Office of Fellowship Training

Boston Children's Hospital's English as a Second Language (ESL) Course

In the spring of 2005, Boston Children's Hospital launched a pilot English as a Second Language (ESL) course through the Longwood Medical Area ongoing program. The program, based at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, offers classes to Harvard-affiliated researchers and technicians at participating institutions in the medical area. Children's Hospital postdoctoral fellows were nominated by faculty (their PI's) and joined the class initially for the first semester, April through June 2005. Children's postdoctoral fellows' participation has been ongoing (with the exception of summer), and with the conclusion of Fall 2011 semester, 20 semesters have been completed.

Each semester the Office of Fellowship Training sponsors 20 postdoctoral research fellows. Most attend for two semesters, although they can attend unless there are new fellows wishing to join. Prospective students are assessed to determine their level, and there are five levels at any given time.

Classes are generally paid in full for postdocs by the Office of Fellowship Training (OFT). (No cost to PI.) The OFT does not pay for any lab members other than postdocs. Participants usually stay for two semesters, although if space allows (i.e. fewer than 20 Children's postdocs), the OFT can pay for an additional semester. If a PI wants to send a postdoc longer, but space does not allow, this could be done at the PI's expense ($400 per individual per semester).

The ESL program originally began around 1998 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and in April 2002 was taken over by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI). There are currently five participating institutions: DFCI, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Joslin Diabetes Center, the Immune Disease Institute (formerly the Center for Blood Research Institute (CBRI), and Boston Children's Hospital (CHB).

Participants generally take two hours of class (5-7pm) plus one hour of language lab (at a flexible time) per week. The curriculum for class includes development of communication skills with focus on the workplace, U.S. culture and culture differences, and news and current events. In addition to conversation, some attention is also given to reading and some grammar points. The language lab is composed of computer-based listening programs and also aids with writing (letters, journals, e-mail), as well as identifying grammar needs. Two teachers staff the language lab and assistance is individualized and on a drop-in basis. A list of web sites for learning resources is also provided to participants.

Levels are "high beginner," "intermediate," "high intermediate," and "advanced." Once learners are placed in a class, they generally do not move to another one, but prefer to stay with their initial "cohort," as a comfort level is developed.

The class format primarily focuses on verbal skills (conversation, work on pronunciation and idiomatic expressions, presentations and critique by the teacher, oneself, and the group), and there is an additional hour per week of language lab. In 2008 extra training was made available at no additional charge: 1 hour conversation lunch hour, 1 hour listening lab, and 1 hour pronunciation (open to everyone) . This brings the number of hours per week available for participants' language instruction is six (6). Students self-evaluate themselves at the end of the course, thereby noting where improvement is needed. The class + language lab is 33 hours (11 weeks), although if they take advantage of the "extras," they receive 66 hours of instruction.

The Winter 2012 semester will begin the week of January 9. Registered participants will receive notification of Information sessions. Following Information sessions, fellows are evaluated and then placed in classes according to levels. In order for a research fellow to participate, s/he must be recommended to the Office of Fellowship Training by his or her PI. Contact information: Office of Fellowship Training .
 

Course  Description