Middlesex Community College

Provide rigorous English instruction and cultural training necessary for success in higher education in the United States. The IEI is committed to the goal of delivering quality evidence-based curriculum, informed by research and designed to prepare non-native speakers of English for the academic language needed for positive outcomes in pursuit of their own higher educational experiences in the U.S.A. The IEI considers its role as a contributor to Middlesex Community College's mission and vision by offering academic excellence and transforming lives through educational and career opportunities for all members of our community. We empower all learners to become productive and socially responsible members of our local and global communities.

MCC’s IEI will report grades based on the college official grading scheme as follows below.  While these grades will not be calculated into the students’ Grade Point Averages and will not earn credit toward graduation, they will provide an achievement scale that is common in educational environments and consistent with what students will experience in academic programs after completion of IEI if they choose to continue to study in colleges and universities in our region. This grade reporting system will take effect will be for students admitted to the fall 2021 semester of the IEI classes.

Prerequisite grade for each class must be C-, 70 to 72 %, in order to advance to the next level. Grades below C-, D+, D, D-, and F indicate these classes must be repeated. If a student earns a grade below C-, D+, D, D-, and F, the classes must be repeated the next semester they are available. To earn an overall semester grade of C-, 70 to 72%, or higher and advance to the next level, students are required to pass each of the three classes that comprise their courses (either high intermediate or advanced):

1. Reading/Writing/Grammar:
• 4 Grammar Tests score of 70% or higher overall
• 4 Reading Comprehension Tests score of 70% or higher overall
• 4 successfully completed writing assignments score of 70% or higher overall
• Reflective Portfolio Project writing and presentation score of 70% or higher
• Reading, writing, grammatical knowledge competencies are supported and measured by rubrics that explain the criteria for evaluation.
2. Listening/Remembering/Note-Taking:
• 4 vocabulary quizzes
• Midterm Exercise/Project score of 70% or higher
• Final Exercise/Project score of 70% of higher
• Listening comprehension demonstrated by successful memory of speaker’s discourse is supported with note-taking techniques. Listening comprehension competences are supported and measured by rubrics that explain the criteria for evaluation.
3. Conversations and Actions:
• Speaking skills demonstrated and noted according to instructor checklists (debates, arguments, and expressing opinions) score of 70% or higher
• Presentation skills demonstrated and noted according to instructor checklists score of 70% or higher
• Educational cultural skills demonstrated and noted according to instructor checklists score of 70% or higher
• Conversational abilities and cultural knowledge competencies are supported and measured by rubrics that explain the criteria for evaluation.

Intensive English Institute classes and courses are not-for-credit.  Beginning with the fall 2021 semester students will be able to receive grades based on the college’s official grading scheme. While these grades will not be calculated into the students’ grade point averages, and will not earn credit towards graduation, these grades provide an achievement scale that is common in educational environments and consistent with what they will experience in academic programs, after completion of the IEI, if they choose to continue to study in colleges and universities in our region. Prerequisite grade for each class must be C-, 70 to 72 %, in order to advance to the next level.

To advance to the next level in the Intensive English Institute the students have met all of the class objectives for their three classes in their course of study. Students who earn grades below C-, D+, D, D-, and F indicate these classes must be repeated. If a student earns a grade below C-, D+, D, D-, and F, the classes must be repeated the next semester they are available. Students may only repeat the course once, (This means the level is taken a total of two times.) If a student fails their course a second time, the student will be referred to another English language program at MCC. This option includes alternative not-for-credit classes which are non-intensive, or in special cases, students may return to the IEI and retake a full placement test to determine a new level placement. Placement beyond the level the student had already failed will permit the student to enroll in the next level.

New students will take a placement test before the start of a semester and their classes.  Students who are true beginners are not recommended for placement into the IEI.  Students who place above the IEPI’s highest level, advanced IEI-095, are recommended for MCC college programs of study.

The online placement test evaluates English language communication skills in 4 areas:  reading, writing, listening, and speaking with tasks that evaluate knowledge of grammar. There is no separate vocabulary, as it is tested through all tasks in all sections. The ABLE B2 placement test takes approximately 2 and ½ hours to complete and it is administered online by Hellenic American University. The Director of the Intensive English Institute at Middlesex Community Colleges works collaboratively with the Director of the Office for Language Assessment at Hellenic American University to schedule the placement tests for MCC students. When the placement tests are completed, the IEI Director receives a report with the student’s results and recommended level placement.

