1. Anderson, K., Maclean, J., & Lynch, T. (2004). Study speaking (Vol. 1).

Cambridge
University Press.
According to Anderson & Lynch (1991), international students seem to have considerable
difficulty with specific aspects of group discussion and other academic related performance
tasks. The invisible language barrier prevents international students to fully function well in a
Western education atmosphere. This book is intended to encourage students to experience
various kinds of communicative challenges through authentic scenarios, and is greatly
aligned with our curriculum. Learners will enhance their academic competency through the
process of studying and internalizing useful skills. Our curriculum aims to help international
students activate their academic competency, especially linguistic-wise, in the classroom and
in other face-to-face interactional situations. By providing authentic scenarios and topics, our
curriculum is intended to help international students practice their reactions or performances
before entering into actual U.S. campus life.
2. Beane, J.A. (1995). Curriculum integration and the disciplines of knowledge. Phi Delta
Kappan, 616-622.
In this article, the author advocates for the disciplines of knowledge as a useful tool for
successful curriculum integration. According to him, curriculum integration is a way of
thinking about the sources of curriculum, how schools are involved, and how knowledge
should be used. In his view, curriculum integration is directly linked to life issues. These
issues consist of two types: personal and world. He takes this to mean that curriculum
integration is the search for self- and social meaning (p. 616). Integration of students
own learning experiences is highly encouraged and considered meaningful, engaging, and
authentic. A discipline of knowledge is defined as a field of inquiry about some aspect of
the world- the physical world, the flow of events over time, numeric structures, and so
on. [It] offers a lens through which to view the world (p. 617). He differentiates
between a discipline of knowledge and its representative school subject area as two
separate things, though they may deal with similar bodies of knowledge. In his view,
subject areas are a narrowed representation of the disciplines. He advocates the creation
of a curriculum that identifies real-world issues, generates themes to address these realworld issues, and contextualizes disciplines of knowledge to achieve the goal of
meaningful learning. He calls for devising a new teaching approach vastly different from
the current separate-subject teaching approach. The goal of such a new approach is to
create inquiring young minds in students.

3. Bennett, M. J. (1998). Intercultural communication: A current perspective. Basic concepts of

intercultural communication: Selected readings, 1-34.
In this article, Bennett (1998) states the essence of intercultural communication is to make
people realize the difference and modify their behaviors in ways that make it more
appropriate to cultures other than their own. The process of adapting to a new culture is
different from the process of assimilation. The assumed result of adaptation is that people
will expand their worldview to include behavior and values appropriate to the host culture (p.
14). Individuals will have new aspects, but not at the cost of his or her original socialization,
to integrate into the host cultures. Our curriculum strives to help international students
integrate into American culture without losing their home culture and identity. We intend to
prepare students as global citizens, and for them to function flexibly under different social
and cultural contexts.
4. Bloom, B. et al. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The classification of
educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company.
Krathwohl, D. et al. (1964). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The classification of
educational goals. Handbook II: the affective domain. New York: David McKay
Company.
Simpson, E. (1966). The Classification of Educational Objectives: Psychomotor Domain.
University of Illinois, Urbana.
These handbooks refer to the way teachers classify different instructional objectives for
students. The objectives are divided into three domains: cognitive, affective and
psychomotor. The cognitive domain involves intellectual learner outcomes. The affective
domain concerns attitudinal, valuing and emotional learner actions. Lastly, the
psychomotor objectives represent the physical skills that are trying to be incorporated.
Each of the previous domains has also been subdivided into further levels in order to
narrow down the specifics of each skill.
5. Cottrell, S. (2012). The Study Skills Handbook. Palgrave Macmillan.
This book is a self-help guide for those who wish to succeed in higher education.
Students are challenged to access and engage with metacognition. It covers study skills
like reading, note-taking, memory, writing, critical thinking, test-taking, coping with
stress, e-learning, time management and numeracy. The book is easy to read and gives
plenty of examples, checklists and questionnaires that students can use. A focus on
immediate or long-term study needs, and tips for emergency study situations is also
available.

