2018 Pre-University Intensive English Program (PIEP)

Dates: August 19 – August 30 2019

The Pre-University Intensive English Program (PIEP) is the official beginning of all students’ academic careers at Wenzhou-Kean University.

PIEP is based on a 30 hour, intensive communicative-English program specifically designed to support Chinese high school graduates in their transition to an English-speaking academic community and English-medium courses.  Firmly grounded in Communicative and Participatory approaches to language learning, PIEP activates English language students have acquired in secondary studies and provides opportunities for practice in meaningful communication. A major goal is to enhance students’ comfort in communicating with faculty and each other in English.  The objectives of PIEP are to reduce student anxiety in interacting with faculty in English, enhance student comfort with the four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) of English, and to accelerate the transition of prior academically-learned English into a functional, practical communicative capacity in English.  This is accomplished through a relaxed, friendly classroom environment in which the teacher facilitates English learning and fluency development by introducing games, group projects and activities which require students to collaborate in English communication.

Students should not mistake the relaxed environment, games and collaborative activities of PIEP as trivial.  For many Chinese students PIEP is the first encounter with the state-of-the-art, theory-based approaches to language learning that have been empirically demonstrated to promote legitimate development of second language communication skills.  As a transnational partnership with an American curriculum, Wenzhou-Kean University expects and requires students to build fluency and accuracy in English communication.  PIEP is the beginning of this journey.

In addition to the 2 weeks intensive curriculum, students will participate in afternoon activities designed to both build English fluency and enhance fundamental academic skills.  Such activities include an MS Word workshop (introducing students to the free, web-based MS Word program and academic formatting conventions), a Dictionary workshop, and a singing room activity (enhancing pronunciation, intonation and rhythm in English through English songs).

Media Report: WKU’s PIEP made English-learning a happy thing

PIEP is a required, mandatory component of the Wenzhou-Kean University curriculum.  Students who fail to attend PIEP for any reason will be required to attend a communicative course in the evenings of Fall semester to make up these hours.  Students failing to fulfill these obligations will be referred to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for appropriate action.

Director: Prof. Henry Hadduck, haduchen@kean.edu