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English Language & Cultural Training

ICIC-Afghan ESP and TOEFL Test Preparation Program

In 2007, ICIC began ESP and TOEFL training for thirteen university faculty members from Afghanistan. This seven month program will prepare these students to enter graduate programs at Purdue University in 2008.

ICIC-Hakuoh University English Program

2005 was the first year for the ICIC-Hakuoh program. Undergraduate students typically arrive in September to study the English language and U.S. culture for two weeks. Students stay in homestays while taking classes and take an overnight trip (Amish country or Chicago).

ICIC-Ministry of Finance (MOF) English for Specific Purposes Program

ICIC has brought officials from various provincial and municipal Ministry of Finance offices throughout the People's Republic of China to study English and English for Business Purposes on the IUPUI campus for six months during the summer. ICIC hosts the group and provides instruction which includes 25 hours of small group work per week, participation in workshops, a class in the Department of Economics and business-related site tours.

ICIC-Tsuda College Summer English Program

The collaboration between Tsuda College, Japan's first institution of higher learning for women, ICIC and IUPUI began in 1994. Since that time, every summer, twenty-four young English students visit the IUPUI campus and spend three weeks in a total immersion program learning about American culture and studying academic English.

Photographs of past IUPUI/ICIC-Tsuda College programs

International Postdoc/Faculty Orientation

Connor, U., & Mbaye, A. (2005). International postdoc challenges in research labs. Language, situated literacy, and 'big D' discourse. In I. Backlund, U. Borestam, U.M. Marttala, & H. Naslund (Eds.), Text i arbete/Text at work. Essays in honour of Britt-Louise Gunnarsson. 12 January 2005 (pp. 280-288). Uppsala, Sweden: Uppsala University Press.

In 2002, Dr. Ulla Connor and Dr. Aymérou Mbaye of ICIC, in collaboration with Dr. Gene Halleck, Oklahoma State University, conducted research on the previously overlooked issues of the socialization and language needs of international postdoctoral researchers. The center's ability to articulate the needs of these learners combined with its previous experience in tutoring international postdocs and international faculty, allowed ICIC to develop an outstanding pilot training program in 2005.

Due to the success of the pilot program, the center offered training to postdocs in 2006-2007, focusing on oral communication, research writing, grant proposal writing, and career development.

Workforce Development

ICIC, with its experience in cultural and ESP language training, was a perfect fit for the joint workforce development effort initiated by in 2003 by Dr. Connor and State Representative John Aguilera. The workforce training will include English classes for native Spanish speakers and identical courses will be taught in Spanish to native English speakers in an attempt to bridge the communication gap currently existing in our workforce.

ESL Volunteer Tutor Workshops

In 2003, ICIC was the recipient of a small grants fund award from the Indianapolis Foundation of the Central Indiana Community Foundation to conduct English as a Second Language (ESL) volunteer tutor workshops. The workshops are designed to train volunteer tutors who teach ESL to immigrants, refugees, and non-native speakers throughout central Indiana. Three seven-hour workshops with 12 volunteer tutors per workshop were conducted in full cooperation with existing social service organizations, adult literacy outreach programs, church groups, and community education efforts.

In November 2007, ICIC partnered with Catholic Charities of Indianapolis to present an abbreviated version of the ESL Volunteer Tutor workshop through the Spirit & Place Festival.Over 50 community members participated.

Teacher Training

Past Language and Cultural Training Programs