Orientation at a university can be overwhelming for students, and if these students come from a foreign country and test into ESL classes, much of the information from orientation might be missed. In order to fill in this gap, all new ESL students at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz are enrolled in a 3-week intensive one-credit course, Orientation to Campus Resources. The course, among other courses that students are enrolled in as part of an intensive English language program, is scheduled Monday through Friday for a 90-minute block.

The purpose is to provide a detailed introduction to the university and life in the United States. Each lesson covers a new topic, and includes discussions related to these topics about cultural differences between the United States and the students’ home countries.

Classes are led mostly by guest speakers and facilitated by the ESL teacher. A few of the sessions are held outside of the classroom and include visits to the library, planetarium, and the Athletic & Wellness Center.

Topics include:

1. Immigration information
2. Student clubs and organizations
3. Athletics & Wellness Center
4. Campus police, laws, and campus safety
5. Campus computing
6. Health Center
7. Residence life, living off campus
8. American Conversation Partners Program
9. Off-campus resources, public transportation
10. Museum
11. Planetarium
12. Psychological Counseling Center
13. Classroom culture, plagiarism, and other academic policies
14. Culture shock
    
    

If you are interested in adapting an orientation course to your program, consider the following as a guide.

Timing

As you prepare the schedule, be aware that the course ends at the close of the third week of classes, an unusual time to end. As a result, after the course there is an empty time slot in the students’ schedule. Replace this with a TOEFL preparation course or a special topics class that meets until the end of the semester.

Guest Speakers

Prepare the schedule of guest speakers at least 1 month before the start of the semester. Choose speakers who are friendly and enjoy meeting new students.

Inform each speaker on the topics to be discussed and the needs of the students. For example, a psychologist from the Counseling Center should talk about culture shock, how that can affect one’s mental condition, and how to address the issue of homesickness.

Ask each speaker to use simplified language, if possible, and to repeat or give further explanation if the students seem confused. You may decide to guide speakers during their presentations by asking questions to elicit further information, particularly about vocabulary or topics about which the students may have a cultural misunderstanding. If the presentation is in the classroom, it is helpful if you summarize the main points of the presentation on the board as the guest speaker is talking. You will be the translator to simple English. Usually, the guest speakers are patient with the ELLs’ needs for this type of assistance.

Give students opportunities to ask questions or participate in discussions. After the speaker leaves, review the main points of the lesson by eliciting the information from the students.

Assessment and Concluding the Course

A letter grade is given based on attendance (75%), participation (15%), and tests that cover basic information from the lessons (10%). This grading system was designed to not disadvantage students who have very limited English. They should feel encouraged to come to class to meet new people and participate to their best ability.

Finally, elicit written student feedback at the conclusion of the course in order to make adjustments for future classes. Each university is different and it might take some time to develop a perfect list of topics to meet the needs of your students. Good luck!

Sarah Elia is a lecturer in the Haggerty English Language Program at the State University of New York (SUNY) at New Paltz. She has a BA in music from Bard College and an MS in TESOL from SUNY New Paltz.