Preliminary English “ENG099” Orientation Program Proposal

Executive Summary

This proposal for the Orientation program analyses the need for an orientation program for the basic or preliminary English program ENG099. This program is targeted at undergraduate students who are starting off on their courses. In order to do their course properly, they need to have appropriate English speaking, reading, and writing skills. A test of these skills is carried out using TOEFL or ELTS. This would indicate the expertise of the students in English. Once the students are found to be good in English based on the TOEFL or ELTS scores, then the students are asked to take their placement test, which would, along with the other scores, decide on whether the student should be asked to go through the final test. Since the conditions stipulated are not simple and the reason for doing the program is also not easy to comprehend by the students, it would bring in better tidings if the university were to conduct a preliminary and an orientation program on the course ENG099.

Introduction

This paper is to identify whether there is a need to have an orientation program for the course ENGL 099 at the University. This would also aim at presenting the various requirements for the course and the complexities involved in knowing the program fully. In addition to this, qualifying for the program and the steps involved in the selection process for the program need to be explained to the students. All this information could be presented to the probable students along with the other information about the undergraduate program, the professors involved, and the credits that the student need to get. All this information should also be presented in detail to the student who would necessitate an orientation program.

This course was offered by the University after identifying that the students were failing in the subjects like History and Political Science, not because of their lack of knowledge in the subject but because they did not have sufficient English presentation skills. It was also found by the University once this course was offered, the pass percentage in the other undergraduate courses became better. Earlier, there was a failure rate of 44% due to bad communication skills in writing as well as in oral English. After the introduction of the course, the University found that the pass percentage had substantially improved.

What should we do?

The ENG099 is an English course which the students who have not matched up to the requirements of English need to do. The objective of the course is to ensure that the student has the right reading and writing skills. This would also enhance his or her communication skills in the University. Unless the student betters her skill in reading and listening, including speaking skills in English, it becomes an issue for him to go through the undergraduate program that he has applied for. Students who have scored over 520 in their TOEFL and have passed their placement test conducted by the University need not give this course. If the student has scored over 520 in her TOEFL but has failed in her placement test needs to do this program. If the person has not got over 520 in her TOEFL, then she has to do an intensive English program before getting on to the ENG099 program. Please see diagram 1.

Therefore, any student who does not go through either the placement test or the TOEFL (less than 520) will have to do the ENG099 program before doing their Undergraduate program.

Content of the Program

Since, as a student, the person should be capable of presenting their cases and arguments knowledgeably, and in line with their thinking process, they should have adequate English skills. In the course of this work, they will do 12 credits in four hours day program. There are levels in this program, and it is normally referred to as ENG099A, ENG099B, and ENG099C. Every student at the end of the placement test, if he fails to pass through, will be checked out on his level. Depending upon his level, he will be asked to attend either one of these three programs.

This course is manned with eleven full-time professors and five part-time professors. Students who are doing this program are taking up 12 credits. If their credit limitations are more than 12, then they can also do additional credits, which could be part of their undergraduate program. If they are having a credit limit of 12, then they may not be able to do any credits among their undergraduate subjects.

What other Universities do?

Across the world, Universities in English-speaking countries offer this course and also an orientation program. In the case of the University of Chicago, they offer a preparatory program in English before commencing the Undergraduate course for the students. In order to ensure that students understand the basic working of the course and why this has to be done, an orientation program is conducted at the beginning of the course for all the students who are eligible for the program.¹. In the case of, University of South Australia, too, they have a preparatory program in English before the undergraduate program commences for all those students who are in need of it. They are again judged based on their needs and the scores that they have obtained in the English test, either TOEFL or ELTS. Based on this, the person is advised to do the additional program. Since the person should not feel that he or she is wasting their time on this course, there is a preliminary orientation program to educate the students². This would help the students to understand the importance of the program and also to appreciate the essentiality of the program.

In the case of Imperial College, London, they too conduct a similar program with a clear understanding that people whoever has scored less than a specific level in ELTS should take the program.³. An initial briefing of the program is conducted by the college to all the qualifying students to ensure that they appreciate the need for the program. Most of the colleges conduct additional English and American literature programs for their students, depending upon their needs. And all of them also explain to their students about the need for this program since that would ensure their students have understood why the program has to be done and would volunteer for it. They would also not consider it a waste of money and time.

Orientation Program

The orientation program is conducted on every one of the courses, which might be having lots of questions and clarifications sought from the student side. In this case, the course normally evokes a number of whys and hows. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the stand taken by the university. University should explain the need for the program and the results from the program that makes it all the more lucrative to do it. It is much more important to ensure that the people pass their exams. When the communication skills of the individual are bad, this cannot be achieved. To write as well as to read, it is essential that students who are not to the best of their capabilities get trained in English.

Secondly, the students should also be in a position to appreciate the need and do not consider the additional payment a waste. The time spent should also be considered something well spent. This, therefore, has to be reinforced in the students.

Finally, the students should also know the way the course was initiated. The methods employed and the conditions through which the student flows through before deciding whether he should do the program or not. In all these conditions, it is essential that the students understand the logic of deciding and appreciate that they are really in need of such a program.

All these conditions force the student to take up the course. This has to be explained to the person so that he will do the orientation without any reservations. In order to ensure this happens, an orientation program is suggested. This can be conducted prior to the final admissions to the courses and after the announcement of the results of the placement test. Only those people who are eligible to join the course need be invited for the course. Since this constitutes 12 courses and only those people who have not passed the eligibility norms will do the course, the complete logic needs to be explained to them.

Conclusion

From the explanations given above, it can be safely concluded that the following has to be done:

1. The course offered, namely ENG099, is reasonably complex to understand why this course has to be done, and the validity of the program and its fitness to the students needs to be explained.
2. The program details need to be explained to the students so that they will be able to judge whether the student has to do the course or not.
3. In order to explain to the students all these factors and the method of conduct of the course, it would be welcome if an orientation program is conducted. It would take the students with it, and this would help in creating a more comfortable and working environment.

References

1. English Orientation program for freshers at the University of Chicago. Web.
2. The University of South Australia, Academic English Preparation programs in English.
3. Imperial College, Basic English Preparatory Course, London. Web.