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EPAC: English Proficiency and American Culture

This program is offered only to the visiting scholars associated with the Asian Affairs Center's programs.

The English Proficiency and American Culture (EPAC) program contributes to the personal and professional goals of its participants by developing and enhancing their communication abilities in English, which are essential to understanding American culture, politics, society, and economy.

The ESL classes are specifically designed to meet the needs of participants. The purpose of the classes is to encourage participants to use English in the United States and to feel comfortable conversing in English when they return to their home country. Emphasis is on English conversational usage. Although there will be some writing, grammar and pronounciation, speaking English is clearly the primary target of this program.

A communicative approach will be used to encourage participants to construct knowledge of English. A variety of activities and resources will be used in the ESL classes. They include tapes, videos and other activities.

Descriptions of topic courses for the Fall are as follows:

2007 American Politics and Elections
Instructors: Fran Reynolds and Linda Breedlove

The campaigns for many of the candidates for the elections of 2008 have begun. This course will look at the American election system and how people are elected and appointed at the various levels of government. it will identify the candidates and the system from both Republican and Democratic perspectives and explore funding, voting patterns, campaigning, and meaning of the American vote. Guest speakers may be included.

Idiomatic Business English
Instructor: Susan Maupin

In this seven-week course you will learn idioms and expressions that are used in business settings in the business world of America. The workplace is full of idioms and once you have learned these common expressions, you will more easily interact with Americans and sound more and more like a native English speaker. You will increase your vocabulary, participate in dialogues, and have individual and small group practice in listening to and speaking idiomatic English.

American Government
Instructor: Zach Walker

This Truman School graduate student will help participants explore some of the issues of administration in the American public sector including the relationship of government agencies to the legislature, grant and proposal writing, staffing procedures and protections, regulations related to disabilities, safety in the workplace, and employee job protections.

Travel and Tourism
Instructor: Kimberly Taylor

We will view short films and discuss travel, tourism and leisure aspects of each region including seasons, history of the area, regional cuisine, festivals, local landmarks and museums, transportation and travel tips. Students will gain an understanding of specific parts of the United States and have the opportunity to share theier travel experiences.

Public Communication and Marketing
Instructor: Robert Ross

This class will be offered twice.

American Business Practices
Instructor: Linda Breedlove

American companies have specific norms, values and expectations which define their organizations and make up their “corporate culture”. Some of these are unique to American business and differ significantly from other countries. In this course we will discuss business courtesies and etiquette, the impact of race, gender and age discrimination in the workplace, wage and hiring practices, business dining practices, entrepreneurship, and trends in American office life today.

Advanced Professional Presentations
Instructor: Jennifer Coleman

This speaking class has been designed to offer participants an intensive professional speaking experience. This course is for students with advanced speaking abilities and will include short weekly formal presentations on various topics, a formal debate, some group work, power point tips and pronunciation as well as basic communication skills practice. There will be both instructor and peer evaluations. Participants can expect to receive a good deal of speaking time with challenging speaking assignments.

Past power point presentations

American Media
Instructor: Jim Baden

This course presents and overview of the media. It will cover media ethics, the power of advertising, opinion writing, the impact of photographs. We’ll look at news coverage of selected issues using various newspapers and broadcast news. We’ll discuss and write about local and national news.

Advanced Professional Writing
Instructor: Fran Reynolds

Resumes/vitas, memos, e-mail, action-producing letters, informative and interesting reports, articles for journals, proposals, instructions, press releases, speeches, power point are just some of the modes of writing that effective leaders in business, industry, government and the professions need to know how to compose successfully. This class is for those scholars who would like to hone their English writing skills for a variety of professional purposes. Each class session will focus on one mode of professional writing. Some homework will be required to practice what is learned class, but will not amount to more than 30 minutes twice/week.

Schedule
Mon- Wed
9:00-10:15 am
9:00-10:15 am
9:00-10:15 am
10:30-11:45 am
10:30-11:45 am
10:30-11:45 am
 American Business Practices - Linda Breedlove
Advanced Professional Writing - Fran Reynolds
Idiomatic Business English - Susan Maupin
American Politics and Elections- Breedlove/Reynolds
American Media - Jim Baden
Dona Long
Tues-Thurs
9:00-10:15 am
9:00-10:15 am
9:00-10:15 am
10:30-11:45 am
10:30-11:45 am
10:30-11:45 am
 Geography and Tourism - Kimberly Taylor
Public Communication and Marketing -Robert Ross
Mary Jo Herde
American Government - Zach Walker
Public Communication and Marketing - Robert Ross
Advanced Professional Presentations - Jennifer Coleman

There are also events for Korean spouses. Please click 2007-2008 schedule for details.