Utah Valley State College
ESL Program Orientation
ESL Program Orientation
The purpose of the ESL Program at UVSC is to help students attain their goals to become better speakers of English. The level of English necessary to successfully complete your studies at a US college is extremely high. However, you will be working with very experienced and qualified teachers to help you.
The teachers here know you can be successful if you are willing to apply yourself as seriously to your studies as you would to an important job. Your employer expects you to be on the job everyday and to be on time and prepared to work each day. While you're on campus, your job is your education, and of course, there are a few simple rules which can help you to succeed.
- Arrive to class on time and prepared to do your best at whatever your teachers ask of you.
- Avoid being absent. When you are absent from a job, you risk losing your position. When you are absent from class, your progress will suffer in the same manner.
- Ask for help from other classmates and your teachers when you feel you need it.
- Review your class work frequently even when there's not a particular assignment. Frequent review will strengthen your skills and you will find that your test perfromance will be better.
- Make sure your assignments are well presented and done thoroughly. Ask yourself if your work is something of which you are proud. If an employer were going to hire people based on the quality of a particular assignment, would you be hired?
- Remember: Teachers don't give grades, students earn them. There is nothing more we'd like to do than to give all our hard-working students A's. If you receive a B or a C, this doesn't mean you are a "B" person or gave "C" effort. It is an evaluation of your ability in a given assignment or class.
- Speak English as much as possible. You have a wonderful opportunity to learn English and meet people from all over the world. However, if you speak only your native language outside of the classroom, it would be the same as living in your country and taking an English course.
- The ESL program policy on late work and missed tests is the following: With instructor approval, a student who has been absent may complete missing work or take a quiz or test missed due to an absence. However, it is the responsibility of the student to make such a request. Even with such a request, your instructor is not required to let you complete work, take tests you have missed due to absences or accept late work. Late work does not receive full credit.
- You will get grade reports from your teachers on a regular basis. Check your grades and if there's a problem, talk to your teacher. If you need to talk to a teacher for any reason, it is best to make an appointment, so your teacher can be available to listen to you. You can also check your teacher's office hours.
- All UVSC students are required to take a final examination in each class. These examinations are given ONLY the last week of the semester. If you need to leave before the end of the semester, you will need to talk with the ESL Program Director. Check with your instructor regarding the date of your final exam and before making plans or reservations to leave.
Other Items of Interst:
- ESL Level 4 Graduation Ceremony
- ESL Student Council
- UV Leaders: UVSC students sometimes serve as mentors in some of our classes.
- English Conversation Club
The teachers in the ESL department will not only help you learn English, but they will help you learn how to learn. Many of your assignments will focus on developing skills that will help you in the regular college classes you hope to take. We will also help you to understand some of the strategies that are typically used in college courses across the United States. In particular we will help you to learn how to work in groups as well as individually. Mostly we will help you to understand the expectations that are inherent in a college education in this country, and we will give you ample practice in developing skills to meet those expectations.
- Your cell phone rings during class. What should you do?
- answer the phone and talk to the person calling you
- turn it off immediately and apologize
- answer the phone and walk out of class to talk to the person calling
- wait for your voice mail to take a message
What would you do in your country?
- You are late to class and the door is closed. What should you do?
- enter quietly and sit down in the first available seat
- do not enter until the class is over
- knock on the door, wait and then enter
- knock on the door until the teacher lets you in
What would you do in your country?
- 3. You feel that there is a problem with one of your teachers. Something he/she has done or not done has you worried. What should you do?
- nothing
- discuss your feelings with the teacher
- complain to the ESL Program Director
What would you do in your country?
