George Fox University | Academics | Departments | Chances to Participate

The English Language Institute seeks to integrate its students into the university community in many ways. This helps the students enjoy a variety of experiences while studying at an American university.

Each student has an American roommate and an American conversation partner. English Language Institute students are encouraged to participate in general campus events. One example is Serve Day, when students, faculty, and staff work together to serve needs in the local community. They also participate in new student orientation activities and seminars, biweekly chapels, residence hall activities, and any number of cultural and social activities organized by faculty and students on campus.

Some special activities are designed to help English Language Institute students become familiar with academic aspects of George Fox University. All English Language Institute students participate in Class Observation Week, a week in the middle of each semester set aside for visiting regular classes on campus. Students say that Class Observation Week helps them understand what skills they need to develop in order to be successful in regular classes, helps them become familiar with the variety of disciplines at George Fox University, and lets them get to know professors and their styles of teaching.

We believe that the best way to learn language skills is to use them in meaningful contexts. Therefore, all advanced level students enroll in a content course for regular academic credit as part of their program. A different course is selected each semester. Examples are sociology, U.S. history, cultural anthropology, and the history of western civilization. The accompanying English as a second language courses support students as they develop the academic English skills and strategies they need to succeed in an American university course.

English Language Institute students also serve as sources of knowledge and insights for the general student population. Each February they participate in Cultural Celebration Week by presenting cultural artifacts, information, and demonstrations in a cultural fair. Some students also make presentations in classes and chapel.

At other times in the semester, students may be guests in classes focusing on intercultural communication or other topics of interest. Some professors plan cultural themes for Class Observation Week so that English Language Institute students may participate in and contribute useful information to the class. Students in the English Language Institute are seen as an important resource to enhance the cross-cultural experience of George Fox University students.