SECTION 3 Questions 21-30Questions 21Which three guests are on the radio pro

Interviewer: Welcome to our University Radio programme entitled "Leaping the Language Barrier". My guests today are Tony Wu, a Master’s student from China, Susan Hall, International Student Liaison, and Wendy Clark, Head of the ESL Unit here at the university. Tony, you’re starting your Master’s degree in a few weeks, aren’t you?
Tony Wu: Yes, I am. I’ll be taking a Master’s in Computing. Like many overseas students, I found the selection process tough. Making the transition from undergraduate studies to postgraduate research is hard enough for a native speaker, but my lack of fluency in English was a bigger hurdle. So, I decided to take a pre-Master’s course.
Interviewer: Susan, are these courses popular?
Susan Hall: Not at the moment, but each year, over 100000 overseas students apply to study for a postgraduate degree in this country. Many of these students, like Tony, need to work on their English to get the maximum benefit from their time here. Paying full fees, these students represent a significant source of income for the universities. As a result, a growing number of universities and private colleges are offering foundation or pre-Master’s courses. The pre-Master’s courses are designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate studies and a postgraduate degree taught in English.
Tony Wu: That’s right. I won my place on the Master’s course after attending a nine-month pre-masters programme at the International Foundation College, a private language and study skills school approved by universities in this country.
Interviewer: Wendy, you’re an ESL professional. How useful are these courses?
Wendy Clark: Very useful indeed. As Susan said, many students come here with some English, but not really enough to take full advantage of having an education in an English-speaking country. Pre-Master’s courses bring language proficiency up to a more acceptable level. Students develop language skills through classroom interaction and by being part of the wider community, living among native English speakers.
Interviewer: Tony, how successful were the other students on your course?
Tony Wu: The IFC pre-Master’s course started in January with 28 students, all from China. All but five gained places on university Master’s courses. The IFC was very happy with the success rate.
Interviewer: Wendy, Tony didn’t do his course here, but this university does have a pre-Master’s course, doesn’t it?
Wendy Clark: Yes, it does. In this country, at least a dozen universities now run courses specially designed to cater for the needs of students from overseas regions--particularly Russia, Japan, China, East and South Asia. On top of that, private colleges are starting to enter the market, although most stick to what they do best--improving students’ English language test scores. Last year, we prepared 80 foreign students--mostly from China, South East Asia, Iran and the, former Soviet republics-for masters degrees at universities in this country. Studied over an academic year, the course is demanding. Students from a range of disciplines are taught by a subject specialist, with an English language teacher working alongside to review students’ comprehension and written work. The course culminates in a mini dissertation prepared over four months.
Interviewer: Did you find that difficult, Tony?
Tony Wu: I certainly did!
Wendy Clark: I believe that a pre-Master’s course should do a lot more than boost language skills. It’s also about preparing students from different cultural backgrounds to succeed in the academic world. We prepare them to look at a variety of sources, anal-yse the pros and cons, put forward their own ideas, challenge their tutors and take part in rigorous discussion.
Interviewer: Wendy, has the course nm at this university been successful?
Wendy Clark: The results here speak for themselves. The one-year pre-Master’s programme has a 90% success rate and a smattering of students go on to Harvard, Yale, Oxford and Cambridge as well as other prestigious institutions. However, at ＄9000, the course fee is on a par with the full fee for a Master’s programme itself.
Interviewer: Susan, do you have any reservations about these programmes?
Susan: Not here at our university, but I am unhappy at what I see as a lack of control over the proliferation of pre-Master’s programmes. Some form of external validation is needed, as there is no universal recognition of the quality of such courses. There is a benchmark system for access to higher education courses for domestic students, but so far there is no nationwide benchmark for foundation courses for international students.
Interviewer: Thank you all very much. Next week, I’ll be talking to...