688 - Intensive English and Academic Orientation for Foreign Graduate Students, Summer 2008

June 27 - August 8

EFS 688 is a 6-unit, credit course with 20 class hours per week lasting 6 weeks (June 27-August 8). The tuition cost for 2008 is $4,542.

This program provides a bridge between the students' years of formal study of the English language in their home countries and the situation they will soon be in that will require them to use English on a daily basis at a U.S. university.

The goals of this program are the following:

• to improve the student's fluency and accuracy in English as much as possible during the period of instruction;
• to develop the student's ability to continue learning and using effective communication strategies throughout the stay in the United States;
• to provide an orientation to the expectations of the university, faculty, and peers both inside and out of the classroom;
• to prepare students to be more confident and active participants in all aspects of their graduate programs.
  

Upon arrival, students are tested and placed into spoken language classes with others at their level of proficiency. Placement in writing classes is made according to academic area, with separate sections for business, humanities/social science, and engineering/science.

Reserved class times are MTThF 9:30-11:50 and 1:15-3:05 and Fridays 3:15-5:00. Elective courses (EFS 689 sections, see below) will be scheduled for late afternoons and Wednesdays. Due to the intensive nature of the instruction, we do not encourage students to take other Stanford courses while they are in this program.

In addition to classroom instruction, students may be doing work in the language laboratory and university libraries. Orientation to life at Stanford is provided by discussions, informal outings, and social events in conjunction with summer activities at Bechtel International Center and the dormitories. Informal advising will be provided by instructors and graduate and undergraduate students attached to the program.

All students who enroll in this program must agree to comply with the following requirements:

• Speak only English in class and in all program activities.
• Attend classes regularly, every session each day for all six weeks.
• Fulfill all course requirements, including meeting paper deadlines.
• Demonstrate substantial effort and progress in the development of communication skills in English necessary for academic success.

Core Classes

All students will have 20 class hours each week, divided among the following classes.

Listening Comprehension and Discussion. This class consists of activities involving listening to recorded excerpts from television, radio, and university lectures, with special emphasis on comprehending reduced forms, idiomatic expressions, and rapid speech. The content of these excerpts provides topics and issues so that students can get experience in talking freely in small groups with guidance from the instructor. The purpose is to prepare students to participate actively and effectively in group meetings, academic discussions and graduate seminars.

Effective Communication. This class provides practice in conversational English with emphasis on current usage in natural situations for both academic and everyday uses of English. It also includes training and practice in the presentation of prepared academic talks with feedback from the instructor and classmates. The language focus is on fluency and clear, effective pronunciation.

Writing. This seven hour/week class focuses on academic writing, with some work in reading and vocabulary development. As a final project, engineering, science, humanities, and social science students will write a research paper. Business students will write one or more case studies.

Consultation. This two hour/week class gives students the opportunity to meet with a graduate student in their own field or a related one to get an insider's view of graduate school in the US. It includes discussion within academic interest groups, information on university requirements, and individual guidance on academic papers.

Elective Classes: EFS 689 Series

In addition to the courses listed above, students in EFS 688 may take up to four elective courses. These are offered as sections of EFS 689, Special Topics in English. Each requires one additional unit of tuition (note two units for 689P Pronunciation): see the application for more information.

EFS 689E:  Learning English on Your Own 
EFS courses will help you improve your English while you are in them, but how can you continue to improve consistently outside of a formal class structure?  Learning English on Your Own aims to show you how to become a more successful independent language learner.  The course includes an introduction to discoveries researchers have made about second language learning and helps you identify your strengths and weaknesses as a learner.  It introduces you to a variety of useful language learning strategies and stresses the importance outlining learning objectives, setting and maintaining practice schedules, and evaluating your progress. The majority of the course focuses on free or inexpensive resources available through the language lab, TV, radio and especially the World Wide Web, training you in how to get the most from them.

EFS 689H:  American Humor
Humor is an important part of life at American universities. Professors often tell jokes during lectures and group meetings, students like to "kid around", and campus newspapers feature editorial cartoons and humor columns. In this course, students study many examples of jokes and humorous stories that Americans find amusing, practicing advanced listening comprehension and expanding your understanding of English idioms at the same time. Note that this is an advanced class: A TOEFL score of 600 or above is strongly recommended.

EFS 689P:  Pronunciation
In this course, you will have two classes each week where elements of English pronunciation are explained, demonstrated, and practiced. This includes not only a review of the basic sounds, but also the stress, intonation and rhythm patterns so important to natural-sounding speech. You will also have a tutorial meeting each week with the instructor where you can get help with individual problems.

EFS 689V:  Vocabulary and Idiom
One of the most difficult aspects of a new language is learning to use and understand idioms and metaphors. This course takes an analytical approach to the study of idiomatic language, analyzing idioms and metaphors in order to understand what they reflect about American culture. Students also discuss the history of words and the ways that Americans combine words to invent new ones. Class time will include exercises to practice idioms and advanced vocabulary.

Application Process

Last updated December 20, 2008