An integrated approach An integrated approach to teaching Englishto teaching English

Strategies used for a cohort of Taiwanese students to prepare them to study for their MBA in Project Management

Gregory ChaseBrenau UniversityMarch 19, 2009

Students and ProgramStudents and Program13 Students from Taiwan came to study

for their MBA: 4 Women and 9 Men (One man brought his family along)

Native Language – Mandarin Chinese

Program started August 1, 2008 – will finish December 15, 2009

Concentration on English study for first 5 months

Level of English range: basic beginner to very advanced

Yen-Leng Chang (JUSTINE) Hou-Yu Chen (AUSTIN)

Shang-Hui Chen (TOMMY) Shu-Ping Chen (PHILLIPA) Pei-Chieh Hsu (GREG)

Nan-Ching Ku (CLIVE) Chih-Kuan Lin (PETER) Wei-Ting Lin (STEPHEN)

Tan-Hua Tsai (CLARE) Teng-Hsuan Wang (TENSION) Yu-Chieh Wang (KENNETH)

Advisor: Dr. John Adams

ESL Instructor: Ms. Linda Owens

Chih-Wei Yang (MICHAEL) Horng-Ru Yao (CECILIA)

Study Goal:Study Goal:Not just classroom learningNot just classroom learning

1. Classroom learning combined with outreach into the community through service learning

2. Make the community aware of their presence and educate them about Taiwan and its customs and traditions

English Classroom StudyEnglish Classroom Study

3 – hours per day, five days a week in the morning

Included other non-mandarin speakers in the class – Korean, Thai, South American, and African

University WelcomeUniversity Welcome

Barbecue for students to introduce them to faculty, staff, and other international students of university

University OutingsUniversity Outings

Gold Rush – Gold MineMovie NightMule Camp - BoothCommunity Maintenance

Taiwan Introduction Taiwan Introduction PresentationPresentation

To classTo business facultyTo senior centerTo entire universityTo community

Reading CircleReading CircleOld Man and the Sea by Ernest

Hemingway

Created small groups and discussed book over four weeks with faculty member

To express more difficult concepts and ideas in English – deeper meaning

Boys and Girls ClubBoys and Girls ClubA place for children from 6-14

years of age to go after school from 2:00 – 7:00 pm to do activities or get help with homework

Taiwan students went in afternoon to help students with homework – mostly math

History Center ProjectHistory Center ProjectInterviewed Senior Citizens and

learned their life history

Selected a small group of the most interesting and did follow-up interview

During follow-up interview created audio and visual record of their personal history to be used for a display at the local history center

Spring Break TripSpring Break Trip

Trip to New Orleans to refurbish houses destroyed by hurricane “Katrina”

Learn unique culture of New Orleans through Jazz music in evenings

Chinese Language Chinese Language StudentsStudents

Worked with beginning undergraduate students learning Chinese – tutored once a week on individual basis

Came to class to listen to presentations

University Campus University Campus ActivitiesActivities

Sporting Events

Plays/theater

Concerts

Outings with Faculty and Outings with Faculty and Staff Staff

DinnersBeauty ParlorAsian Food Store

Preparing for MBAPreparing for MBAReview of Business - CoursesReview of Business - Courses

Did review of basic business classes in English that they previously did in Chinese

Learn terms and material in English they already know in Chinese

Get them use to studying in English

Preparing for MBAPreparing for MBABusiness Communications Class:

First class taken in MBA program – Fall 2008

Only MBA class taken at time

Stresses writing and presentation skills

Video taped presentations for students to review

MBA StudyMBA StudyStarted full time MBA study in

January of 2009

12 of 13 students had reached a sufficient level of English to begin study

One student taking additional English lessons and will join MBA at later date

Lessons LearnedLessons LearnedHousing – not all together

Questions?Questions?