Prior to the start of a semester’s courses, new students complete a placement assessment process as follows:

• To assure potential students have the necessary communication skills to place into either IEI level, high-intermediate or advanced, the IEI Director conducts an initial intake interview to evaluate listening and comprehending spoken language and speaking fluency. Students are asked to respond to a set of questions while the director takes notes and scores their responses against a rubric.
• The next phase of the initial intake interview involves a reading passage followed by a set of seven questions requiring written answers to evaluate how well the student comprehends written English language.
• The final phase of the initial intake interview includes a writing prompt based on general understanding of the reading passage and applying that understanding to their own experience.
• The results of the intake interview are evaluated using rubrics that correspond to IEI levels of instruction.
• If the potential students either do not demonstrate proficiency levels below those of the IEI or demonstrate they are prepared for classes more challenging than the advanced level of the IEI, the director introduces them to colleagues who can advise them further. The college has alternative classes to offer to these students.
• Before the start of a semester’s courses, new students take an online placement test that evaluates English language communication skills in 4 areas: reading, writing, listening, and speaking with tasks that evaluate knowledge of grammar. There is no separate vocabulary, as vocabulary is tested through all tasks in all sections. This test is administered by Hellenic American University and it is called the ABLE B2 test.
• The IEI Director shares information with IEI instructors regarding each student’s English language communication skills proficiency and production.
• The 1^st and 2^nd days of each semester are devoted to orientation to the IEI and MCC. During orientation days instructors conduct sample lessons involving reading, writing, listening, speaking, and grammar to support the students’ placement into the levels.
• The 3rd and 4th days of each semester are considered trial classes with the students grouped by level based on the placement test results. The instructors continue to assess students during the trial classes on reading, listening, speaking, and writing.
• The students can be recommended for a change in level, either up or down, as a result. The IEI instructors conference with the students about their placement. The students are asked to provide feedback and if a student needs to be moved up or down, the IEI Director works with the college registrar to facilitate the process.
• A student can initiate the conversation regarding level placement with the instructors as well during week one of a semester. If a student believes changing the level placement will be beneficial and the instructors support this belief evidenced by the student’s classroom performance and language proficiency skills, the IEI Director will assist the student and instructor with the request to move up or down and with the college registrar to facilitate the process.

There are two levels in MCC’s Intensive English Institute:

• IEI 090: High Intermediate Intensive English Institute
• IEI 095: Advanced Intensive English Institute

There are three classes in each semester’s course of MCC’s IEI:

• Reading/Writing/Grammar
• Listening/Remembering/Note-Taking
• Conversations and Actions
• Also -- twice weekly conference and lab time

There are two 16-week semesters in each level of MCC’s Intensive English Institute:

• Fall Semester
• Winter/Spring Semester

Achievement Scale is based on Student Learning Outcomes for each level. These outcomes describe what students should be able to do in each of the language skill areas after finishing that level, and represent MCC’s Intensive English Institute’s achievement scale. The following descriptions of MCC’s IEI’s courses explain course goals and outcomes and student learning outcomes per class in each course of the two levels. The text materials and curriculum is different in each semester. If a student enters the IEI courses in fall semester, the fall semester’s teaching and learning is different from the winter/spring semester. If a student enters the IEI courses in winter/spring semester, the winter/spring semester’s teaching and learning is different from the fall.

Intensive English Institute high-intermediate Reading/Writing/Grammar Classes

Student success academic skills for second language speakers including supplemental instruction leadership are embedded in this course.

Reading course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• To apply skimming and scanning skills, using both textbooks and authentic texts.
• To practice inferring meanings of words from texts.
• To identify a wider range of use of transition and/or linking words within texts.
• To apply active reading and annotation skills to strengthen reading comprehension abilities.
• To follow a disciplined practice of close readings of complex academic texts.

Writing course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• To use the process necessary for the U.S. style of academic writing including prewriting, writing, and rewriting assignments to prepare for college coursework.
• To proofread and edit their papers, they will become familiar with writing multiple drafts due to peer editing and conferences with faculty.
• To write essays which may include persuasive essay writing.
• To paraphrase and summarize.
• To produce complex sentences with a wide range of conjunctions, and use transition and/or linking words to express comparison and contrast, cause and effect and opinion.
• To write papers with the expectation of producing up to 200 words using text or graphical prompts.

