Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-1-2018

Abstract

The following document contains a Needs Assessment for International English within Pittsburg State University documentation, specifically digital documentation produced by the Office of International Services and Programs. on their PSU web pages. The online material presented through PSU’s web pages does not currently follow the style of International English or English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). Based on surrounding research of ELF and International English, information that is presented in International English is better understood by the most number of native and non-native speakers of the English language. Because PSU’s online information is not presented in this way, this Needs Assessment will determine whether first-year international students fully comprehend material that is not produced in International English. This needs assessment will look at two groups of first-year international students from two sections of ENGL 100 and ENGL 101 English Composition for International Students. These students will voluntarily be asked to complete three tasks: 1) read the information pulled from PSU’s web pages, 2) interpret/summarize the information presented to them, and 3) express any confusion or difficulty they had with the excerpt. These responses will be cross-analyzed to determine what information is confusing (if any) to the most number of participants. If the study shows a correlation between confusion/difficulty in comprehension and material that is not presented in International English, my analysis will suggest that International English can help decrease confusion among ESL learners based on the surrounding research and pedagogy of the style.

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