English instruction at community colleges: The language bridge to the USA

Abstract

An American degree is highly respected and sought from most places around the globe. Historically, the USA has recognized that international students bring diversity, new understandings, and, for public universities, increased tuition revenue. For the most part, the USA has greeted qualified international students with open arms and a hearty welcome. But for many hopeful internationals, the biggest barrier to a US education is English language competency. For good and obvious reasons, US universities have strict standards for the minimum score on the TOEFL or IELTS tests. For those students who cannot score high enough to be accepted at American universities, an option is to first attend an Intensive English Program at an American community college with the goal of rapidly increasing English language skills and subsequently scoring high enough on the TOEFL or IELTS to proceed with the dream of an American postsecondary education. This chapter explores the dreams, goals, experiences, and aftermath of international students who have enrolled in community college Intensive English Programs.