6. Drake, S.M. (1993). How our team dissolved the boundaries. Educational leadership, 49 (2),
20-22.
Drake mentions that teachers have been taught to view the world in certain ways, and that
they incorporate these views into their respective teaching styles. The teachers discussed
in this article, realized through involvement in a group project that their model was not
effective due to these self-imposed boundaries they had about teaching. As a result, they
sought to dissolve these barriers, and consequently, come up with a new way to design a
curriculum. They found that there were fewer distinctions across subject areas than they
had initially thought. They broke down learning activities into different subject areas, and
let go of the notion of teaching traditionally taught facts at specific grade levels.
7. Faerch, C. & Kasper, G. (1983). The role of comprehension in second language learning.
Strategies in Interlanguage Communication (Applied Linguistics and Language Study).
Longman.
According to the authors in regards to Andersons Information Processing Model of
Cognitive Skill Learning, there is a difference between static information (declarative
knowledge) and knowing about something (procedural knowledge). The first is stored in
the long-term memory, whereas the second refers to the ability to understand and use
language. This procedural knowledge is more automatic and the student isnt aware when
it is activated. This stage can be referred to as second language skill acquisition.
8. Gehrke, N.J. (1998). A look at curriculum integration from the bridge. Curriculum Journal,
9(2), 247-260.
Gehrke mentions that one faction of thinking about curriculum integration is to begin it
from the consideration of ones life experience, rather than subject areas. From this view,
knowledge is important as it helps to make learners life experience more meaningful by
dealing with learners individual and societal needs. Curriculum should be integrated in a
way to take into consideration learners life experiences, not to make some subject area
learning palatable. For this reason, subject-area conceptual knowledge and information
skills are taught when students engage in inquiry, projects, or problem-solving activities.
Our curriculum kind of follows this faction in that it is aimed at helping students improve
their learning and living experience in the United States. We try to satisfy both students
individual needs, such as survival and academic learning, as well as their societal needs
(i.e., social skills). Our curriculum takes into consideration students life experiences by
integrating their prior knowledge of US culture and English proficiency levels into
meaningful learning opportunities. We try to engage students through inquiry, projects
and problem-based learning. We try to raise students multicultural awareness to improve
their critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills and collaborative skills.

9. Gordon, F.V. (1991). Integrated Curriculum in Historical Perspective. Integrating the

curriculum, 14-15.
The author introduces the concept of core curriculum, which focuses on the problems,
issues and concerns of students. Core curriculum is one way to lessen the fragmentation
of curriculum. Curriculum design begins with the students and the society in which they
live. Skills and subject matter are brought in to help solve the problems of a particular
group of students. Unstructured core is one way for teachers and students to develop
units of study together. Teacher and student jointly talk about the content to be learnt, the
structure of the unit, and the assessment methods. Our curriculum, to some extent, could
be seen as a core curriculum. It is aimed at the particular group of foreign students who
have basic English skills and need some guidance on improving their overall living and
studying situations in the US. Through the course, the students are supposed to be able to
not only learn how to study efficiently, but also learn how to work outside of their
comfort zones by engaging with US culture. Our curriculum is subject-centered, which
means our focus flows from students to teachers according to the nature of the unit to be
learnt.
10. Hirsch, E. D. (1995). Cultural literacy. Blackstone Audiobooks.
This article addresses the relationship between the decline in literacy and cultural
knowledge. Through conducting his own research, the author found by chance a
correlation between students writing skills and background knowledge of the topic.
Basically, if a topic is unfamiliar, students writing skills tended to deteriorate. The author
asserts that reading and writing skills are content-bound. This proves that assumptions
about educational formalism are incorrect. There is a dimension of acculturation in
society that is expected of every literate person. In effect, acculturation in a literate
culture, which should be the minimal aim of schooling, could be defined as the gaining of
cultural literacy (p. 166). The author acknowledges Hilary Putnams observation that the
school curriculum can be vague enough to leave plenty of room for local choice
regarding what things shall be studied in detail, and what things shall be touched on just
far enough to get us by (p. 166). Following this reasoning, content selection in schooling
is important. The author understands that there is a political element that is tied into what
should be considered shared knowledge, and he suggests that part of the reason for a
decline in U.S. literacy is because it is a result of our own cultural fragmentation. The
author asks for a national curriculum that is guided by those in a position to do so, which
in his terms is something akin to a central ministry of culture (p. 168). As of now, the
author claims that our national curriculum is guided by a hidden curriculum determined
by makers of the SAT, which he argues is better than no curriculum at all. A culturallyneutral, skills-approach to reading and writing which schools have implemented thus far
is not enough, and the author recommends that another more appropriate and educationalfurthering approach be considered.

