Intensive English Program

Head and Director
Deborah Wilson

Faculty

• Jenifah Abu-Hassan
  
• Aftab Ahmed
  
• Minoo Asdjodi
  
• Raja Bahloul
  
• Halina Campa
  
• Edward Carlstedt
  
• David Colbert
  
• Leslie Giesen
  
• Milton Gilbertson
  
• Sharon Gilbertson
  
• Hilary Kuris
  
• Richard McClane
  
• Laurial Mehdi
  
• Anne Marie Papadakis
  
• Jane Pringle
  
• Tahani Qadri
  
• Olivia Riordan
  
• Scott Rousseu
  
• Thomas Schmitt
  
• Pelly Shaw
  
• Mark Stevens
  
• Jennifer Vahanian
  
• Angela Waigand
  
• Amanda Ward
  
• Sherry Ward
  
• Krystie Wills

Students, faculty and staff of the Intensive English Program are members of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Since English is the medium of instruction at American University of Sharjah, competence in English is a prerequisite for student success. The mission of the Intensive English Program (IEP) is to increase student language proficiency to a level suitable for study in courses taught in English and to enhance their academic skills to function successfully in their first-year course work.
Note: All AUS policies apply to IEP students except for differences as noted in this section. IEP students are strongly encouraged to become familiar with the Academic Policies and Regulations section of this catalog.

Admission and Placement

Students who achieve an International TOEFL score at a minimum of 32 on the Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT) or 400 on the Institutional Paper-Based TOEFL given at AUS, but below 71 iBT / 530 Institutional TOEFL and who qualify for admission to AUS are eligible to take the IEP Placement Test. Placement in one of the six proficiency levels of the program is based on the IEP Placement Test scores. Students may not choose their level of study in the IEP. A 32 iBT or 400 Institutional TOEFL score is required for admission to IEP.

Note: IEP students may not take any AUS courses outside of IEP.

Program Structure

The IEP consists of six levels that are sequenced in terms of language proficiency. The aim of instruction is to improve the English language skills of each student in the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking, and in the use of grammar and vocabulary. Also, the IEP courses are designed to develop students’ academic preparation, independent learning and computer skills while meeting the individual needs of students.

Pedagogical Format

The focus of instruction at the lower levels is on general English. As language proficiency increases, IEP courses become more academic in nature. By the advanced level, course work begins to simulate credit-bearing undergraduate courses. Courses in reading and writing are given at all levels of the program.

Reading

The goals of the reading skills component are twofold: to improve reading comprehension and to increase reading speed. These goals are met through the extended practice of a variety of reading skills within a diverse range of text forms and genres. Students also gain an understanding of, and an appreciation for, the importance of reading both inside and outside the academic setting.

Writing

The writing component leads students through the various steps of the writing process, from generating and organizing ideas to writing, editing and revising written work. Students develop a range of skills necessary to produce academic texts, from basic sentences to university papers. The emphasis of instruction is placed on developing fluency, grammatical accuracy and lexical accuracy by analyzing and practicing in the various rhetorical modes needed for academic writing.

Listening

The primary goal of the listening component is to develop and improve the ability of each student to effectively comprehend English in academic and social settings. This goal is met through practice in interactive listening activities, which focus on understanding spoken English. The emphasis in lower-level courses is on understanding conversations, determining main ideas and details, and comprehending short lectures. The emphasis in higher-level courses is on improving comprehension of longer and more complex academic lectures, developing clear and accurate methods of taking notes, and organizing information in a useful format.

Speaking

The speaking component prepares students to communicate successfully in both the social and academic environments of the university. Improving both fluency and accuracy are the goals of all courses in this area. Instruction is given in how to express an opinion articulately, to agree or disagree effectively and to persuade and argue a point convincingly. The courses help students develop the ability to make speeches and oral presentations, to gather information, to participate in classroom and panel discussions, and to use computer technology for research and presentations.

Grammar

The aim of this component is to integrate grammar into four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. The goal is to develop grammatical accuracy within written and oral contexts and to increase comprehension within listening and reading contexts. Emphasis is placed not only on knowing the forms but also on understanding the functions of grammatical structures in order to produce accurate language in appropriate contexts.

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is not specifically associated with a particular skill area; instead, it is an integral part of every language skill. Therefore, its development is integrated into all courses in the IEP. In an effort to best serve the needs of the students, vocabulary instruction focuses primarily on high-frequency survival English at the lower proficiency levels of the program, and gradually move along a continuum toward low-frequency academic and technical language at the higher levels. By the time the students are ready to exit the IEP, they have become familiar with much of the academic vocabulary necessary for success in their university studies.

Instruction and Evaluation

Instructional Time

Students receive 20 hours of classroom instruction a week.

Methods

All instructors are specially trained and experienced in teaching English across the curriculum. The methods, materials and equipment used are targeted to meet student needs.

Evaluation

Progress tests are administered regularly. Practice tests, quizzes, midterms and final examinations are given to assess progress in the courses. Promotion to a higher level in the program is determined by course grades and instructor assessment.

