A press kit about Intensive English Program (IEP) at Western Washington University (WWU) - Assignment Example

?A press kit about Intensive English Program (IEP) at Western Washington (WWU Contents: Sr. # Topic Pg Pitch Letter 2 2. Press Release 4 3. Biography 6 4. Fact sheet 12 5. FAQ Document 13 6. Feature Story 16 7. Backgrounder 17 8. Radio script 19 1. Pitch letter Western Washington University ‘Western Front’ [Date] Karen Smith Communications Facility 255 Western Washington University (360) 650-3252 Dear Ms. Smith, On November 11, 2013 Open Doors – an Institute for International Education published a report indicating the drastic rise in the number of international students at colleges and universities across the United States with most of the growth driven by students from non-English speaking countries i.e., China and Saudi Arabia, for the 7th consecutive year. The Western Washington University currently houses 63 international students from over 15 countries including Libya, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Russia, Germany, Italy, Venezuela, Columbia, South Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Kuwait, and Japan. Such influx of international students is indicative of a trend that demands a supportive framework in the form of a formal educational / training program tailored to suit the English language needs of such students. The Intensive English Program at the WWU (Western Washington University) in Bellingham is designed especially for international students offering a mix of educational and non-educational programs for students as well as professionals. This program would benefit not only the prospective students planning to enrol in graduate and post-graduate courses but also those intending on learning English purely for business and / or social communication purposes. The program aims to welcome all international applicants including those who do not meet the university's English language requirement and offer appropriate courses for preparation. The IEP promises to open a world of possibilities for all those aspiring to learn the English language from a group of well-qualified and dedicated staff with impressive professional achievements in the field of language teaching. The process of application is relatively easy and does not require the submission of IELTS or TOEFL test scores. Evan Ryan - Assistant secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs stated that "International education promotes the relationship building and knowledge exchange between people and communities in the United States and around the world that are necessary to solve global challenges". An English language program such as the IEP is a step forward in that direction. The Western Front has had an impressive history of catering to its vast student community and has consistently been a source of vital information for them for over 3 decades now. We are sure that the readers of The Western Front would want to access more information about IEP and we look forward to addressing all their queries and concerns in whatever we can. Please do feel free to contact - [include name here], principal / co-ordinator [of the program] at [insert phone number here]. For further information about the program, and other related issues we invite you to explore our website at: [insert link here] or contact us directly at: [insert email here] for an opportunity to discuss it further. Regards, [Name] [Phone Number] [Organization] 2. Press Release The Bellingham Herald 1155 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225 Celebrating 30 glorious years of one of the most popular and highly successful educational programs – the Intensive English Program, offered at the country’s best learning institutions- The Western Washington University, Bellingham. The Intensive English Program offered at the Western Washington University's Bellingham campus offers a variety of programs aimed at regular and degree program students with at least 23 hours of instruction per week. WASHINGTON, Date: _ _/_ _/ _ _ _ _ There has been a steady rise in the number of international students in colleges and universities across United States. In the academic year 2010-11 alone a sharp 5 per cent rise in international students was reported by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The number of international students on U.S. campuses has recorded a whopping 32 per cent increase compared to the previous decade and the international enrolment is likely to rise in the near future. The Western Washington University is one of the top universities in the country which is home to a significant proportion of international students from as many as 15 countries from around the world offering an interesting cultural mix on campus. Rick O'Connor, the Director of WWU IEP describes language learning as a tedious process that "requires great effort, but it is an existing and rewarding experience". This however calls for a robust language program that caters to the needs of these international students and offers them flexible courses specifically designed to assist them in learning the language on campus by a trained and talented