In 1996, the College of Micronesia applied for a grant from the US Department of Education Title III program. One of the main purposes of this grant was to provide better college preparation, specifically in English. To quote the accepted grant proposal:
"The language of instruction is English for all of the students, a second language. Languages and Literature is the largest department at the College. A few students succeed admirably with little developmental work, but there are many more who could profit from more intensive English instruction before undertaking college-level work."
One of the stated goals from the College as part of the above mentioned grant proposal is:
"To prepare students for instruction and interaction in the English language by developing and implementing an Intensive English Program, augmented with computer technology."
Accordingly, the Intensive English Program (IEP) was implemented at Pohnpei State Campus in the 96/97 academic year. Students entering the IEP took 6 hours of classes per day, 5 days a week. ESL/EFL specialists were recruited to teach in the IEP, and provided instruction in Reading, Writing, Listening/Speaking, Mathematics, and Science/Social Studies. In addition, students spent one period a day in the computer lab, receiving Computer Assisted Instruction in one of the above disciplines. A study hall was also implemented which was a mandatory period for each group of students.
Methodology
The underlying methodology and theory behind the IEP stresses that it must be integrated, intensive, communicative, and backed by technology.
Integrated: IEP teachers do not work in isolation, and come together for weekly meetings to discuss approaches and share ideas. In addition if one class is focusing on one particular topic, other teachers will endeavour to bring this topic into their own classrooms. For example, if the social science teacher is working on sociology, the reading teacher may provide reading practice in this particular topic area. This may then extend into writing and speaking practice, and even into mathematics as statistical analysis. Moreover, the Wednesday project adds even further integration into the program, providing practice in a "real-world" context in all of the taught areas. In Pohnpei State Campus' IEP, for example, one such project had students mapping Kolonia town, using all the skills they gained from the different courses - including measurements (from math), research into historical sites (reading), interviews with local historians and experts (listening & speaking), map skills and geography (social science), and writing a report into some aspect of the project (writing).
Intensive: As mentioned above, the students are on campus working in all five main subject areas every day. This intensive approach was found to be very successful, resulting in increased retention rates, and less course time wasted going over previously learnt areas. In regular college courses students typically attend two 1½-hour classes, or three 1-hour classes per week. With the current set up of four 45-minute classes plus the project day in the middle of the week, students were noticeably more ready to move on at the beginning of each day (and therefore faster learners).
Communicative: The course is designed to be a specific ESL course and as such employs communicative ESL methodology. Teachers are hired according to ESL qualifications and experience (see below), and all classes are taught using a communicative methodology - even the non-English sections of the program. Students are encouraged to speak, ask questions, work together in groups to solve problems, and generally think for themselves - rather than a more traditional lecture based classroom. Obviously this takes some getting used to for students brought up in traditional Micronesian high schools where much learning is by rote, but we found that before long most become quite comfortable with this technique. The students who typically enter the IEP are the ones who traditional methods may have left behind, so it makes sense to try a new approach. As with any teaching methodology, it is not for every learner, but successes suggest that for the majority this change helped them in their learning.
Backed by Technology: As mentioned above, all students in the IEP spend at least one period a day in the computer lab, doing assigned work. This may include reading exercises using a multimedia encyclopedia, writing assignments, listening work using educational software, math problems also using software, or using an atlas on CD-ROM to do research on a particular country for Geography. All students exiting the IEP are familiar with word processing skills, using Windows '95 OS, copying and pasting articles from one format to another, and so on. As the College, and the world, turns more towards the use of technology in many areas, this can only be advantageous to the students.
Course Structure
The IEP is divided into five courses, each of which takes place over 4 eight week terms. The courses are Listening & Speaking, Reading, Writing, Math, and Science/Social Science. The course is intensive, in that students attend every class, every day for 45 minute periods. In other words, each student is required to be in class for 7 periods a day, four days a week. A total of over 5 hours class time per day, 21 hours per week. In addition students work on projects on Wednesdays or Thursdays, where they must work in groups with a teacher to complete a large task
Information gathered from "Report into the Effectiveness of the Intensive English Program" prepared by Andy Hockley, July 1998 and the "Intensive English Program Information Handbook" prepared by Andy Hockley and Jean Thoulag.