Grammar course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• To actively practice using complex grammatical forms and sentence structure in English, to develop the necessary skills to proofread and edit their own writing through peer review and self-assessment.
• To review and expand on grammatical knowledge focusing on the most commonly misused grammatical challenges faced by second language speakers in U.S. higher education courses.
• To edit their papers and conference with instructors to allow for just-in-time instruction of grammar.

Reading Student Learning Outcomes -- upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Read and understand non-fiction texts with some viewpoints:

• Incorporate use of pre-reading techniques to facilitate understanding of texts
• Apply reading strategies to unlock meaning of texts
• Adopt use of active reading skills by using textual annotation

Respond to the ideas and information in the texts orally and in writing:

• Recognize differences between fact and opinion with support
• Discuss abstract concepts found in readings with support
• Discuss diverse perspectives represented in readings with support
• Explore inferences from specific data with support
• Identify ideas and information to develop viewpoints on a topic with support

Writing Student Learning Outcomes – upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Write paragraphs integrating ideas and information in the texts:

• Organize ideas in writing
• Formulate a controlling idea to focus writing with support
• Support each point with evidence and examples
• Tailor writing to address a specific audience with support
• Develop sentences to explain ideas
• Detect and correct some mechanical and grammatical errors with support

Grammar Student Learning Outcomes– upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Know how to apply use of grammatical forms recognized as the most commonly misused grammatical challenges faced by second language speakers in U.S. higher education courses.

• Review and use of verb tenses
• Use gerunds and infinitives with accuracy
• Construct passive sentences
• Express conditional sentences and wishes
• Use indirect speech appropriately

Intensive English Institute High-Intermediate listening/remembering/note-taking Class

Student success academic skills for second language speakers including supplemental instruction leadership are embedded in this course.

Listening course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• Apply necessary academic skills to participate successfully in U.S. college and/or university classrooms where faculty lecture in English.
• Apply practice and use of the Cornell note-taking system to enable them to actively listen and annotate to build memories with the lecturer’s spoken words.
• Identify topics and themes in formal, academic lectures gradually extending in length, and elements that contribute to communication and spoken text.
• Actively listen and watch video lectures that utilize Ted Talks delivered by native and non-native speakers along with interacting with the faculty.
• To make connections with lessons taught in other classes by listening for words and phrases that signal sequence, process, definition, cause and effect, compare and contrast.
• To apply listening skills to focus on accuracy of sounds and practice pronunciation with stress and intonation.

Remembering course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• Use and practice the Cornell system of note-taking to build memories with the language they hear when they listen by learning how to take notes.
• Use and refer to notes to allow them to recall information for class discussions.

Note-Taking course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• Use their written notes to learn how to participate in U.S. college and/or university classrooms where they compete with native speakers.
• Apply and practice appropriate classroom language to express agreement or disagreement in academic contexts.
• Demonstrate listening comprehension progress by presenting a talk of an academic nature for about 10 to 15 minutes, using notes and aids.

Listening/Remembering/Note-Taking Student Learning Outcomes — upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply note-taking strategies to guide in answering comprehension questions, and writing summaries.
• Comprehend spoken and written authentic sources with support.
• Summarize and/or react in writing and in speaking with support to demonstrate listening comprehension.
• Demonstrate an understanding of new academic vocabulary.
• Listen and understand conventional narrative and descriptive texts, the main ideas, and many supporting details.

Intensive English Institute High-Intermediate Conversations and Actions Class
Student success academic skills for second language speakers including supplemental instruction leadership are embedded in this course.
Conversations and actions course goals and outcomes--students will be taught to:

