Revista Brasileira de Educação do Campo
The Brazilian Scientific Journal of Rural Education
ENSAIO / ESSAYS
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
1
Este conteúdo utiliza a Licença Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Open Access. This content is licensed under a Creative Commons attribution-type BY
English as a second language: helping international
students get ready for college in the U.S.
Petr Kandidatov
1
1
Southern Arkansas University. Department of English as a Second Language. 100 E. University, Magnolia, AR 71753. United
States.
Author for correspondence: pkandidatov@saumag.edu
ABSTRACT. Describes the English as a Second
Language (ESL) program at Southern Arkansas
University and its success in aiding international
students in improving their English language skills and
facilitating a smooth transition to the university’s
degree programs. The paper looks at all the
components of the program mainly focusing on its
curriculum and methods of instruction that address all
of the major language skills (listening comprehension,
speaking, reading, and writing) and competences
(grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation).
Keywords: English, Language, Learning.
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
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Inglés como segunda lengua: ayuda a estudiantes
extranjeros a prepararse para la universidad en los
Estados Unidos de América
RESUMEN. Describe el programa de Inglés Como
Segunda Lengua (ESL) en Southern Arkansas
University y su éxito al ayudar a los estudiantes
extranjeros a mejorar sus habilidades en el idioma
inglés y facilitar una transición suave a los programas
de pregrado y posgrado de la universidad. Analiza
todos los componentes del programa, centrándose
principalmente en su plan de estudios y métodos de
instrucción que abordan todas las principales
habilidades lingüísticas (comprensión auditiva,
conversación, lectura y escritura) y competencias
(gramática, vocabulario y pronunciación).
Palabras clave: Inglés, Lenguaje, Aprendizaje.
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
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Inglês como segunda língua: ajuda a estudantes
estrangeiros a se prepararem para a universidade nos
Estados Unidos
RESUMO. Descreve o programa de inglês como
segunda língua (ESL) na Southern Arkansas University
e seu sucesso em ajudar estudantes estrangeiros a
aprimorar suas habilidades na língua inglesa e facilitar
uma transição suave para os programas de graduação e
pós-graduação da universidade. O artigo analisa todos
os componentes do programa, concentrando-se
principalmente em seu currículo e métodos
instrucionais que abordam todas as principais
habilidades linguísticas (ouvir, falar, ler e escrever) e
outras habilidades relacionadas à gramática,
vocabulário e pronúncia.
Palavras-chave: Inglês, Linguagem, Aprendizagem.
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
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Introduction
The English as a Second
Language (ESL) program at
Southern Arkansas University
(SAU) was established in 2012. Its
role is to help international students
improve their knowledge of English
and prepare them for matriculation
into the university’s degree
programs (undergraduate and
graduate). All international
applicants seeking admission to
SAU’s degree programs must
provide proof of English proficiency
(in the majority of cases, it is a
sufficient score in either TOEFL or
IELTS – internationally recognized
English proficiency examinations
with centers all over the world). In
the case when international
applicants do not have the required
TOEFL or IELTS scores, they have
the option of going through SAU’s
ESL program. Upon completion of
this program, they are eligible for
undergraduate or graduate admission
at SAU without having to provide
TOEFL or IELTS scores. The ESL
program also welcomes students
who may be interested in simply
improving their command of
English, even if they do not plan to
apply for undergraduate or graduate
admission (such students are mostly
represented by local immigrant
community members). Over the five
years of its existence, the ESL
program has helped dozens of
students from all over the world
(Benin, Brazil, Burkina Faso,
Cameroon, China, Colombia, El
Salvador, India, Japan, Jordan,
Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia,
Venezuela, and Vietnam) to improve
their English language skills and
successfully enroll in SAU’s degree
programs.
Levels
The ESL program offers five
levels of instruction: beginner,
elementary, pre-intermediate,
intermediate, and upper-
intermediate. Upon arrival, ESL
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
5
students are given a placement test,
which helps to determine their level
and place them in the most
appropriate ESL classes. The
duration of each level is one
academic semester (16 weeks). The
ESL program also offers an intensive
summer course, which lasts for 5
weeks.
