Academic Experiences of Multilingual (ESL) Students at Middlebury College

Shawna Shapiro , Center for Teaching/Learning/Research

Academic Experiences of Multilingual (ESL) Students at Middlebury College

The purpose of this project is to learn more about the academic experiences of various populations of non-native speakers at Middlebury College, including international students (both UWC and non-UWC), permanent resident students (also known as ‘immigrant students’), and exchange students.
The more specific objectives for this study include the following:
·    To gather quantitative data about non-native speaking (ESL) student populations, including demographics, programs of study, academic performance, and retention
·    To develop and administer questionnaires (both paper and online) to students, peer tutors, staff, and faculty
·    To interview representative students about their academic experiences at the college
·    To interview select peer tutors, staff, and  faculty about their work with these student populations
·    To envision ways in which multilingual student support can be enhanced
·    To synthesize data into reports that are relevant and accessible to the Middlebury College community