QUESTIONS? CONTACT:
Nicole Schwindenhammer
nmf119@psu.edu
(814) 867-4284
Knowledge Base: I am a Graduate Student
Writing:
Take a class. International graduate students can register for a graduate-level writing course designed for multilingual writers, ESL 116G: Composition for Academic Disciplines. This course guides students through the processes of analysis, organization and writing of academic essays and research papers, in line with the rhetorical norms of their academic disciplines.
Attend writing workshops. Graduate students are invited to attend workshops on graduate academic writing that are offered throughout the year by EPPIC and by the Graduate Writing Center. These workshops are free of charge; registration is available on-line.
Schedule a consultation. Appointments for individual writing consultations are available from the Graduate Writing Center and from EPPIC tutors who specialize in working with multilingual writers.
Take a class. International graduate students can register for a graduate-level writing course designed for multilingual writers, ESL 116G: Composition for Academic Disciplines. This course guides students through the processes of analysis, organization and writing of academic essays and research papers, in line with the rhetorical norms of their academic disciplines.
Attend writing workshops. Graduate students are invited to attend workshops on graduate academic writing that are offered throughout the year by EPPIC and by the Graduate Writing Center. These workshops are free of charge; registration is available on-line.
Schedule a consultation. Graduate students can schedule appointments for individual writing consultations to address all stages of academic writing (from brainstorming to revising final drafts) at the Graduate Writing Center, and from EPPIC Tutors (in 220 Boucke Building). Appointments for one-on-one writing consultations at the Graduate Writing Center are available through the GWC scheduling website. EPPIC tutors who specialize in working with multilingual writers offer appointments online.
Speaking:
Take a class. International graduate students may enroll in ESL 114G: American Oral English for Academic Purposes for practice and guidance in developing graduate-level speaking and presentational skills in English. Students are also invited to register for specialized workshops from EPPIC that focus on academic speaking skills such as small talk, participating in class, practicing for job interviews in the U.S., giving oral presentations, and working in groups.
Schedule a consultation. EPPIC Individual Consultations (EICs) are available for students who would like individualized feedback on their academic speaking and/or presentational skills. Appointments for EICs can be made online.
Join a group. International students may join weekly Speak UP speaking group sessions led by an experienced EPPIC language teacher. Speak UP is designed to help international students and scholars learn about U.S. university language and culture, and gain practice and confidence in their academic speaking skills in English in a variety of situations.
Attend workshops. Students can attend EPPIC workshops on American academic culture and language throughout the year.
Join a group. Participate in weekly Speak UP speaking group sessions to learn more about academic language and culture in the U.S. and to practice conversational strategies for a variety of situations.
Teaching:
Take an ITA class. International graduate students who are being considered for Teaching Assistantships at Penn State are required to take the AEOCPT (American English Oral Communicative Proficiency Test) to evaluate their English communication skills for teaching purposes. Based on their test results, students complete coursework in the ITA Preparation Program before beginning to teach at Penn State. Courses in this program (ESL 115G, 117G, and 118G) provide structured practice in a variety of speaking and presentational tasks related to classroom teaching in the U.S., including delivering lectures, leading interactive lessons, and working with students during office hours.
Attend workshops. Support for developing teaching skills in a U.S. university context (e.g., delivering clear lectures, leading discussions effectively, handling student questions, adjusting to student expectations) is available through workshops offered by EPPIC (English for Professional Purposes Intercultural Center) and SITE (Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence).
Schedule a consultation. EPPIC offers EICs (EPPIC Individual Consultations) for international instructors and faculty who are seeking individualized feedback and strategies for effective classroom communication. Appointments for EICs can be made online. The Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence (SITE) also offers individual consultations on multiple aspects of teaching.