• Apply necessary academic skills to participate successfully in S. college and/or university classrooms where classmates can be native speakers of English who grew up in the U.S. Understand and accept cultural actions of academically successful students attending college or university classes in the U.S.
• Gain cultural understanding of S. higher education institutions and their expectations for successful student academic performance.
• Apply and practice cultural actions to allow the initiation of academic conversations that include discussions, debates, arguments, and/or
• Analyze and reflect on aspects of current events, life in the S., and TOEFL listening and speaking preparation.
• Use content of video lectures that utilize Ted Talks delivered by native and non-native speakers along with interacting with the faculty to create. Make connections with lessons taught in other classes by listening for words and phrases that signal sequence, process, definition, cause and effect, compare and contrast.
• Apply speaking skills to focus on accuracy of sounds and practice pronunciation with stress and
• Focus on speaking in this class to practice appropriate classroom language and express agreement or disagreement in academic contexts Student Learning Outcomes--upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
• Facilitate class discussions that may involve stating and supporting positions, expressing agreement or disagreement, soliciting opinions, and restating other’s views.
• Demonstrate ability to ask for clarification, give instructions, discuss and describe problems and offer
• Demonstrate ability to speak in front of native speakers and when participating in group
• Demonstrate intra-personal capacity related to cultural sensitivity of the S. higher education classroom setting and expectations for successful academic student performance to aid in understanding and interpreting text material through reflection.

Intensive English Institute Advanced Reading/Writing/Grammar Classes
Student success academic skills for second language speakers including supplemental instruction leadership are embedded in this course.

Reading course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• To apply skimming and scanning skills, using both textbooks and authentic text.
• To practice inferring meanings of words from text.
• To identify a wider range of transition and/or linking words within texts.
• To apply active reading and annotation skills to strengthen their reading comprehension abilities.
• To follow a disciplined practice of close readings of complex academic texts.

Writing course goals and outcomes—students will be taught these skills:

• To use necessary process for U.S. style of academic writing including prewriting, writing, and rewriting assignments to prepare for college coursework.
• To proofread and edit their papers while they will become familiar with writing multiple drafts due to peer editing and conferences with instructors.
• To write expository essays, including a strong focus on writing thesis statements and supporting details.
• To write persuasive essays.
• To paraphrase and summarize.
• To produce complex sentences with a wide range of conjunctions, and use transition and/or linking words to express comparison and contrast, cause and effect and opinion.
• To write papers with the expectation of producing a full page of text using text or graphical prompts.

Grammar course goals and outcomes—students will be taught these skills:

• To actively practice using complex grammatical forms and sentence structure in English, to develop the necessary skills to proofread and edit their own writing through peer review and self-assessment.
• To review and expand on grammatical knowledge focusing on the most commonly misused grammatical challenges faced by second language speakers in U.S. higher education courses.
• To edit their papers and conference with faculty to allow for just-in-time instruction of grammar.

Reading Student Learning Outcomes -- upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Independently read and understand complex academic texts with multiple viewpoints:

• Incorporate use of pre-reading techniques to facilitate understanding of texts
• Apply strategies to unlock meaning of texts
• Adopt use of active reading skills by using textual annotation
• Critically respond to the ideas and information in the texts
• Recognize and distinguish differences between fact and opinion with support
• Identify and discuss abstract concepts found in readings
• Identify and discuss diverse perspectives represented in readings
• Identify and explain inferences from text with support
• Synthesize ideas and information to develop their own viewpoints on a topic

Writing Student Learning Outcomes—upon completion of this course, students will be able to:    Write essays integrating ideas and information in the texts:

• Organize ideas clearly and effectively in writing with support
• Formulate a controlling idea to focus writing
• Support each point with adequate evidence and examples
• Tailor writing to address a specific audience
• Develop sentences to relate and emphasize ideas
• Detect and correct major mechanical and grammatical errors with support

Grammar Student Learning Outcomes--upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Know how to apply use of grammatical forms recognized as the most commonly misused grammatical challenges faced by 2^nd language speakers in U.S. higher education courses:

• Review and use of verb tenses
• Use adverb clauses with accuracy
• Construct passive sentences
• Express conditional sentences and wishes
• Use phrasal verbs with accuracy

Intensive English Institute Advanced Listening/Remembering/Note-taking Classes
Student success academic skills for second language speakers including supplemental instruction leadership are embedded in this course.

Listening course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• Apply necessary academic skills to participate successfully in U.S. college and/or university classrooms where faculty lecture in English.
• Apply practice and use of the Cornell note-taking system to enable them to actively listen and annotate to build memories with the lecturer’s spoken words.
• Identify topics and themes in formal, academic lectures gradually extending in length, and elements that contribute to communication and spoken text.
• Actively listen and watch video lectures that utilize Ted Talks delivered by native and non-native speakers along with interacting with the faculty.
• To make connections with lessons taught in other classes by listening for words and phrases that signal sequence, process, definition, cause and effect, compare and contrast.
• To apply listening skills to focus on accuracy of sounds and practice pronunciation with stress and intonation.

