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Studies in American Language:
A Connection to LLD and San José State
UniversityIn spring 1975, Studies in American Language (SAL) began as a teacher-training program for Linguistic majors who were completing Master Degrees. At this time, the program had no official title, and students came to the U.S. under a contract with International Language Services (ILS) and a major Japanese newspaper company. The curriculum was specifically tailored to the needs of Japanese students who wanted to have an American cultural experience while improving their English skills before returning to colleges in their own country.
In 1977, while continuing the JELI (Japanese-English Language Institute) contract as a separate program, SAL was established as a non-contract program to accommodate students from all countries who wished to pursue academic degrees in U.S. colleges and universities. The curriculum design for this program focused on improving students' research and writing of term papers, expanding academic as well as general vocabulary, and improving university reading skills. The curriculum included U.S. culture, understanding the U.S. university system and how to succeed in the U.S. university environment.
In the latter part of 1979, a committee headed by Dr. John Galm, chair of the English Department, was established to review the program and to establish the criteria for hiring full time and part time teachers. The goal of this committee was to develop a teaching department within the school of Continuing Education.
In the fall of 1980, the Japanese contract ended and all students enrolled independently as SAL students from that time on. There were 4 levels that ranged from a basic 350 TOEFL (the minimum score required to enroll) to advanced (480+ TOEFL), and the enrollment fluctuated between 40-90 students.
At this time a nationwide search was conducted, and 6 full-time Instructors were hired as Lecturers. The administration consisted of a director, an administrative coordinator, and academic coordinator, a fiscal officer and an officer manager. Under the direction of the coordinators, the faculty re-organized the program curriculum into Listening & Speaking, Writing & Grammar, Reading & Vocabulary. These classes were described in a set of in-house prepared Guidelines, which set out the 4 levels with descriptors and sequenced the language skills through these levels.
As the program grew and the student needs changed, the faculty re-wrote these Guidelines to accommodate 8 levels. The basic level became very different because SAL eliminated the 350 TOEFL requirement and asked instead that the students have a high school diploma and be 18 years of age. These classes now ranged from basic to intermediate in levels and remained divided into the Listening & Speaking, Writing & Grammar, Reading & Vocabulary. More suitable "false-beginner" materials were selected to supplement those used previously. The advanced level also changed as students who had more sophisticated English skills and advanced degrees from their home universities began to enroll in large numbers. These classes were divided into Oral Communication (listening, speaking, presenting, arguing), Written Communication (academic reading, writing and research) and Grammar. The materials were academic and the focus was "succeeding in the U.S. University." For example, in the Oral Communication classes, students learned to prepare and present speeches just as they would have to for their General Education speech classes; in the Written Communication classes students did research papers.
In 1986 it was necessary to expand the upper levels again and SAL designed the Advanced University Tutorial class for students with 500+ on the TOEFL. These students were encouraged to enroll through Open University and take 3 units of credit. They did this by dropping one SAL class (usually one they and their teachers agreed upon), enrolling in their credit class and turning in their registration form to the office. They were able to earn 3 units of credit without additional cost.
In 1998 the curriculum was redesigned to completely integrate the skills. The core curriculum became reading/writing and listening/speaking with grammar integrated across the curriculum. Electives were created to give students the opportunity to customize their program of study to meet their particular needs. A wide range of electives continued to be developed: TOEFL Preparation, Grammar Workshop, Business English, Web Page Building, English through Video and Film, Everyday English Conversation, Idiom, Academic Vocabulary, and Pronunciation Practice. Students were encouraged to select two of these electives in areas of interest or special need in order to maximize their language learning experience. These elective sessions were 8 weeks long and at the conclusion of each session, students selected new classes, so it was possible for a student to complete eight different classes in an academic year.
Student surveys and interviews in the late 1990s revealed an increasing number of advanced students, a greater emphasis on the need for academic preparation, and the need for short courses. In response, academic curriculum was restructured to include more non-fiction current events reading and discussion to prepare all students for university classrooms and to create a "bridge" class for the highest levels. All students enrolledl in a Current Events: Reading and Vocabulary course to stay abreast of news and topics and to develop reading and discussion skills of global interest. The Gateway curriculum was restructured into smaller components including a "Gateway Academic Preparation (GAP)" course. The smaller components facilitated concurrent enrollment in open university coursework. The GAP courses were content-based classes, which gave advanced students a realistic feel for what university classes require. In most semesters, students chose a GAP class from Business, Critical Thinking, or American Foundations.
In addition, three-week courses in American Communication and Culture were designed to meet the needs of students striving for fluency in their conversational and cultural skills. Finally, intensive two-week TOEFL preparation courses were scheduled three times during the year for students who felt a concentrated effort in the skills and strategies of that test would benefit them. With these additional programs and students, SAL outgrew available campus and community space and opened a dedicated classroom building with state-of-the-art computer lab and student lounge areas in August 2001.
Higher enrollments brought a wide variety of students. Many of these students, drawn to Silicon Valley’s high tech industries, expressed the need for professional business English classes. SAL’s Business English Program opened in January 2002 to give these students specialized classes and special activities appropriate to business professionals.
In 2002 short courses in American Business Communication, English for Jazz Lovers and Silicon Valley Business Professionals were added to the schedule along with a selection of OnLine classes.
Social activities have always been incorporated into the SAL program. The philosophy has always been to expand opportunities for international students to interact with North Americans in North American cultural activities. While these activities have changed over the years, they always have included a student Orientation and an End of the Semester Party. Other activities are combinations of informal coffees, field trips (Alcatraz, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Monterey Bay Aquarium, art museums and historical locations in the San Jose area), parties at Halloween with pumpkin carving and costume contests, Christmas and tree decorating, SAL Olympics (a gym-game day), and student talent shows.
While SAL has grown over the years and has come under the umbrella of the Department of Continuing Education, there has always been a connection to the Department of Linguistics and Language Development. MA candidates frequently observe, and many elect to complete their student teaching requirements in the SAL classrooms.
~Cheryl McKenzie
[updated by Karen O'Neill]
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