Curriculum
The ESL program offers five
different classes in each level, which
amounts to 15 credit hours of
instruction. The ESL classes address
all major language skills and
competences and are as follows:
Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing,
Conversation, and Lab. Detailed
descriptions for each class follow
below.
Grammar
The major language skills
addressed by the program’s
Grammar class are writing and
reading. The major language
competence addressed is grammar,
although some vocabulary is
acquired and trained through this
class as well. It is common
knowledge that language mastery is
achieved through improving two
major language aspects: fluency and
accuracy. While both are equally
important in achieving language
mastery, the Grammar class mostly
focuses on improving students’
accuracy in using English.
Instructors use a variety of methods
and materials including but not
limited to the following:
1. Graded non-fiction texts
containing target grammar structures
(inductive grammar acquisition)
2. Grammar rule explanations
and examples (deductive grammar
acquisition)
3. Grammar exercises (filling in
blanks, multiple choice, etc.)
4. Grammar games
5. Role-play exercises
Grammar topics covered in
class include but are not limited to
tenses, moods, articles, conjunctions
and prepositions, phrasal verbs,
irregular verbs, modal verbs, passive
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
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voice, reported speech, “-ing” and
infinitive constructions, pronouns
and determiners, relative clauses,
adjective and adverbs, etc.
Vocabulary
The major language skills
addressed by the program’s
Vocabulary class are reading,
speaking, and writing (to a lesser
extent). The major language
competence addressed is vocabulary.
Instructors use a variety of
materials including but not limited
to:
1. Graded non-fiction tests
focusing on certain vocabulary
topics
2. Flashcards
3. Vocabulary worksheets
4. PowerPoint presentations
5. Guided dialogues
6. Role-play
7. Vocabulary exercises (filling
in blanks, multiple choice, filling in
missing letters, using words in
sentences, essays)
Vocabulary topics covered in
this class include but are not limited
to food, clothes, weather, travel,
daily routines, family, free time and
leisure, nationalities and countries,
parts of the body, physical
description and appearance,
professions, health and medicine,
feelings and emotions, shopping,
animals, sports, etc., as well as
culturally important topics such as
Christmas, Halloween, etc.
Writing
The major language skills
addressed by the program’s Writing
class are writing and reading (to a
lesser extent). The major language
competences addressed are grammar
and vocabulary.
Instructors use a variety of
methods and materials including but
not limited to:
1. Introduction of important
writing terms (e.g. conjunction,
subject, verb, tense, sentence,
paragraph, etc.)
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
7
2. Writing and grammar rule
explanations, sample texts, and
examples
3. Writing exercises (free
writing, outline, summary, paragraph
writing, essay writing)
4. Error correction and revision
Topics covered by this class
include but are not limited to simple
sentences, mechanics, paragraphing,
compound sentences, writing
process, complex sentences, multiple
paragraphs, essay writing, research
writing.
Conversation
The major language skills
addressed by the program’s
Conversation class are speaking and
listening comprehension, although
vocabulary is also addressed (to a
lesser extent). The major language
competences addressed are
vocabulary and pronunciation,
although grammar is also addressed
to a lesser extent.
Instructors use a variety of
methods and materials including but
not limited to:
1. Guided dialogues
2. Role-play
3. Oral summary
4. Oral detailed retelling
5. Discussions (pair and group)
Conversation topics covered in
this class include but are not limited
animals, appearance, art, books, cars
and driving, computers and
technology, dating, eating habits,
environment, family, fashion, food
and cooking, jobs, health and
medicine, holidays, marriage, music,
personality, shopping, sports,
television, travel and tourism, etc.
Also addressed are U.S.-related
cultural topics (e.g. traditional and
national holidays, history, customs,
etc.)
Lab
The ESL Lab class is a face-to-
face class characterized by an
autonomous aspect implying that
students are expected to work both
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
8
with instructors and independently,
under or without supervision. The
ESL Lab class includes the
following components:
1. Extensive Reading (or
“Home Reading”): students are
assigned a book to read (at home).
