EFS offers several of its
academic year courses during the 8-week summer session June 20-August 12.
Available courses for 2016 are listed here.
EFS 691S. Oral Presentation (2 units). For advanced graduate students.
Practice in academic presentation skills, including strategy, design, and
organization of speeches and use of visual aids. Focus on improving fluency and
delivery style, with videotaping for extensive feedback on language accuracy and
usage. Fulfills the requirement for EFS 691.
EFS 695S. Pronunciation and
Intonation (2 units). Recognition of
American English sounds, stress, and intonation patterns for greater
comprehension and intelligibility. Strategies and practice in self-monitoring
and self-correction. Fulfills the
requirement for EFS 695A.
EFS 698S. Writing Academic
English (2 units). Prepares graduate
students to write academic papers; emphasis on fluency, organization,
documentation, and appropriateness for specific writing tasks.
Fulfills the requirement for EFS 698A.
Courses Open to Continuing Students
6-Weeks: July 1 - August 12
EFS 688A. Intensive Spoken English (3 units). For current graduate
students. This 10-hour/week course includes work on listening, oral
presentation, discussion, and conversational interaction. May fulfill up to
two of the following EFS requirements, subject to approval by the EFS
Director: EFS 690A, EFS 690B, EFS 691, EFS 693B. MTuThF 1:15-3:05, plus
required lectures Tu 11:00-12:00 and Friday 3:15-4:15.
EFS 688B. Intensive Academic Writing (3 units). For current graduate
students. This 7-hour/week course focuses on academic writing, with some work
in reading and vocabulary development. Engineering, science, humanities, and
social science students prepare a research paper; business students write one or
more case studies. Fulfills requirement for EFS 697 or 698A,
subject to approval by the EFS Director. MTh 9:30-11:50; Tu 9:30-10:50 plus
optional orientation to graduate study section F 10:00-11:50 and
lectures Tu 11:00-12:00 and F 3:15-4:15.
Note: These courses will mix you with incoming graduate students and
visiting scholars in the EFS 688 and
688V programs. They are generally
recommended for students who have just completed their first year of graduate
study rather than those who have been here longer.
Special Interest Courses
6-weeks: July 1 - August 12
These are SIX-WEEK courses and
will mix you with incoming graduate students and visiting
scholars in the EFS 688 and 688V programs.
Some of these classes may also include advanced undergraduates. Note that they start during the third week of the regular summer quarter.
EFS 689A. Exploring the Language and Culture of Sports in the USA
familiarity with three of the most popular sports in the United States:
football, baseball, and basketball. Beginning with an overview of the rules of
each game and its history, students are introduced to the patterns of language
that surround sports culture and pervade American communication even outside
sports-related interactions. Students examine academic and popular sources on
sports, focusing on the language of sports culture, metaphors, and idioms that
occur in daily English language use through practice of the language forms both
inside and outside the classroom.
EFS 689B. Building Communication Skills through Improvisation
Would you like to be a more confident and spontaneous speaker in English?
How about a better listener and more effective team member? Improvisation gives
you the tools to be more confident and collaborative with friends, in your
classes, and in the workplace. In this class, you will learn and practice
theatrical improvisation games and techniques that will help you with
spontaneity, team building, storytelling, and confident public speaking—all in a
friendly and supportive environment. The course is co-taught by an improvisation
expert and an English language instructor. No previous improvisation or theater
EFS 689H. American Humor
Humor is an important part of life at American
universities. Professors often tell jokes during lectures and group meetings,
students like to “kid around,” and campus newspapers feature editorial cartoons
and humor columns. In this course, students study many examples of jokes and
humorous stories that Americans find amusing, practicing advanced listening
comprehension and expanding your understanding of English idioms at the same
time. Note that this is an advanced class: An iBT TOEFL score of 100 or above
or equivalent is
EFS 689L. Living in the USA
This course focuses on life and relationships outside the university classroom.
The goal is to help you become familiar with the multiple expectations and the
language usage that Americans bring to a variety of situations in the university
and in other social situations you may encounter. Among the many areas to be
discussed are strategies for both casual and serious conversation, professional
relationships in academe (including with professors, colleagues, and
undergraduate students), interacting with neighbors and acquaintances, American
social customs, and an introduction to the intersecting issues of race,
religion, politics and gender. Activities include discussions of short readings
and films and role plays of challenging situations. This course is particularly
recommended for doctoral students or others who are anticipating an extended
stay in the US.
EFS 689S. Exploring Silicon Valley Language and Culture
This course focuses on developing the communicative skills in the context of
Silicon Valley with its unique culture and language patterns. By interacting
with authentic materials, such as blogs and videos, you will gain
familiarity with local norms for interacting with the people who live and
work in Silicon Valley. You will engage in discussions about topics relevant
to local entrepreneurs, workers, and students; in doing so, you will improve
your ability to understand and produce appropriate language forms for
various purposes. At the end of the term, you will be responsible for an
individual project that demonstrates your understanding of issues pertinent
to Silicon Valley culture or business such as an elevator pitch, a business
proposal, or a critical essay. This class is particularly recommended for
those who plan to live, work, or study in Silicon Valley.
EFS 689T. Interacting in California's Vineyard
Culture (1 unit)
This course serves as a vehicle for developing focused
communicative skills in the context of California's renowned wine culture.
You will learn the language of wine: how to talk about wine informally using
appropriate terminology, navigate restaurant wine lists, and interact
knowledgeably with restaurant and retail wine staff. At the same time, you
will become a more sophisticated consumer of wine by learning the
fundamentals of vineyard techniques, varietal characteristics, tasting
techniques, and drinking and ordering etiquette. Classes are co-taught by a
wine expert and an ESL instructor. Each class meeting will consist of a
short interactive lecture, a communicative activity such as role playing,
and a tasting of four specially selected wines. Participants must be at
least 21 years old. Additional fee of $100.00 (cash only) must be brought
to the first class meeting. To enroll, please contact Connie Rylance
EFS 689V. Vocabulary and Idiom (1 unit)
One of the most difficult aspects of a new
language is learning to use and understand idioms and metaphors. This course
takes an analytical approach to the study of idiomatic language, analyzing
idioms and metaphors in order to understand what they reflect about American
culture and offering general strategies for increasing your vocabulary. We
also discuss the history of words and the ways that Americans combine words to
invent new ones. Class time will include exercises to practice idioms and