11. Hirsch, E.D. (2003). Reading comprehension requires knowledge--- of words and the world.
American Educator, 27(1), 10-13.
This article addresses the current issue of the fourth grade slump, where research shows
that young students, particularly those from low-income families, struggle with more
advanced academic texts. Current reading research attempts to create programs and
methods that teach students to comprehend text accurately and fluently (p. 10). Some
implications for reading comprehension and classroom practice that are currently known
involve these three principles: 1) Fluency allows the mind to concentrate on
comprehension; 2) Breadth of vocabulary increases comprehension and facilitates further
learning; and 3) Domain knowledge, the most recently understood principle, increases
fluency, broadens vocabulary, and enables deeper comprehension (p. 12). In sum, with a
focus on general knowledge, some emphasis on reading comprehension strategies, and
effective use of school time, the overall achievement gap between students will be
narrowed.
12. Paige, R.M., & Cohen, A.D., et al. (2002). Maximizing Study Abroad: A Students Guide to
Strategies for Language and Culture Learning and Use. Center for Advanced Research
on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota, 619 Heller Hall, 271-19th
Avenue
South, Minneapolis, MN 55455.
This book discusses specific strategies that international students could use to develop
their language ability, intercultural communication and academic competence. It begins
with three surveys to help people recognize how they currently learn language and
culture. The book is divided into various sections including cultural learning strategies,
social relation interacting strategies, and language learning strategies, which is quite
similar to the structure of our curriculum.

13. Palmer, J. M. (1991). Planning Wheels Turn Curriculum Around. Educational Leadership, p.
57-60.
In this article, the author mentions that the planning wheel, as a graphic planning tool,
allows us to focus on both a specific subject area all while identifying appropriate
connections to other content. As a useful organizer for curriculum development and to
make learning more meaningful, the planning wheel has been used not only for teachers,
but also for students. This approach provides a flexible vehicle to get started on making
connections. It shows how different subjects can be connected and work together towards
a common focus. The planning wheels can be used for teachers and curriculum planners
to illustrate the kinds of connections that can be made. It serves as an overview for each
unit as well as a driver for the overall approach. The author also points out some
promising practices to help make curriculum connections, such as developing crosscurricular activities and enhancement activities that have a cross-curricular focus. This
planning wheel method can be used in our curriculum as a vivid way to address how our
sub-units involving academic, social, and survival skills are integrated through hands-on
activities, and how those units connect to each other as a whole with the focus on
acclimating foreign students and improving their academic English skills. Additionally,
sub-units can be made into their own planning wheels to better organize and integrate
specific units of learning.
14. Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy. American
Educational Research Journal, Vol. 32, p. 465-491.
This article addresses the notion of a relation between culture and teaching through the
lens of a microanalytic and macroanalytic perspective. The article tries to build on these
two areas and propose a culminating culturally relevant theory of education. The author
does this by raising questions about pedagogical research. Examples are given about the
pedagogical practices of eight teachers of African-American students. Their practices and
reflections of those practices help define this new theory of culturally relevant pedagogy.
15. OMalley, M. & Chamot, A. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition.
Cambridge Applied Linguistics. Cambridge University Press.
The authors in this book refer to the literature on learning strategies. They classify
learning strategies in second language learning, and explain the benefits to using this
classification system.