staff proficient in their respective fields of study. The students are offered various resources including the library, recreation centre and health centre, outdoor playing fields, student unions, as well as the Lakewood boating facilities. The inclusion of such facilities is aimed at encouraging greater student participation and enables the students to collaborate and work together enabling an effortless cultural amalgamation in the process. The Western Washington University is hosting a 30th anniversary special program in honour of completion of over 3 decades of the Intensive English Program. Various big wigs from the educational field as well as alumni from other educational organizations in and around Bellingham are invited and likely to attend the event. For more information regarding the campus visit the university website: http://www.wwu.edu/ee/lcp/iep/index.shtml. For information related to application process, registration, fees and other queries visit: http://www.wwu.edu/ee/lcp/iep/about.shtml About IEP: The IEP offered by WWU is a uniquely designed English language course for the large number of international applicants regardless of their purpose for enrolment i.e. for academic or non-academic purpose. The fundamental objective of the IEP is to offer a wide variety of courses which enable the international students to achieve a quality language learning experience and reach their individual goals and in the process help internationalize the Western Washington University. 3. Biography: Vickie L. Farmer Home: (360) 734-8114 Office: (360) 650-4855 608 Ridgeway Drive Bellingham, Washington 98225 e-mail: Vickie.Farmer@wwu.edu _________________________________________________________________ Education Ed.D., Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Area of Concentration: Higher Education. GPA: 3.98 University of Washington, Seattle, Washington December 2005 Dissertation: Effective Teaching Practices in the Linguistically Diverse University Classroom M.A., English Area of Concentration: Composition and Rhetoric. GPA: 3.88 Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington June 1988 B.A., English. GPA: 3.6 Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington June 1986 _________________________________________________________________ Teaching Experience Instructor/Senior Instructor 1989-Present Intensive English Program Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington 98225 Teach all skill levels of the English language from beginning to advanced. Currently teach beginning grammar and early-advanced writing and reading. Instructor 1989-1998 Department of Composition Whatcom Community College Taught English 100, 101, 102, & 103 (all composition classes) Taught American Literature (English 130) Teaching Assistant/Lecturer 1986-1988/1989-1990 English Department Western Washington University Taught English 101 and 201 Other Related Experience Registration Advisor 1989-1998 Whatcom Community College Journal Editor 1988-1989 Optical Engineering Society for International Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineering Office Manager & Writer Summer 1989 G. R. Baron Advertising Agency Teacher Aid 1975-1976 Wyoming School for the Deaf _________________________________________________________________ Publications Garcia, J. E., Hoelscher, K. J., & Farmer V. L. (Summer 2005). Diversity flashpoints on college campuses: Understanding the topography of difficult interpersonal situations grounded in identity difference. Innovative Higher Education, 29 (4). _________________________________________________________________ Presentations Farmer, V. L., & D. Robinson. (2013 forthcoming). Renew Your Teaching with Student Feedback Groups. WAESOL Annual Conference (October). Des Moines, WA. Farmer, V. L. (2012). A Low-Prep Technique for Facilitating Discussions. WAESOL Annual Conference (October). Des Moines, WA. Farmer, V. L., & C. Rennie-Varner. (2004 May). Academic English as a Second Language. Woodring College of Education Diversity Training Session. (May) Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington. Garcia, J. E., Farmer, V. L., & Hoelscher, K. J. (2003). Developing competencies in the classroom: Addressing diversity flashpoints. Presented at the Academy of Management Meetings. (August) Seattle, Washington. Farmer, V. L., Garcia, J. E., & Hoelscher, K. J. (2003). Diversity flashpoints: A vehicle for faculty and staff development. Presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. (May) San Francisco, California. Farmer, V. L., Garcia J. E. & Hoelscher, K. J. (2003). Diversity flashpoints: Understanding the topography of difficult interpersonal situations grounded in identity differences. Presented at the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in Higher Education. (May) San Francisco, California. Farmer, V. and Majors, D. (2002) Program Planning Through Articulated Core Values WAESOL Annual Conference. (November) Bellingham, Washington. Farmer, V. (2002). Teaching Research Writing Without Dying in the Process. WAESOL Annual Conference. (November) Bellingham, Washington. Farmer, V. and Majors, D. (1999). Teaching Summary Writing. TESOL Annual