New English Summer Camp Exposes International Students To NU, Western New York & American Culture
Twelve students and two chaperones from eastern Asia are taking part in a new summer camp at Niagara University intended to offer English language instruction along with immersion into American culture.
Designed for nonnative learners of English, the experience provides four hours of language instruction each weekday. The instruction, which varies by student based on an English language proficiency assessment conducted early in camp, includes practice in conversation, reading and writing enrichment as well as opportunities to work with coaches in the university’s language technology lab.
Participants include nine students from China, two from Vietnam and another from Turkey. They range in age from 19 to 21.
At the completion of the English Summer Camp, students receive a certificate indicating the English language level and hours completed.
“It is increasingly important for institutions of higher education to prepare graduates for a globalized workplace,” stated the Rev. James J. Maher, NU president. “Today’s technology allows us to truly be citizens of the world, but we must do so responsibly and with the proper education that readies students for the interface of cultures.
“At the same time, we are opening to these students the beauty and dynamism of Western New York, and the warmth of the people who live here.”