Domestic and international students who speak English as an additional language face many linguistic and academic cultural challenges while studying at the university. To better meet their needs, CU Boulder is expanding its slate of support services starting in spring 2024.
The CU Boulder International English Center (IEC) will be offering comprehensive language and cultural support for international and domestic students, as well as staff members who provide services to them. With robust infrastructure and faculty expertise in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL), the IEC is in an ideal position to establish a centralized hub for international student support.
The creation of this expanded resource center also represents a new partnership with International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), which is providing funding to help meet the unique needs of undergraduates who use English as an additional language.
Two courses offered through the Department of Linguistics, created and taught by IEC faculty, will allow these undergraduates to receive course credit while polishing their academic and language skills:
- LING 3200: Academic Oral Communication in English, offered each spring semester, focuses on helping international students refine their oral communication skills for more effective academic interactions through coursework in presentation skills, active listening skills and English pronunciation.
- LING 3210: English for Academic Purposes, offered each fall semester, helps students develop the academic reading, writing and listening skills needed to be successful at the university level. These courses are beneficial for first-, second- and third-year international students.
Those needing additional academic support can take advantage of Undergraduate English Language Tutoring, offered at no cost to any undergraduate student who speaks English as an additional language. This tutoring program will be managed by the IEC and staffed by undergraduate and graduate students in the Department of Linguistics’ TESOL program, providing one-on-one support on topics such as pronunciation, grammar, public speaking, U.S. academic culture and expectations, and focused practice in reading, writing and active listening.
The IEC will offer one or more workshops each semester for CU Boulder staff, faculty and student employees who work with international students to help them better understand the challenges and needs that students from other cultures often face as they adapt to university life.
Faculty or instructional staff interested in ongoing professional development related to supporting multilingual international students within and beyond the classroom may apply for the Center for Teaching & Learning’s microcredential Teaching International Students (Jan. 29–April 19). This microcredential—developed in collaboration with IEC, ISSS, the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and the Arts & Sciences Support of Education Through Technology (ASSETT) program in the Center for Teaching & Learning— focuses on high-impact course design and instructional practices that leverage the linguistic and cultural assets international students bring to the U.S. classroom.
These services complement the existing suite of campus resources provided by the Writing Center and ESL sections of courses offered by the Program for Writing and Rhetoric, overseen by Andrea Feldman. International graduate students and visiting scholars can take advantage of English language support courses offered through the IEC’s ESL Credit Program.
Taking advantage of these courses and services benefits international students both in the short-term in their university coursework and in their future careers, as developing greater English proficiency can lead to expanded opportunities for employment in both the U.S. and globally.
If you are an international student, faculty or staff member and are interested in any of these courses, workshops or services, visit the IEC online to learn more.
