ESL Program Launches a Virtual Campus Institute This Summer for International Students  

The ESL@SetonHall intensive English program is hosting its first summer campus institute July 26 – August 6, 2021. Due to the continuing COVID situation, the event will be held remotely, making this first summer institute a virtual one. The institute offers a unique opportunity for international students to connect with Seton Hall University on a short term basis during the break between spring and fall semesters.

The summer institute is designed for undergraduate and graduate students outside the United States who are preparing to become English language teachers. The institute will provide such individuals a unique opportunity to extend both their English language skills and their knowledge of the teaching profession over a concentrated two week session.

Because institute participants will attend remote synchronous sessions in real-time, the institute is reaching out to undergraduate and graduate student populations throughout the Americas (e.g., North, Central, and South America including the Caribbean) where there is just a one to two hour time difference with New Jersey. Additional marketing efforts are focused on Catholic institutions of higher education in the interest of building partnerships with peer Catholic universities.

The institute will feature 10 full days of morning and afternoon programming. The morning session, 2.5 hours per day, will provide language instruction with a focus on academic English. Participants will practice reading, writing, speaking, and listening while exploring themes such as Comparative Education, New York City Landmarks, Media Representation, and Option for the Poor and Vulnerable. The language instruction is designed for students at the intermediate level and above (e.g., CEFR B1 / IELTS 5.0+ / TOEFL 40+).

The afternoon session, also 2.5 hours per day, will provide a range of programming focused on professional development for future teachers. There will be panel talks, workshops, and seminars on a range of professional and academic topics. Importantly, there will be time set aside for institute attendees to network with one another and with an invited group of Seton Hall undergraduates majoring in education.

A special highlight of the afternoon programming will be a livestream tourist visit to New York City Manhattan. Institute attendees will be led on a walk around Times Square, a stroll down the High Line, and an invited tour inside St. Patrick's Cathedral. This will be in real time. Using the livestream app software, institute attendees will be able interact directly with the tour leader in real time and with one another.

In total, institute participants will be treated to 50-plus hours of synchronous engagement over the two weeks. At the conclusion of the institute, attendees will receive an official certificate of completion.

The institute is hosted by the ESL@SetonHall intensive English program under the direction of the Office of the Provost and Continuing Education and Professional Studies with the support of the College of Education and Human Services and the Office of International Programs. The institute is led by Dr. Bryan Meadows, ESL@SetonHall program director with the excellent assistance of Ms. Angelina Gonzalo, MPA graduate student and GA student worker.

The institute is part of campus efforts to expand the global visibility of Seton Hall University. The institute serves internationalization efforts in two ways. First, the institute will reach new global audiences in drawing attention to the quality education opportunities we offer at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Second, the institute will strengthen ties with Catholic universities world-wide, thus establishing new opportunities for academic exchange.

More information about all of the summer programs being offered, visit the Continuing Education and Professional Studies main page here.

Categories: Arts and Culture, Campus Life, Education, Nation and World