Innovation in University-Based Intensive English Programs

This book considers the past, present and future directions of innovation in US-based Intensive English Programs (IEPs), which provide international students with an immersion-style environment for learning academic English, prior to matriculating into a full-time college or university degree program. IEPs frequently serve as sites for pre-service teacher preparation, curricular experimentation and research, and yet little published work takes a critical look at the advantages and shortcomings of such programs. The chapters in this book provide a nuanced view of this microcosm of the English language teaching industry, demonstrating the various ways that IEPs have impacted and continue to influence the wider fields of Applied Linguistics and TESOL. They emphasize the unique positioning of IEPs within higher education and describe the various ways IEP practitioners can influence their host institutions and beyond.

Jason Litzenberg has a PhD in Applied Linguistics and ESL from Georgia State University; he has over 20 years of experience teaching English and language education in Ecuador, Germany, the U.A.E, and the U.S. Jason is Teaching Professor of Applied Linguistics at The Pennsylvania State University, where he is affiliated faculty of the Rock Ethic’s Institute and fulltime Director of the Intensive English Communication Program (IECP). He is currently Vice President of Three Rivers TESOL in Pennsylvania and Vice-President of UCIEP. His academic/research interests include phonetics and phonology, sociolinguistics, linguistic landscapes, language ideologies, English as a Lingua Franca (ELF), program administration, and decolonial scholarship.