How colleges can better educate non-native English speakers

I'm here at the St. Mary's University campus for a seminar on how colleges can better educate and support the growing number of students whose native language is not English.

The speakers are starting in just a minute, so here's a little background for now:

1 in 5 Minnesota College Students Will Call

English Their Second Language by 2015

Minneapolis event to focus on how this will affect

college classrooms and the workforce

 

What:            By 2015, one in five Minnesota college students won’t speak English as their primary language.  In fact, non-native English speakers are the fastest-growing segment of the student population.

Are our universities prepared to serve these students?  What is the ethical way to grade non-native English speakers?  And how fluent do they need to be to enter and thrive in the American workforce?

The Minneapolis campus of Saint Mary’s University will host an event to discuss these important questions.  Experts will be available for interviews; please arrange those in advance.

 

Who:  

·       Dana Ferris, Ph.D.

National expert in TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages)

·       Cheryl Prentice

      Saint Mary’s University ESL (English as a second language) writing expert

·       Attendees to include instructors, program administrators, and writing and ESL professionals

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