When IEP meets BSMPIEP: Intensive English Program

BSMP: Brazil Scientific Mobility Program

Gloria ChenIndiana Tech

BSMP

The Brazil Scientific Mobility Program (BSMP) is a one-year, non-degree program for Brazilian students to study abroad in the United States. BSMP is part of the Brazilian government's larger initiative to grant 100,000 Brazilian university students the opportunity to study abroad at the world's best colleges and universities.

Based on their English levels, students may participate in a Short-Term Intensive English Program (IEP), during the summer prior to the start of their full-time academic study, which would last two semesters (or three quarters).

BSMP Studentsat IEP, Indiana Tech

• Most are students of science and engineering • With strong motivation• Thinking logically • Purpose oriented• Good social skills

Some issues to Deal with

• Party/drinking issues• World Cup issues• Challenge of speaking English to fellow

Brazilian students

IEP Program at Indiana Tech

• Mission StatementThe mission of Indiana Tech’s Intensive English Program (IEP) is to enable non-native English speaking students to develop and synthesize the core English language proficiency skills necessary for success in the mainstream college programs.

• The integrated two-level IEP curriculum includes courses in

• 1) Listening and Speaking (IEP 0100, IEP 0500), • 2) Writing and Grammar (IEP 0200, IEP 0600), • 3) Reading and Vocabulary (IEP 0300, IEP

0700), and • 4) College Skills and Special Topics (IEP 0400,

IEP 0800).

Each level is eight-week long and consists of the above four courses in a student-centered learning community. Online computer-assisted language labs, which can be accessed anytime and anywhere, have been integrated into each level to facilitate student learning.

Program Objectives

Upon successful completion of this 2-level IEP course sequence, the student will:• Demonstrate academic readiness for content-

area courses in an American post-secondary system1.1 Effectively employ college resources to navigate the academic environment 1.2 Perform sufficient competence with information technology

• Demonstrate ability to comprehend, interpret and apply spoken, written and socio-cultural forms of communication in English2.1 Read with comprehension of both contents and organization 2.2 Recognize and employ elements of socio-cultural communication appropriate to a variety of situations

• Demonstrate ability in applying a range of language structures to interact effectively in interpersonal and academic situations 3.1 Speak with accuracy and fluency to report information and express ideas and opinions 3.2 Write about a variety of topics with correctness, clarity and detail

• Demonstrate effective cross-cultural communication competence 4.1 Display understanding of and respect for cultures of fellow students 4.2 Demonstrate awareness of and ability to function effectively in the U.S. culture and society

Common Difficulties and Errorsof BSMP Students in

Leaning English

Pronunciation

• Short “i” vs long “e”Example: “live” vs “leave”• “th” soundExamples: “think” vs “finc” or “tinc”

“those” vs “dose”

• “r” as a beginning soundExamples: “red” vs “head”

“rose” vs “hose”

• Consonants after ‘s”Examples: star, speak, skip• “h” soundExample: “hear” vs “ear”• “ed” with regular verbsExamples: stopped, marked, climbed

• “ee” to the end of a wordExamples: “big” vs “big(ee)”

“music” vs “musicky”• “ch””sh” and ”t”Examples; “Chales” vs. “Shales”

“u”

• Culture• Industry• Ugly• Bus

• Busy

• Business• Music• Suite• Suit• Use• Abuse

False Cognate: Negative Transfer

• Examples: Doubt (duvita) vs questionParents (parentes) vs relativesUntil/Till vs. up to

• “doubt” (duvita) vs “question”• “parents” (parentes) vs “relatives”• “until/till” (até) vs. “up to” or “by”

Word Order

• Adjective + nounExample: White House Blackboard a red shirt

Gender Agreement

• I love my mother. She (not “he”) is a great woman.

• My brother is an engineer. He (not she) is very smart.

• She loves .her (not your) children

Number Agreement

• Two students come to Indiana Tech.• They are from different cities.• One is from New York, the other is from Sao

Paulo.• One takes Portuguese class, the other takes

English class.• They both do well.

Collocation

“make,” “take ,” and “do”

• Make a mistake• Make an arrangement• Make a decision• Take a trip • Take a lesson/class• Take a nap/rest• Do homework• Do exercises• Do house chores

“say,””speak,” ”talk,” and ”tell”

Hi, my name is Igor. I speak both Portuguese and English. When I talk to my family, I speak Portuguese, but when I speak to my class, I am not able to use English properly. My teacher told (past tense of “tell”) me I should speak more English. She said (past tense of “say”), “Practice makes perfect.” I believe one day I will be able to tell you a long story or speak in public in English.

age

• I have 24 years.vs• I am 24 years old.

Preposition

• on• in• at

Conclusion

• Indiana Tech, as well as other U.S. institutions, finds that hosting these students enriches diversity on campus, enhances international exposure and broadens cultural perspectives.

• Website: http://www.iie.org/Programs/Brazil-Scientific-Mobility

BSMP at Indiana Tech

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOtO16jnFh4

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA35TH_Rjhc

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvYJMhh97JI