Each week they are assigned a
certain amount of reading and are
given worksheets containing useful
vocabulary and questions on the
content. In class, they discuss what
they read with the instructor and
perform various exercises (role-play,
retelling, summarizing, doing
vocabulary exercises, and taking
tests). Major language skills
addressed by this component are
reading and speaking; language
competences – vocabulary and
grammar.
2. Movies: students gather once
a week to watch authentic American
movies. Each time, they are given
worksheets with pre-watching,
while-watching, and post-watching
exercises, containing useful and/or
difficult vocabulary and questions on
the content. Before and after
watching, they discuss what they
watch with the instructor and
perform various exercises (role-play,
retelling, summarizing, doing
vocabulary exercises, and taking
tests). Major language skills
addressed by this component are
listening comprehension and
speaking; language competences –
vocabulary, grammar, and
pronunciation.
3. ESL games: students get
together once a week to play
language games. Examples of
language games are “Mafia”,
“Family Feud”, “Trivial Pursuit”,
etc. Language games are excellent at
developing students’ language skills
and competences and are liked by
learners of all ages.
4. ESL Vocabulary software:
students must purchase membership
on special vocabulary websites (e.g.
“WordEngine”, or “Ultimate
Vocabulary”) and perform online
exercises. Weekly goals are set that
students must meet, while instructors
monitor students’ progress through
their admin profile. Sometimes,
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
9
written tests are given over the
acquired vocabulary. Major
language skill addressed by this
component is reading; language
competence – vocabulary.
5. ESL podcasts: students must
purchase membership on a special
podcast website (“OpenLanguage”)
where they will listen to podcasts
online and perform interactive
exercises. Weekly goals are set that
students must meet, while instructors
monitor students’ progress through
their admin profile. Major language
skill addressed by this component is
listening comprehension; language
competences – vocabulary,
grammar, and pronunciation.
Instructors
ESL classes are taught by
professionally trained ESL
instructors, most of whom hold
master’s or doctorate degrees. All
the instructors also have a command
of one of more foreign languages,
including Spanish, French, Arabic,
Mandarin Chinese, Japanese,
Russian, and German.
Conclusion
Over the years, the ESL
program at Southern Arkansas
University has proved to be an
effective tool in aiding international
students from all over the world in
their preparation for the university’s
degree programs. Thanks to its solid
and well-developed curriculum that
addresses all of the major skills and
competences, the program helps its
students boost their English
language skills and facilitates their
smooth transition to both
undergraduate and graduate
programs at Southern Arkansas
University while exempting such
students from the requirement to
provide any other proof of English
proficiency.
References
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language: helping international students get ready for college in the U.S…
Tocantinópolis/Brasil
v. 4
e6877
10.20873/uft.rbec.v4e6877
2019
ISSN: 2525-4863
10
Brown, D. H. (2007). Principles of
language learning and teaching (5
th
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Krashen, S. D. (1987). Principles
and practice in second language
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International English Language
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McCarthy, M., & O’Dell, F. (2010).
Vocabulary in use (2
nd
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Cambridge University Press.
Murphy, R., & Smalzer, W. R.
(2011). Basic grammar in use (4
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Article Information
Received on February 18th, 2019
Accepted on March 5th, 2019
Published on May, 15th, 2019
Author Contributions: The author was responsible for the
designing, delineating, analyzing and interpreting the data,
production of the manuscript, critical revision of the content
and approval of the final version to be published.
Conflict of Interest: None reported.
Orcid
Petr Kandidatov
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3748-9888
How to cite this article
APA
Kandidatov, P. (2019). English as a second language:
helping international students get ready for college in the
U.S. The Brazilian Scientific Journal of Rural Education, 4,
e6877. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e6877
ABNT
KANDIDATOV, P. English as a second language: helping
international students get ready for college in the U.S. The
Brazilian Scientific Journal of Rural Education,
Tocantinópolis, v. 4, e6877, 2019. DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.20873/uft.rbec.e6877