In search of the most effective EFL program for graduate students at Korea's elite engineering school

Abstract

Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) is a government-sponsored elite engineering school for Korea’s brightest students. KAIST has adopted a campus-wide English-medium instructional policy since 2007, but the EFL program offers only one writing course for graduate students while it offers various courses and services for undergraduate students. This study examines the graduate writing course, investigates students’ and professors’ opinions on the graduate EFL (English as a foreign language) program, and attempts to suggest the most effective EFL program for the graduate students at KAIST. Our investigation includes a content analysis of the graduate writing course; interview and questionnaire surveys of graduate students’; EFL professors’ and regular professors’ opinions on the existing writing course and on future EFL program and services; and an investigation of graduate EFL programs at other engineering schools. Our investigation shows that more diverse, systematic, individualized EFL training is needed for graduate students. That is, the prospective graduate EFL program should include a variety of courses and services and be equipped with systematic assessment processes so that classes of different English skills are divided into various levels of proficiency according to assessment outcomes. In addition, e-learning courses should be available for easier and wider access to EFL training. This session will discuss the results of our extensive investigations and our suggestions for a more effective graduate EFL program. Hence, participants will leave the session with various ideas on how to strengthen their graduate ESL/EFL programs.