Academic Credit

Each level of study in the IEP carries three academic credits. The credits earned are not part of a student’s degree requirements. Only the grades of the last two semesters of IEP count toward a student’s cumulative grade point average. IEP credits are not transferable.

Attendance

Classes meet Sunday through Thursday. Because of the intensive nature of the program, regular attendance in all courses is expected, and as a matter of AUS policy, students are required to attend 85 percent or more of all IEP courses. A student who misses 15 percent of classes for any IEP course receives an automatic grade of WF and is dropped from the course. If a student misses 15 percent or more of all IEP classes for the semester, he/she will be dismissed from the program.

Absence

No absences are excused. Therefore, missing class for any reason (e.g., illness, traffic accident, visa problem) will count as an absence from class.

Lateness

Classes begin on time and students are expected to be in class on time. Students who arrive late disrupt whatever activity is being performed. Three occasions of lateness equal one absence.

Progressing through the Program

Students must have a semester GPA of 2.0 (C) or better to be promoted to a higher level in the IEP. Students with a GPA below 2.0 in any semester in the IEP may be required to repeat that level. A student who has a GPA of 2.0 or higher but receives a grade of D or F in any course may be required to repeat that course at that same level while being promoted to a higher level in all other courses.

Additionally, for promotion to the next level, students must also achieve certain scores on the Written English Test (WET) administered each semester to all students in the IEP. Teacher recommendations are also considered in promotion decisions.

Duration of IEP Study

The length of time required to achieve the admissions TOEFL requirement varies with the linguistic background, prior knowledge, work and study habits, and language aptitude of each student. Students who enter the IEP with TOEFL scores below 38 iBT/425 Institutional TOEFL will most likely require more than two semesters to achieve the TOEFL score required for admission.

Exit from the IEP

Students study English in the IEP until they achieve the TOEFL score required at the time of their admission to matriculate into their chosen major. Students may study in the IEP for a maximum of four semesters (not including the summer session). Students who have not matriculated after four semesters will be dismissed from the IEP.

If the TOEFL score required for admittance to AUS is raised before an IEP student matriculates, the student will be allowed for the first academic year (two regular semesters) after the new higher score is required to matriculate at the lower score required at the time he/she enrolled in the IEP. This applies only to IEP students who are continuously enrolled in the IEP for the two semesters. If a student has not matriculated on the old score within one academic year after the adoption of a new TOEFL score, the student will be required to meet the TOEFL requirement in place at the time of matriculation.

Repeating Courses

Students may not choose to repeat courses in the IEP. Students repeat courses only when required to do so by the IEP.

Academic Probation Policy

IEP students will be placed on academic probation at the end of any semester in which their final IEP grade is below a 2.0 (C), and they may be required to repeat the level. Students on probation must achieve a GPA of 2.0 (C) or higher in their next semester in the IEP. If they do so, they will be removed from academic probation. Failure to do so will result in dismissal from the program.

Course Descriptions

IEP 001 Novice Level (3 credits). Involves the presentation of large amounts of language. The primary goals are to improve student fluency in both the conversational and written modes, to increase vocabulary as rapidly as possible, to develop basic reading skills and to introduce the mechanics of writing at the sentence and paragraph level.

IEP 002 Elementary Level (3 credits). Moves from functional, survival English to academic discourse. To that end, important reading skills such as skimming, scanning and predicting are practiced and writing activities extend beyond the paragraph to the multi-paragraph essay. Complex grammatical concepts involving time relationships are also introduced, note taking from authentic materials is practiced and oral presentations are given.

IEP 003 Intermediate Level (3 credits). Instruction takes on an overtly academic quality. High-level reading skills such as inferencing and synthesizing information from more than one source are introduced, while writing instruction involves the exploration of various rhetorical modes. Students are also expected to develop an awareness of contextual clues, an understanding of speaker purpose, a recognition of idiomatic usage and an accurate and fluent speech production.

IEP 004 Advanced Level (3 credits). Prepares students for university studies, although the focus is still on the major language skills rather than the actual content being covered. Students are required to read longer texts and to write longer essays. They study complex grammatical usage at the clause level. Finally, public speaking skills are refined through the discussion of complex source material and through oral presentations on topics involving persuasion and argumentation skills.

IEP 005 Bridge Level (3 credits). Simulates credit-bearing instruction at the university by integrating academic listening, speaking, reading and writing into the daily classroom pedagogy. Extensive reading is expected and major reading skills are reviewed and reinforced through large amounts of practice. The instruction includes an introduction to writing term papers.

IEP 006 Transition Level (3 credits). Prepares students to successfully function in freshman courses. Students practice language and critical thinking skills through academic, content-based courses. Students develop their English language competency and strategies for academic success through the use of readings and assignments from authentic college textbooks. The instruction includes how to synthesize information from a variety of sources and apply this knowledge in written reports and discussions.

Back