LI Update - July 17, 2009 (#2)

Basic English 6 – pilot course (Spring 2009). THANK YOU! To Elizabeth, Rob and Shelly, for stepping into the unknown and being the first ones to teach the new Basic English 6 course last term. This is the first totally interactive online course we’ve done in Basic English, and the results were very impressive.

Despite a glitch in the middle of the term (in the form of a virus that took the website offline for two weeks), the students were mostly very pleased with the course, according to the course evaluations.

Now that the COMPASS/ESL test (the test used by Admissions to determine readiness to enter credit coursework at the College) is mostly a computer-based test, this course was designed to help students improve their English skills and gain basic computer ability.

 

New course!  This fall we will introduce a new course – Basic English for Business. For the first couple of terms, this course will be funded through a grant; therefore, there will be no cost to students. We hope there will be sufficient interest so that the course can become a continuing part of our curriculum.

            If you think you might be interested in teaching this course in the pilot next term, please let me know so I can provide you a copy of the textbook.

 

Return of Basic English for Health Care. Next quarter Basic English for Health Care will return, still funded through a grant from the Columbus Foundation; therefore, there will be no cost to students.

 

Autumn quarter schedule. The Autumn quarter course schedule will be available by the beginning of next week.

Materials collection. I would like for us to have a collection of handouts, quizzes, worksheets, presentations, lesson plans, great ideas, etc., available for instructors to use. If you have anything you have found useful that you would like to share, please drop it off to me, and I will work on a method of organizing these materials so they are accessible for everyone.  Thank you!

Language Institute Blog. Please don’t forget that there is a Language Institute blog that provides a great deal of information about the Basic English and English for Success programs, including the information sent out in the updates.  It is searchable by term for easy access of information.

The URL is:  lang-inst.blogspot.com