The English Department is committed to UPRA’s mission of imparting a high quality education. Therefore, it understands the needs of its students to excel in their coursework. First year students are placed in an English course based on the results of the academic achievement sections of the College Board Evaluation and Admissions Tests (PEAU), required in the UPR’s Admission Process.
Students who score less than 450 in the English section enroll in the Pre-Basic English (INGL 0060) course as a pre-requisite to the Basic English (INGL 3101) course. The purpose of this course is to prepare students for the academic demands of future courses.
The English Department uses pre and post-tests as assessment instruments in the Pre-Basic English (INGL 0060) course. These tests results are used to redesign the course, improve tutoring services, prepare instructional modules, and increase the services offered to students. Preliminary results from the assessment to INGL 0060 show that more than 90% of the students pass the INGL 0060. Moreover, more than 85% of the students who took INGL 0060 pass INGL 3101 and 3102 with a C average or more.
The INGL 0060 course is supported by tutoring and mentoring services from Centro de Desarrollo de Competencias Lingüísticas (CDCLI). Additionally, students who take the course develop more confidence in their use of the English language.