Communication
The course focuses on three areas: aural comprehension; spoken English; and American attitudes, values, and customs. The first two areas provide practice in giving and receiving information. The addition of the third area is based on the belief that students learn a language more quickly in a comfortable, familiar environment. Through interviews with Americans and discussions in class, students begin to understand and accept cultural differences and to have positive feelings toward American culture.
Listening
Courses familiarize students with listening to pronunciation patterns, academic, and idiomatic vocabulary, and organization patterns that are commonly heard with US communities and classroom. Throughout the courses, students are exposed to a variety of listening materials from university lectures, class discussions, movies, television programs and music. They gain familiarity with many different accents and styles of speaking so they are prepared for listening tasks in university classes and their daily lives.
Reading
To this end, students are taught a variety of skills and are given an opportunity to practice many strategies while reading different kinds of written material (newspapers, magazines, schedules, documents, textbooks, correspondence, literature, etc.). Learning by doing is emphasized, and an eclectic teaching approach is employed.
Grammar
The emphasis in grammar class is on the use of the grammatical structures of English. Students work toward understanding the connection between form and meaning. They develop the ability to recognize and understand structures in various reading and listening texts. They practice choosing and applying grammar structures appropriately to meet their goals of writing and speaking effectively in English.
Writing
In the writing course, students do personal and academic writing. Throughout the semester, students have a chance to experiment with a variety of forms of writing, from journal entries and letters to critiques, essay examinations, and short papers that involve use of the library. Students read and respond to each other's writing, and in the process become more aware of their own strengths and weaknesses as writers. They learn to revise and edit their papers as they learn how to express their ideas as clearly as they can.
Classes are 50 or 75 minutes long. Students receive official grades (A-F) for each of their courses. These grades are recorded on an official University of Iowa transcript.
