best practices in service-learning: engaging international students in service experiences
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Best Practices in Service-Learning: Engaging International Students in Service Experiences. ESL/EAP Program Saint Louis University. Contemporary Issues: Social Justice and Intercultural Communication. EAP 110 content class 4 hours per week - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Best Practices in Service-Learning: Engaging International Students in Service Experiences
ESL/EAP ProgramSaint Louis University
Contemporary Issues: Social Justice and Intercultural Communication
EAP 110 content class 4 hours per week Topics of global issues, social justice, and
cultural studies 4 mandatory service projects for the whole
class, accompanied by instructors Reflective blogs, required readings,
presentations, response papers, and final reflection paper
Service-Learning Classes in the ESL/EAP Program
Since 2008… Approximately 400 students… More than 30 teachers… Over 1,000 hours of service.
Service-Learning Students engage in community service
activities with intentional academic and learning goals and opportunities for reflection that connect to their academic disciplines (Cress, 7).
Not common in ESL programs because requires content-based instruction.
Goals Promote critical thinking skills, connection
between class content, ESL skill building, and life experience;
Improve motivation to learn and adapt to the culture;
Create opportunities to improve reading and writing fluency; and
Teach the ideals of social justice within cultural contexts.
How did we do? Connections between class topics and life outside
the university, Students more positive in every area of the class,
especially seeing peers as resources, but Still need explicit instruction for continued
language acquisition, especially reading and writing, and
Formation of concept(s) of social justice still in nascent stages.
Keys to SuccessRelationships inside… ESL Program
Team of instructors Sustained content
Institutional Support Finances Mission
Preparation for students Rationale Scaffolding
And outside… Community Network
Practical Sustainable
Bibliography Crandall, J., & Kaufman, D. (Eds.). (2002). Content-Based
Instruction in Higher Education Settings. Alexandria, VA: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages.
Cress, C., Collier, P., & Reitenauer, V. (2005). Learning Through Service: A Student Guidebook for Service-Learning Across the Disciplines. Sterling: Stylus Publishing.
Pally, M. (Ed.). (2000). Sustained Content Teaching in Academic ESL/EFL: A Practical Approach. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
VOICES. (2007). Retrieved April 22, 2008, from http://voices.slu.edu