of American literature.
Literature
Our
ESL literature class focuses on one or two works of literature for
reading, discussion, and writing. The
teacher leads the class in discussions on interpreting the meaning of
the book and how the story applies to the lives of the students and to
today’s world. The
teacher helps students with special vocabulary, learning about the
author’s life, discovering meaning, and understanding American culture
through its great literature. Students
say this class helps prepare them for taking a regular University
literature class.
American History
Saint
Martin’s students study American history to help them understand
American people and their culture.
Our history lessons involve the students interactively with class
projects such as making maps, timelines, drawings, as well as visiting
places of historical significance.
Students also view films and videos that make American history
real for them. The students learn about famous Americans, presidents,
artists, actors, sports heroes, and scientists.
Assignments help students with reading, writing, and discussion
in English. Many students
tell us that this is the first history class they ever enjoyed!
American Culture
Everyday
our students encounter American culture.
What is American culture? Our
American culture class helps students take a broad look at the broad
diversity of American culture. Students
study American music, film, sport, art, science and technology,
business, geography, politics, interpersonal relationships, families,
marriage, and customs. They
learn what makes American behave as they do: they learn about American
values, beliefs, feelings and cultural assumptions. They learn about
freedom, individualism, independence, self-reliance, competitiveness,
and privacy. Students know
Americans well after this class.
Intercultural Communication
In
today’s global world, it is important to know how to communicate with
people from other cultures. This
class teaches students about cultural differences and how to communicate
effectively between cultures. Students
learn about collectivism/individualism, they learn about direct and
indirect communication, about power distance, and nonverbal
communication. They learn about differences between Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, American, Mexican, French, German, Arabic, and many other
cultures. This is truly a
global class and our students become global citizens when they finish.
Other ESL classes
Pronunciation
Saint
Martin’s ESL pronunciation class helps students identify listening and
speech problems that are particular to the students’ language,
culture, and personality. The teacher helps students hear sounds in
English and then reproduce those sounds correctly through a variety of
intensive speech exercises and pronunciation games.
Students also work on American style conversation techniques
learning about small talk, topic preferences, argument, depth of
involvement, nonverbal styles, and active listening.
Students become much more aware of their pronunciation and speech
problems and therefore learn to be better speakers.
Business English
This
class prepares students for becoming economics or business majors by
helping them understand and use standard business and professional
vocabulary and concepts. It
also serves students who are already in business who need to improve
their English ability for use in their jobs abroad.
Our students not only study in the classroom but visit local
businesses and meet with Americans in the workplace.
The class emphasis is on international business English but also
learn about American style business practices and the entrepreneurial
spirit. Students say this
class not only helps them learn business English but also helps them
understand American culture.
American Idioms, and Slang
International
students are often confused by the many special expressions and idioms
American people use, expressions such as “You
bet!”, “What’s up?”, “When it rains it pours”, and “You’re nuts!” This
class focuses on the many kinds of American idiomatic and slang
vocabulary and expressions that students hear in conversations, TV
programs, movies, and read in American books, magazines, and newspapers.
We study regional vocabulary differences, generational
differences, and subculture slang and expressions such as come from
African American and Hispanic subcultures.
We also learn about speech reductions such as “Howya
gonna do it?” and “Whacha
doin’?” International
students understand popular American culture better after this class.
English in Music and Film
Students
love American entertainment. In
this class we use music lyrics and films to teach English vocabulary,
American expressions, and culture.
Students listen to songs, learn and discuss the lyrics, learn
about the artist or band that wrote and performed the song, and learn
about the meaning of the song. Students
also watch films and learn about the actors, the filmmaker, and discuss
the film and what it means for them.
International Student Newspaper
This is a writing project class.
International students put their creative energy together to
write an international student newspaper for each month of class.
They create their own art work, write their own articles, design
the paper, collect information, interview other students and teachers,
and put it all together and print copies for everyone to read.
The teacher helps guide the creation process and correct
students’ writings. The
teacher helps the students with ideas for the newspaper and sees that
the paper meets its publishing deadline.
Student say this class is the most fun of all class.
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