Convention. (March) New York, New York. Garcia, J. E., Skillman, T., Majors, D., Farmer, V., Wisdon-Whitley, L. (1998). Developing Interactions between IEP's and University Classes. International TESOL. Conference. (March) Seattle, Washington. Skillman, T., Majors, D., Farmer, V., and Breeding, C. (1998) Dialogue Journals Connect Cultures and Provide Training. TESOL Annual Convention. (March) Seattle, Washington. Farmer, V. and Breeding, C. (1996). Low-Prep Ideas for Teaching Reading with Authentic Materials. Presented at Tri-TESOL (December) Seattle, Washington. _________________________________________________________________ Membership TESOL: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc. WAESOL: Washington State affiliate of TESOL _________________________________________________________________ References Steven G. Olswang Professor, Higher Education University of Washington Seattle, WA (206) 685-7693 solswang@u.washington.edu Diane Gillespie Professor, Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences Associate Director University of Washington, Bothell Campus Bothell, Washington (425) 352-5415 dianegil@u.washington.edu Joseph Garcia Associate Dean College of Business & Economics Western Washington University Bellingham, Washington (360) 650-3916 joseph.garcia@wwu.edu 4. Fact Sheet: LOGO Org. Name: Western Washington University – Intensive English Program 2013 Address: 516, High Street, MS 9102, Bellingham WA 98225 Website: http://www.wwu.edu/ee/lcp/iep/ Contact: (360) 650-3308 Overview: The Intensive English Program offered at the Western Washington University has recently completed 30 glorious years of providing innovative English language education to international students at the country's most prestigious universities. The WWU boasts of an outstanding academic as well as physical environment offering a mix of vibrant learning environment as well as state-of-the art facilities to students from around the world. Vision / Mission: The IEP at WWU aims to 'foster quality English language learning experiences to help students reach their goals and help internationalize Western Washington University'. Purpose: The Intensive English Program offered at the Western Washington University's Bellingham campus offers a variety of programs aimed at regular and degree program students with at least 23 hours of instruction per week. It aims at offering programs specially designed to attract both – students as well as professionals intending to learn the language for academic as well as non-academic purposes. Call to action: The 30th anniversary celebration is held on insert date here whereby several prominent personalities from the educational field in and around Bellingham will be invited. 5. FAQ Document: Can I still apply for IEP if I miss the application deadline? No applications are accepted once the deadline has passed for a term. This is done to ensure that the applicants have adequate time to apply for a student visa and make necessary travel arrangements. How much is the tuition fee and what is the mode of payment? The tuition fee for IEP is - $ 2,920 and WWU fee is - $ 374 The tuition fees for first week of class must be paid in the Student Business Office in Old Main (OM) 110. The students are expected to open checking accounts from an American Bank on their arrival at WWU. How do I choose appropriate classes to suit my requirement? Placement tests are conducted on Monday and Tuesday every week for all new applicants whereby their individual skills with respect to the English language are tested including reading, writing, vocabulary, grammar, listening, and speaking. Registration process is carried out every week on Wednesdays where the department heads meet up with the students to discuss their scores and level and recommend classes most suited for them accordingly. Further information regarding the list of textbooks, class schedules, etc., are discussed and communicated to the students. Can I live off-campus? Yes. Students are free to choose the type of accommodation most suited to their needs. There are several apartments and houses near the university. Information about off-campus accommodation can be easily found on the IEP website as well as in the Student Handbook which is also accessible online on the IEP website. How about homestays? The easiest and fastest way to learn a foreign language and improve one's skills is to live with a native family. It not only enables language learning but also provides an opportunity for cultural exchange for both - the hosts as well as the guests. Homestays with an American family is hence included as one of the various types of accomodation for international applicants. This facility can be accessed for a fee. Homestays are however for a limited period of time and students are required to apply prior to the commencement of the IEP to avoid inconvenience. Does IEP arrange for homestays? No. IEP does not offer this service. However information about homestays can be accessed on the following address: Intercultural Homestays P.O. Box 27184 Seattle, WA 98265, USA. Telephone: (206) 367-5332 Toll Free: 1(800) 340-9088 Fax: (206) 367-5320 Website: www.ihincusa.com