Service-learning as a Useful Supplement to Intensive English Programs

Abstract

This paper looks at the effects of service-learning on an Intensive English program. It examines English language participants at a community college who engaged in different service-learning projects over the course of one semester. Students found that service-learning helped them improve their English skills, increased their confidence when interacting with native English speakers, and gave them a rewarding experience of helping others. This paper argues that a service-learning component to English language learning curricula promotes enhanced language acquisition, as students are able to produce and receive authentic language outside the class while performing real-world tasks with meaningful purposes.