UCIEP GUIDELINES 2000

Members of the consortium of University and College Intensive English Programs (UCIEP) are dedicated to providing high quality academic English language instruction and cultural orientation to international students studying at institutions in the United States. Consortium member programs are located on a variety of college and university campuses throughout the United States. The guidelines below set professional standards for the management of UCIEP programs, for the preparation and conduct of those who administer and staff those programs, and for the activities undertaken by UCIEP programs in the context of higher education.

PROGRAM

A. An intensive English program (IEP), as defined for UCIEP purposes, is administered by an accredited university or college and receives adequate support from its institution, which at a minimum would include provision for suitable staff, and office and classroom facilities. Although no single administrative pattern is required, the intensive program should be sufficiently independent to permit the smooth functioning of all its activities.

B. The role of the intensive English program in the international education program of the university or college must be explicitly recognized by the institution's administration.

C. The intensive English program should have clearly established goals for the language-training program it provides. In general, these goals should provide adequate andÊappropriate training to meet the student's and the institution's language objectives.

PROGRAM STAFF

A. Administration and Core Faculty

1. The intensive English program has an administrator and a core faculty whose principal commitments are to the program. A continuing core faculty is necessary to provide programmatic stability and continuity. (See APPOINTMENTS for a definition of "core faculty.")

2. The program administrator has at least a master's degree as specified for core faculty', and preferably a doctorate. In addition to substantial prior ESL/EFL teaching experience, the administrator has administrative experience or training or is provided with such training. Administrative experience and training is understood to include such areas as teacher supervision, curriculum development, budgetary planning, and personnel management.

¹Administrators hired PF10F to July 1999 may have a master's degree in linguistics, applied linguistics or a related field, in lieu of the master's as specified.

3. Core faculty have prior ESL/EFL teaching experience and at least a master's degree in TESL/TEFL, or a master's degree in a related field with coursework in the areas of linguistics, culture and society, educational foundations, second language pedagogy, second language assessment, and language teaching practicum.² Core Faculty also have knowledge of or previous formal study of a second language. Core faculty teaching assignments are consonant with institutional goals that pen-nit time for university and professional growth and scholarship. The maximum average number of classroom contact hours per week for full-time faculty is 20 hours. The preferred teaching load is no more than 15 hours per week.

B. Teaching Assistants

I. Teaching Assistants are taking or have taken graduate work in TESUTEFL. Those lacking substantial teaching experience should have at least one semester of graduate coursework in the discipline prior to hiring.

2. A comprehensive pre-service orientation and training period is provided for Teaching Assistants.

3. Teaching Assistants are observed in their classroom teaching and meet with a faculty course coordinator or other supervisor on a regular basis to review their performance. Their teaching is evaluated using criteria consistent with those used in evaluating regular faculty.

4. The IEP has the right to relieve from teaching duties any Teaching Assistant whose performance is inferior.

5. The degree of responsibility assigned to Teaching Assistants is proportional toÊtheir degree of experience and teaching skill.

C. Other Faculty

Other faculty have education and experience equivalent to the minimal standard required for the core faculty. In exceptional cases temporary faculty who lack these qualifications may be hired but are closely supervised in their IEP teaching assignments either by the program administrator or by the designated members of the core faculty, and are provided with ongoing professional training. Continued employment of such faculty is contingent upon their working toward meeting the minimum requirements.

Core faculty hired prior to July 1999 may have an advanced degree or certificate in TESUTEFL, linguistics, applied linguistics, or equivalent professional training, in lieu of the master's degree as specified.

APPOINTMENTS

A. The program administrator holds a full-time faculty or administrative appointment in the university or college which administers the program and receives a formal agreement of employment on at least an annual or academic-year basis. Appointments are renewable and provide eligibility for the institution's benefits program.

B.The core faculty receive a formal agreement of employment on at least an annual or academic-year basis. Core faculty are offered full-time appointments, but may choose part-time status. Appointments are renewable and provide eligibility for the institution's benefits program.

C.The program administrator and faculty are evaluated according to the evaluation procedures at their institution.

PROGRAM CONTENT

A. The intensive English program provides the equivalent of a full course of studies consisting of at least 18 hours of instruction per week, not including language laboratory hours. At least 28 weeks of instruction are offered each academic year.

B. The intensive English program should have the capacity to provide at least three levels (or groups) of instruction each session.

C. Classes at appropriate levels are structured in such a way as to recognize that language leaming is an interrelated, interdependent, sequential process in which all language skill areas are addressed.

D. To ensure that students pursuing an academic program are adequately prepared, the syllabus includes instruction in the skills of listening, reading, speaking, and expository writing, as well as academic and cultural orientation to enable students to perform effectively at the college or university level.

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT

Adequate facilities and opportunities for faculty and staff development are provided through in-service training, tuition assistance for appropriate courses, and/or financial support for professional conferences.

STUDENT RECRUITMENT

Recruiting procedures are in accordance with those endorsed by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

TESTING AND PLACEMENT

Testing and placement procedures carried out by the intensive English program meet accepted professional standards. Testing instruments must be valid and reliable.

October, 2000