16. Pentony, J.F. (1996). Validity and reliability of the cultural literacy test. Psychological
reports, 78(3), p. 1027-1033.
This article seeks to test the validity and reliability of Hirschs (1987) Cultural Literacy
Test. His main thesis was that there is a correlation between cultural literacy and reading
comprehension, and that disadvantaged students tended to score poorly in this area. The
prediction then is that higher scores on the Cultural Literacy Test will lead to higher
GPAs, and better grades in English and certain subject skill areas, excluding math.
Pentony hypothesized that if Hirschs cultural literacy construct proved true, and that it
was positively correlated with better academic achievement, then confirmation of this
should be found through empirical testing of related variables. Following Hirschs
argument, reading, writing, and cultural literacy are all assumed to be related, and this
relationship should be evident through analysis of the Cultural Literacy Test, GPAs,
Freshman English Grades, and scores on the Texas Academic Skills Program.
Furthermore, students in the developmental English class were predicted to have lower
scores than those in the regular English class. Through his study of 150 freshman
community college students, Pentony discovered that all four of his validity hypotheses
were confirmed. There was a significant correlation between scores on the Cultural
Literacy Test to GPA, English grades, all three scores on the Texas Academic Skills
Program, and discrimination between students in the developmental and regular English
groups. This study serves as a preliminary step for establishing a relationship between
cultural literacy and college academic success.
17. Seelye, H. N. (1984). Teaching Culture. Strategies for Intercultural Communication.
This book is intended to discuss the teaching methodologies in a multicultural classroom
setting. The book discusses the definition of culture and its connection with language, and
also sets goals of cultural instruction and performance objectives for each of these goals.
Meaningful learning activities for each of the performance objectives are also discussed. This
book will be used in helping to set the objectives and assessments of our curriculum, which
aims to immerse international students in authentically relevant ways in the U.S. Authentic
cultural contexts, such as taking the subway/a taxi in New York City, a one-day tour guide for
family members, etc., are thought to lead to meaningful learning for international students.
18. Shoemaker, B. (1991). Education 2000 integrated curriculum. The Phi Delta Kappan,
72(10), p. 793-797.
According to the author, research shows that the brain loves patterns, and therefore the
curriculum should avoid the teaching of isolated and meaningless information. Parts and
wholes should both be included to make learning cumulative and developmental. Skills
such as thinking skills, physical and sensing skills, and social skills are considered the
core of the curriculum. The steps include theme selection, questions generation, skill
chart completion, daily plans development and strategies assessment. Our curriculum
focuses on social, academic, and survival aspects, respectively, as well as their integration
towards a whole, to bring about students multi-cultural awareness and to make them
more actively engaged in a new culture.

19. Short, D. & Echevarria, J. (2004). Teacher skills to support English language learners.
Educational Leadership, 62(4), p. 8-13.
The purpose of this article is to inform and train current English teachers on what they
should expect within a classroom of English language learners (ELLs) and how to
improve learning conditions. The authors advise teachers to be aware that ELLs are not
one-dimensional. Each student comes to class with different educational and cultural
backgrounds, and their limited English proficiency is in no way a true reflection of their
knowledge and learning ability. In classroom practice, the authors recommend teachers
follow their Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol (SIOP) model. This model
derives from research on second language acquisition, as well as on research from other
relevant fields, and is a lesson-planning and delivery approach that focuses on different
instructional strategies. As part of this approach, teachers understand that discussing
language objectives is as important as content objectives; building vocabulary knowledge
is a must for students to achieve academic competency, and practice in internalizing these
words is essential; strategies can be particularly effective to make learning meaningful;
activating students prior background knowledge, or assisting them in building required
background knowledge is critical for increasing academic proficiency. Combined, this
training method allows teachers to feel more comfortable and prepared for teaching
ELLs, and in turn, students will benefit from a higher-quality instruction. Students will
also feel more confident as a result, and transition into the new setting will prove more
successful.
20. Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2004). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks
and skills (Vol. 1). Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
In this book, Swales & Feak (2004) explain the essence of academic writing, and provide
various approaches to enhance academic writing skills in different writing genres. Each unit
in the book deals with a particular kind of task, and it teaches readers specific strategies and
areas of language focus needed to finish a good paper. Our curriculum is designed for
international students at an undergraduate level who wish to improve their academic English
writing ability. As a result, a specific workshop will be provided in the program to teach
students the required organization, language, and proper APA-style formatting for their
English writing needs. Students will practice their academic writing ability throughout the
program, and in each lesson unit, students will have to complete different writing tasks, some
of which include a literature review and research paper.