B UILD THE BRIDGE : THE PRE - DEPARTURE COURSE FOR C HINESE COLLEGE STUDENTS CI501 Xiaoqing Ge

T ABLE OF C ONTENTS 1. Background and rationale for study 2. Question/Sub-questions 3. Context 4. Related research 5. Research methods 6. Data 7. Analysis 8. Policy recommendation Reference

1. B ACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR STUDY Background: Chinese students enrollment in US universities NO.1 (Shaun, 2012) Are they ready to experience the challenges? Is there a way that could help better prepare Chinese students before their arrival in the US? By pre-departure course, it usually addresses the following aspects: to give students instruction on language learning, to help students ease pre-departure anxiety, to help students develop culture awareness, gaining practical and logistical information. (Van, 1999) Rationale: As a Chinese international students As a ESL teacher-to-be

2. Q UESTION /S UB - QUESTIONS Do the Chinese students who were enrolled at the MA TESL program at Pennsylvania state university (PSU) for a semester think they need a pre-departure course to help them better get prepared to the academic life and study in the United States before they leave China? Need assessment of the pre-departure course: Content Context

3. C ONTEXT Participants: Four first – year MA TESL students at PSU (“TESL and APA,” n.d.) Why I interview them ?

4. R ELATED RESEARCH Potential benefits of study abroad in general An ideal way to prepare students to engage with other cultures and develop the behavioral skills necessary for intercultural appropriate and effective communication. (Schwenk, 2010) The pre-departure course in the other countries E.g. the PLATAO (Project for learning, training and outreach) at US colleges. (“Curriculum Modulus and APA,” n.d.) The pre-departure course in China New Oriental School: test (TOEFL, GRE ) preparation

5. R ESEARCH METHODS Historical approach: review statement of purpose before the interview Interview Previous experience: E.g. Why USA? Goals? Preparation? Current study and life: E.g. Adaptation for the first semester? Satisfied or not? Suggestion about preparation: E.g. Need the pre-departure course? Content? Context?

6. D ATA All of them think they need a pre-departure course to help them better adjust to their study and life Why?

1. “I’ve spent four years to make my dream come true.” Much efforts and expenses have been paid prior to departure Big decision ever made “I decided to study abroad on 9th Aug 2009.” J “I decided to study abroad when I was a freshman. I’ve spent four years to make my dream come true.” Z Highly valued “When I decided to study abroad, I have done a little research on the education system, the rankings of the world universities and I found that the US educational system is better than that in UK, Australia.” M

2. “I wish I could maximize the potential benefits.” Due to the lack of preparation, students still could not maximize the potential benefits of study abroad “I hope I can speak good English, real English and reach academic success, namely, know how to teach English. However, I feel like I can’t express myself so well, I can’t find the exact words for me to use.” F “I don’t even know I have to be waited till I can be seated in a restaurant.” M “I really have no idea how I can start a conversation with a native speaker of English in a natural way. I don’t think I got prepared before I leave and I wish I could maximize the potential benefits” M “I often stick to my Chinese friends, for I feel safer and more comfortable with them. And in this way, I do not have difficulty squeezing English out of myself and can get an in- group identity. I do not think America treat me as insider too. ”Z

3. “I believe I could be better adjusted to the current study and life if I attended a pre-departure course.” A good pre-departure preparation course will help students better adjust their study and life abroad “I believe I could be better adjusted to the current study and life if I attended a pre-departure course.” J

suggestions for the pre-departure course: Content: English oral communication, academic reading and writing, adjusting strategies It DEPENDS Context: When? Who? What materials? How much?

7. A NALYSIS The lack of preparation made Chinese students hard to adjust to their current study and life abroad in the US universities. Students cannot fully reach the potential benefits of studying abroad. (Becon, 2002)

8. P OLICY RECOMMENDATION For institutions who would like to offer a pre- departure course in China For students who do not want to take the pre- departure course but still want to get good preparation before departure For researchers who would like to do further research of the pre-departure training for Chinese students

R EFERENCE o Academic Programs Master of Arts in TESL. (n.d). The Pennsylvanian State University Web Site. Retrieved from o Curriculum Modulus of course “Before You Leave”. (n.d.) PLATO, the center of global education Webs Site. Retrieved from o Bacon, S. M. (2002). Learning the rules: Language development and cultural adjustment during study abroad. Foreign Language Annals, 35 (6), o Schwenk, L. A. (2010). Intercultural communication instruction: a pre- departure training program to promote success in US student study abroad (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Sacramento) o Van A, M. (1999). A pre-departure program for students who study abroad. The Internet TESOL Journal Online, 5 (9).doi:

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