E-mail this pageEnglish Bridge Program
Our English Bridge Program Allows You To
- Advance your skills with rigorous academic preparation
- Learn from excellent, highly qualified English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) teachers and tutors
- Enjoy more opportunities for language practice in our small-size classes
- Focus on adapting to university life in the United States with our cross-cultural instruction and discussion
- Partcipate in the Conversation Partner Program which provides one-on-one informal conversation practice with American students
- Earn academic credit for E.S.L. courses
English Bridge Program (up to 9 credits)
The objectives of the English Bridge Program (E.B.P.) are to provide English Language Skills, academic study skills, and familiarity with American culture, in order to enable students to function successfully at the university level. E.B.P. classes help students improve their ability to listen to lectures and take notes, read college textbooks, write essays, and edit their own grammar. Students learn how to speak American English with confidence.
The English Bridge Program offers two levels of instruction: Intermediate and Advanced. Students are placed into classes according to their ability in speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar. Thus, a student may be enrolled in the intermediate levels in reading and writing while in the advanced levels in speaking and listening. This means that most students are enrolled in one or more academic credit courses. Students are able to earn a total of nine academic credits in English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) that can be used toward graduation.
The Plattsburgh State campus offers a welcoming environment for E.B.P. students. The E.B.P. coordinates with other programs on campus to provide students with many services to help them meet the challenges of studying in a second language. The Learning Center, an excellent resource on campus for both American and International students, offers E.S.L. tutors, note-taking assistance, and extended-time testing. The E.B.P. and Education sponsor a conversation partner program where International students are paired one-on-one with American students for informal conversation practice. The Speech and Hearing Clinic offers pronunciation tutoring to E.B.P. students. In addition, some departments on campus offer courses that are structured for non-native speakers of English. For example, the English Department offers E.S.L. sections of ENG100 and ENG101 (freshman composition) and the Communication Department offers International student sections of COM101, "Intro to Public Speaking."
Benefits of E.S.L. Classes
- Students are placed according to ability at intermediate or advanced proficiency levels
- Advanced-level students earn up to 9 degree credits in E.S.L. that can be used toward graduation
- Advanced-level students have option to enroll in one or more regular university courses, on average earning 12 to 16 credits
- Small classes, with an average of 5-15 students, provide individual attention from teachers
- Sixteen hours or more of class each week in a 15-week semester
- Campus Learning Center provides E.S.L. tutoring, extended-time testing, and note taking assistance
- Emphasis is on building academic reading, writing, listening and speaking skills
Program Requirements
Important Dates
- Spring Semester, 2004: January 26 - May 14, 2004
- Fall Semester, 2004: August 23 - December 16, 2004
Accomodations, Meals and Facilities
- Plattsburgh State is a modern, safe, friendly university campus
- American-style residence halls and dining facilities, all of our dorm rooms have internet access
- Access to the university library, student union, computing facilities
Questions, Comments, Suggestions?
If you would like more information about the E.S.L. English Bridge Progam, please contact
Dr. Steve Gras, Coordinator
Office: Learning Center, Feinberg 103
Phone: (518) 564-2262
E-mail: steven.gras@plattsburgh.edu
Vickie Ellis
Secretary
Office: Learning Center, Feinberg 103
Phone: (518) 564-2612
E-mail: vickie.ellis@plattsburgh.edu