Email: ihincusa@aol.com 6. Feature Story: “As a parent of a twelve year old son who recently emigrated from China I faced some serious communication problems at his school's Parent-teacher conference. I was invited to discuss my son’s declining grades and the steps we could/ should take to ensure prompt resolution of this issue. I found myself at a loss for words due to my lack of English speaking skills. As a child the only languages I was exposed to were Mandarin and other ethnic Chinese languages. I did however learnt basic English before emigrating to the United States in preparation for a life abroad. I was confident of my skills and believed that I could easily converse with people around me. However my myth was completely shattered when I attended my son’s first parent-teacher conference post our emigration. I had problems in both listening – understanding what was being said as well as getting my point across due to significant differences in pronunciation. On my way home I was determined to fix the problem and looked for alternatives to educate myself in the language by enrolling in special classes. During my research I observed that most of these classes were organized for and aimed at students and for academic purposes. I came across the WWU’s IEP program and was pleasantly surprised to know that the IEP program catered to not only students but for immigrants from all walks of life and those intending to learn the language for non-academic purposes as well. I thoroughly scanned the website which provided detailed information on the courses offered, modes of payment, class schedules etc and finally joined the program. I was extremely satisfied with the course schedules and found it highly suitable for someone like me – a woman in her mid-thirties and a newly immigrant mother from China. The class comprised of various students from similar backgrounds from across the globe. The program equipped me with adequate tools to hone my skills and learn it amongst the native speakers, making it faster and easier for me to pick up where I left. The IEP program helped me to achieve native level fluency in the English language and helped me get a job as well. Today I am not only able to communicate well with those around me but also help my son in his homework and discuss his progress with his school teachers comfortably.” 7. Backgrounder: In a recent joint online survey conducted in October 2013 by eight leading educational organizations in the United States it was observed that the total percentage of international enrolments increased significantly registering about 72 per cent growth in the current year. 13 per cent of this growth was attributed to international enrolments in under-graduate programs alone. Also consistent with previous studies, most of this growth trend was driven by international students led by non-English speaking countries such as China, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Brazil and Vietnam. U.S. has historically attracted millions of students annually - courtesy its state-of-the-art educational programs, talented staff, and excellent educational programs along with great campus life and environment. According to International Consultants & Educational Foundation UNICEF, international student enrolments are perceived as a crucial source of income due to its ability to contribute to the nation's income prompting various leading American education institutions to focus further on international students as important source of revenue. There is a rising trend highlighting the emigration of international students from non-English speaking countries led by China indicating a serious need for providing appropriate educational programs aimed at such students. The unprecedented success of the Intensive English Program offered by the Western Washington University bears testimony to the fact that English teaching programs are of crucial significance to the international students. The IEP at WWU offers flexible programs aimed at welcoming not only students but professionals and non-professionals alike by way of programs tailored to suit the academic and/or non-academic needs of the learners. As the virtual space expands due to the advent of internet communication technologies the physical spaces are shrinking simultaneously. Multi-culturalism which was once a novel concept is the norm today. A program such as the IEP offers to build a bridge connecting people from diverse cultures and helping them transcend smoothly into the mainstream society. The very motto of the WWU echoes a similar sentiment – that of providing a quality English language experiences to students and in the process 'internationalize' the WWU campus. 8. Radio Script: The Western Washington University, Bellingham is celebrating the 30th anniversary of one of its highly successful educational programs - the Intensive English Program. The IEP has recently completed three glorious decades of quality education, catering to international students and supporting their need for language learning in one of the country's best campuses. Come join us as we celebrate the achievement on insert date here at insert venue here. Read More