ABSTRACT
Delia teaches in an intensive English program that prepares international students to enter English-speaking universities. The program includes courses that teach academic skills, that teach specific skills for various fields (ESP), and that prepare students to take the test. She is an expert in the large-scale assessment instrument used for entrance, having been an examiner for many years. Faculty in departments that have a number of international students consider that the international students who pass the test in their own country are not fully prepared either in English or in university study skills. Students in their departments have been failing courses at a much higher rate than local students. The University President and the Office of International Students are alarmed at this failure rate and have told the faculty such a high failure rate is unacceptable. They are worried that word will get out that international students can’t succeed at their university and this important revenue stream will dry up. But, they feel they need to respond to faculty concerns. They have therefore proposed raising the admissions score for university entrance. Delia has been asked to give advice on what the admissions score should be. Their university has the same admissions score as most other regional universities that compete with them for international students. [Murray, research notes]
Task: Reflect
1. If the university raises the admissions score, what might international students do?
