Education Faculty Provides Guidance to Students in Thailand Considering Study Abroad
Thursday, June 2, 2022
Educational Studies Assistant Professor, Bryan Meadows, Ph.D., spoke remotely with audiences in Thailand on May 25th in a webinar titled, "English Language Programs in the United States". The webinar event was jointly hosted by the EducationUSA Thailand office and AUA Language Center Bangkok.
The purpose of the webinar was to provide information about Intensive English Programs for individuals in Thailand who are considering English language study abroad in the United States. The audience of 32 attendees included university undergraduates, high school students, and working professionals. In his talk, Dr. Meadows first established the general characteristics of Intensive English Programs in the United States. Next, he described for audience members what it is like to attend English language classes and what types of student programming activities are often available. Dr. Meadows supported his descriptions with specific examples drawn from the campus ESL@SetonHall intensive English program. These included Student Fridays programming, volunteer teacher intern program, and student-produced podcasts.
Having established basic qualities of Intensive English Programs in the United States, Dr. Meadows next turned to general guidelines one should follow when selecting a program. He encouraged audience members to find the program that fits their personal priorities (e.g., location, cost, academics) and to always seek indicators of language program quality (e.g., program accreditation, transparent course sequence, detailed student handbook). One important thing to look for in a language program, he explained, is diversity in language program faculty. He drew the webinar to a close with a list of online resources so that audience members could carry forward their search for the language program that best fits their academic goals. The webinar closed with an active Q&A session.
For Seton Hall University, faculty engagement with global audiences contributes directly to our visibility as a world-class institution of Catholic education. In addition, faculty participation in virtual events in service to professional audiences is another way Seton Hall faculty realize the university mission of servant leadership.
The academic-based ESL@SetonHall intensive English program prepares individuals for success in postsecondary undergraduate and graduate programs in the United States. During morning coursework, students study reading, writing, listening, and speaking using academic materials. During afternoon coursework, students select from a range of elective classes including TOEFL Preparation, Digital Media Publishing, Pronunciation Skills, among others.
Categories: Education