JackCentral

Universities take great measures to ensure their students are able complete a bachelor’s degree in four years. However, for some international students at NAU, it is nearly impossible to finish their university schooling in just eight semesters.
The Program in Intensive English (PIE) aims to meet the academic language needs for international students on campus. This program permits international students application to American universities without first having to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, which was not the case just a few years ago.
Aside from this small benefit, PIE does not prepare English learners for their mandatory exam. Many are finding it extremely difficult to pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and, ultimately, become full-time students.
Abdulmalik Marwn Abdrabuh, a senior from Saudi Arabia and a computer science major, is currently in his sixth semester. Abdrabuh only recently began his first semester as a full-time student.
“I have been in NAU for almost two and a half years. This is my first semester I’m taking my major classes.” Abdrabuh said. “In the past two years, I studied in PIE and took TOEFL test more than four times.”
NAU requires undergraduates recieve a minimum score of 525 on the paper-based TOEFL, a score of 70 on the Internet-based TOEFL and 193 on the computer-based TOEFL in order to enroll as full-time students.
NAU requires graduate students recieve a minimum TOEFL score of 550 or more, depending on the program.
“Those who do not meet the requirements will enroll in the PIE and we will put them in different-level classes,” said Randi Reppen, director of PIE and associate professor.
Abdrabuh said the content covered in PIE was much easier than the questions asked on the TOEFL. Before he passed the test, the highest score he received was 432.

“When I came here, I only can speak a little English,” Abdrabuh said. “I thought it was a good chance for me because I can take language class here to pass TOEFL test. After I came here, it was hard. I was in the lowest level in PIE.”
Last semester was Abdrabuh’s final chance to pass the TOEFL because his government refused to continue paying his tuition for the language program.
“I am lucky because (the) other 11 students… who from Saudi Arabia didn’t pass TOEFL last time,” Abdrabuh said. “We signed a contract with the president of NAU, which [said] we will attend regular classes, but we have to get at least 2.0 GPA at the end of the semester or we will go back home.”
PIE provides five ranges of levels in English proficiency. This semester, the program has 40 students enrolled from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Japan, Sudan, Sweden, Mexico, Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
Among those students, about half of them have studied in PIE for more than two semesters.
Xiaoshi Chen, an international student from China, said she is currently in her third semester in PIE.
“I came here at 2006 fall and I didn’t get out of PIE after the first semester,” Chen said. “Now I am still struggling with my TOEFL test.”
Yan Wang, another PIE student from China, has also been struggling with the exam for two years. Wang started in the lowest level of the program and has worked her way up to the fourth level.
“The only thing I can do right now is to do TOEFL practices by myself — I have no choice,” Wang said. “The TOEFL practice in PIE is not enough and easier than the real test.”
Andy Bucher, a professor in PIE, said students’ language proficiency does not increase greatly after one semester in the program.
“I have been in PIE for two years, and I am teaching classes from level one to level three,” Bucher said. “It is not often for the students in low levels to rise up more than 100 points TOEFL score in one semester.”
Despite the lack of success the program has achieved, Reppen is confident in its progress.
“The primary goal of the PIE is to prepare international students for university success.” Reppen said. “The program specializes in academic English preparation and support.”
PIE tuition per spring or  fall semester costs $6,799, not including the price of health insurance, supplies or room and board. Tuition for the 10-week summer session is $3,805.
The different levels of PIE teach core classes, reading, writing, TOEFL preperation, and listening and speaking. In addition, the program offers electives such as conversation partners, intercultural communication classes and academic topics. Their special programs give students an opportunity to participate in business tutorials and summer programs.
Chen said she cannot give up on the program because of the amount of effort and money she has already put into it.
“I have already studied in PIE for three semesters; I spent time and a lot of money into it. I can’t just give it up,” Chen said.
Chen said her aim is to pass the test, which is complicated by the lack of time that PIE-based assistance is offered.
“Our goal is to pass TOEFL test, because that is the only way we can take our major classes,” Chen said. “However, the TOEFL class in PIE only has three to five hours every week.”
The aim of the program, however, is not to pass the students in TOEFL. Bucher said its goals are merely to educate students on language and culture.
“PIE is not primary focusing on the skills of TOEFL test,” Bucher said. “It is more about preparing students to meet the academic demands of studying at an American university.”
Students enrolled in PIE, those who have not yet passed TOEFL, still have access to university services, including e-mail, libraries, computer services, recreational facilities, social activities, dormitories and student health services.
Chen and Wang said the only thing they can do now are practice TOEFL tests using the time outside of the classes, which can often cut into their social time or opportunities to study for other classes. They hope they can pass TOEFL test this time and be mainstreamed into regular university classes.
Chen said it is only with the help of friends that she has been able to get through the classes as well as the other difficulties that come with being a college student.
“I am trying very hard now and I am only taking some easy classes with my friends’ help,” Chen said. “Without them, I think I will fail.”

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 at 12:04 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.