英语论文网

tivities.

1.2 学习背景——Background of the Study

All international students applying to UTM must have an acceptable level of English Language proficiency. This criterion can be satisfied by presenting one of the most famous English Language testing results including: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System IELTS. The minimum score for TOEFL-paper-based test (PBT) is 550 and 79 for internet-base test (IBT), and for IELTS the minimum overall score is 6.0 for academic module. Student who can satisfy English Language requirement will be welcomed to enroll in a faculty program and commence their academic course immediately and exempted to participate in the Intensive English Course (IEC). IEC is an English course conducted by School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE) is offered by UTM for international students whom have not satisfied English Language requirements. However, a student with lower score depends on his/her English Language proficiency level have to register and pass IEC at least for one semester or may extend to two semesters. All students are required to participate and pass IEC- intermediate level before they are allowed to register for their foundation, undergraduate, or postgraduate program. As the number of international students in UTM is increasing, the importance of IEC program is more noticeable.

IEC is designed for the international students that are non-native English speakers who want to pursue their academic studies in Malaysia. The main aim of IEC is to develop their English language as a preparation to start their undergraduate or postgraduate studies in UTM. Specially, the purpose of IEC is to equip learners with skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking for academic as well as social and professional purposes.

IEC comprises of the following modules: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking and self access language learning with a total of twenty two hours a week. The course adopts the skills-based approach where all the four languages skills are emphasized in the classroom. The self access program allows students to use the facilities in the digital language lab for learning English. Self access language learning is done in UTM digital language lab. In that place, the students are offered multiple kinds of learning materials such as software, audio, videos, internet service. However, the language program especially 'Tell Me More' language learning software which is used at the digital language lab for self access will be discussed in this study.

The first aim of self access language learning is to meet the students' needs; because it is difficult to fulfill each student's individual needs in the classroom due to the class size and different ability. Also, IEC is implemented to get students more exposure to English language. The last aim is to promote autonomous learning among the learners, so they can learn independently and take more responsibility for their learning.

Students' attendance for the self access program is compulsory and being recorded at the digital language lab. The activities in self access program are grammar activities, pronunciation practice, communication practice, vocabulary enrichment activities. Although attendance is compulsory, there is no exact student progress tracking like carry marks, quizzes, or examination