Teaching Academic Skills to Chinese Undergraduate Students in U.S. Academic Institutions

Abstract

The purpose of this field project is to help Chinese undergraduate students succeed in the American classroom through guidance on academic skills. To achieve this goal, a series of situationally-based curriculum modules about different academic skills are developed as the central part of this project. This curriculum is designed not only for Chinese undergraduate students, but also for instructors in U.S. academic institutions to increase their awareness of the academic skills issues among international students. This project is presented in the form of a teaching manual and a brief syllabus. The teaching manual provides Chinese undergraduate students with practical rules, diagrams, charts, examples, and exercises to practice how to manage their time, how to take notes effectively, how to prepare and take exams, and how to engage in a group discussion. It is a supplement for students to use when they have difficulty in their daily studies. The exercises in the teaching manual will require students to apply these academic skills to their course materials. During the instruction, the teacher should follow the syllabus and adjust it according to the level of students