Job Discussion Forums

[esl_prof]

I have taught at three different colleges/universities, and the focus of ESL/EFL instruction was distinctively different at each one.

At my current institution, a U.S.-based community college, I teach in a college-preparatory ESL program that serves primarily refugees and immigrants. Our purpose is basically to give our students sufficient skills in academic English to be able to successfully take college-level coursework such alongside native speakers (e.g., freshman comp, intro to biology, intro to psychology, etc.) and, eventually, earn an associate's degree or transfer to a four-year college.

Previously, I taught at two institutions of higher education in Puerto Rico.

One was small two-year business college which awarded associates degrees in business administration, accounting, human resources, etc. The three course EFL sequence culminated in a course on business communication which taught students to write business letters and memos, give presentations, etc. In other words, the focus was on being able to effectively communicate in English in U.S. and international business situations.

The second was a large private university where all students were required to complete three courses in English as part of their general studies. The vast majority of students were tracked into a three-course sequence where we paid a great deal of lipservice to teaching the four basic skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening). In reality, the focus of the courses was primarily on academic reading and the implication was that students really just needed to know enough to be successful at reading their textbooks for other courses (as most courses were taught in Spanish but the textbooks, ordered from U.S. publishers, were in English). A small group of students with native-level proficiency (yes, a surprisingly large number of Puerto Rican students who were born and/or raised in the U.S. end up pursuing university studies on the Island) were tracked into a more traditional freshman comp style sequence to meet their gen-ed requirements.

So, out of the three colleges/universities where I've taught, the focus of ESL/EFL instruction has been on (1) business communication, (2) academic English for U.S. contexts, and (3) English-reading proficiency for university study in PR.

What is the focus of ESL/EFL instruction at your university?

[spiral78]

I've taught in three also.
1. Academic English for Canadian university study
2. Large European public university with courses all in English, upper-level (meaning B2 and up) English for writing and speaking in various faculties, all years from 1-PhD.
3. Small public European university, all courses in English, writing and speaking at postgrad level, field-specific, again B2 up.

Ah, and, to be clear, in my case 'public' means 'state' schools, as opposed to private ones.

[esl_prof]

Thanks for sharing Spiral!

So far we've looked at colleges/universities in . . . Canada, Europe, the U.S., and Puerto Rico.

Anybody care to share their university experience from the Middle East, Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, or Latin America?

[Shroob]

China:

The first job was 80% oral English - the basic 'get them speaking' classes. With the remaining 20% culture/western life themed lessons.

The second job is more 'get them excited about English', expose them to English and try and make the students learn outside the classroom - which the uni has the facilities to do. It's the best resourced uni I've seen in China in regards to English teaching. That's just the unit I teach - the uni also offers a whole range of English lessons from journalism English to debate English, to intercultural communication, and study abroad English. There are also different tiers of instruction with a slightly different focus in each.

UK:

First job was a pre-sessional.

Second job was EAP listening/speaking classes.

[esl_prof]

Thanks, Shroob! That second job in China sounds like it must have been a lot of fun.

[danmbob]

nothing to see

[esl_prof]

[MotherF]

I work at a uni in Mexico which offers primarily engineering degrees. English is a requirement for all students. The majority enter with no measurable English skills and we try to get them to B2 in 8 semesters. But B1+ is probably more accurate.

[litterascriptor]

I prefer to call it a lack of focus for my current workplace.

[esl_prof]

[esl_prof]

[MotherF]

[esl_prof]