Remembering course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• Use and practice the Cornell system of note-taking to build memories with the language they hear when they listen by learning how to take notes.
• Use and refer to notes to allow them to recall information for class discussions.

Note-taking course goals and outcomes – students will be taught these skills:

• Use written notes to learn how to participate in U.S. college and/or university classrooms where they compete with native speakers.
• Apply and practice appropriate classroom language to express agreement or disagreement in academic contexts.
• Demonstrate listening comprehension progress by presenting a talk of an academic nature for about 10 to 15 minutes, using notes and aids.

Listening/Remembering/Note-Taking Student Learning Outcomes — upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Apply note-taking strategies to guide in answering comprehension questions, writing summaries, and composing responses to critical thinking questions
• Comprehend spoken and written authentic sources.
• Summarize and/or react in writing and speaking.
• Demonstrate understanding of academic vocabulary.
• Listen and understand conventional narrative and descriptive texts of varied length as well as complex and argumentative speech.
• Comprehend facts presented in oral discourse and frequently recognize speaker-intended inferences.

Intensive English Institute Advanced Conversations and Actions Classes
Student success academic skills for second language speakers including supplemental instruction leadership are embedded in this course.

Conversations and Actions course goals and outcomes-- students will be taught to:

• Apply necessary academic skills to participate successfully in U.S. college and/or university classrooms where classmates can be native speakers of English who grew up in the U.S.
• Understand and accept cultural actions of academically successful students attending college or university classes in the U.S.
• Gain a cultural understanding of U.S. higher education institutions and their expectations for successful student academic performance.

• Apply and practice cultural actions to allow the initiation of academic conversations that include discussions, debates, arguments, and/or presentations.
• Analyze and reflect on aspects of current events, life in the U.S., and TOEFL listening and speaking preparation.
• Use content of video lectures that utilize Ted Talks delivered by native and non-native speakers along with interacting with the faculty to create conversations.
• Make connections with lessons taught in other classes by listening for words and phrases that signal sequence, process, definition, cause and effect, compare and contrast.
• Apply speaking skills to focus on accuracy of sounds and practice pronunciation with stress and intonation.
• Focus on speaking in this class to practice appropriate classroom language and express agreement or disagreement in academic contexts.

Conversations and Actions Student Learning Outcomes—upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Facilitate class discussions that may involve stating and supporting positions, expressing agreement or disagreement, soliciting opinions, and restating other’s views.
• Demonstrate ability to ask for clarification, give instructions, discuss and describe problems and offer solutions.
• Demonstrate ability to speak in front of native speakers and when participating in group discussions.
• Demonstrate intra-personal capacity related to cultural sensitivity of the U.S. higher education classroom setting and expectations for successful academic student performance to aid in understanding and interpreting text material through reflection.

At your request, MCC’s IEI will generate a letter of recognition upon conclusion of classes. A letter of recognition confirms your success in accomplishing your learning goals in the Intensive English Institute classes and will list course level, classroom hours attended, semester, term, and year of completion.

All IEI students come to class 4 times a week for 16 weeks. Each class meets for 2 and ½ hours each morning and 2 hours each afternoon. Students are expected to attend every class.

Students are required to be at least 80% present in their classes to be considered progressing in their program. This is especially important when learning a second language. Attendance is carefully taken for each class throughout each week and each semester. It is widely recognized in education that attending classes is the most important factor impacting student success and progress.

Student academic success is of utmost importance to MCC’s IEI instructors and director. As a result, If students are getting close to falling below the 80% attendancerequirement, the following steps will be taken:

• IEI instructors will talk with students about their attendance and absenteeism patterns and remind them of the 80% attendance requirement and the importance of academic and language learning success.
• IEI instructors will notify IEI director with an e-mail message regarding any student who is at risk of falling below the 80% requirement for attendance and that they have had a conversation with the students involved.
• IEI director will reach out to the students who are at risk of falling below the 80% requirement for attendance via e-mail and telephone to confirm their comprehension and to discuss a plan for improvement.
• IEI director will update and inform the IEI instructors via e-mail summarizing the conversations with the students who are at risk of falling below the 80% requirement for attendance.
• If the students fall below the 80% requirement for attendance despite the steps for intervention, they will be advised to withdraw from the class.