AEC N e w s l i n eEdited by

Sandra Issa

Students Share

A p r i l 2 0 0 6

Students in Karen Erb’s 102A Speaking and Understanding

class.What’s inside?

Leaving the Country for Summer Break? (p. 2)

Calendar--What’s Up (p. 2)

End-of-Senester Tips (p. 2)

The AEC Final Proficiency Exam (p. 3)

The AEC's Policy on Cheating (p. 3)

AEC Activities and Adventures (p. 4)

Local Events: Garage Sales (p. 4)

Counselors’ Corner (p. 5)

Say "Hi" to Your Fellow Students (p. 6)

Reggae. Rock. Hip-hop. Bossa nova. Zouk. Pop. Soukous. What's your favorite music? The students in Karen Erb's 102A Speaking and Understanding class have been giving presentations on their favorite album or artist. They gave background information about the artist, song, or instrument, explained why they liked it, and shared some of the music with the class.

The first presentation was given by the teacher, Karen Erb. Karen talked about "Ulali", a type of Native American music. The class also learned about a Russian pop group, traditional Indonesian music called "Keroncong," traditional Chinese zither music, and an Arabic singer called Elissa. Hala Al-Jishi gave a presentation about music played with an Arabian instrument called an "ood." He says that this music "carries a lot of culture and history." He recommends visiting <www.6arab.com> to listen to some of this music. Yasser Alsallom and Abdullah Aldossary also recommended <www.6rb.com> for more Arabic songs. Luz Hernandez presented some music by an Italian singer, Laura Pausini. She says you can just type the singer's name into Google to find some videos online. Ji eun Lee introduced the class to "Clazziquai" a Korean electronica group. You can hear their songs on their homepage at <www.clazziquai.co.kr> To find out about the Japanese "Awaodori" song and festival, Toshko Minato suggests you visit <www.awaodori.net/mainichi>

Go to the computer lab and visit some of these websites. Maybe you will find some new favorite music!

Alena Zaikina prepares her presentation

on Premier-Minister, a Russian pop group.

Huilin Xiong holds up a picture of

a zither, used in some traditional

Chinese music.

The Sounds of Music

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5. Enrollment tables are open at the AEC. Come in to pick up your schedule and book lists. If you haven't enrolled yet, make sure you enroll today. Late enrollment with additional fees begins June 6.

6. AEC and KU classes begin

End of Semester Tips

If you are planning to travel out of the U.S. during the summer break, please remember to take your I-20 (F-1/F-2 status) or you DS-2019 (J-1/J-2 status sponsored by KU) to the ISSS Offi ce to obtain a travel signature. (Persons with a DS-2019 issued by a sponsor other than KU will need to obtain the signature from their program sponsor noted in section #2 of the DS-2019.)

Since there are many people requesting travel signatures prior to the vacation period, you will need to leave your document at the ISSS offi ce at least overnight. Typically, it will be ready for you to pick up after 24 hours (ex-cluding weekends and holidays). Please plan ahead to allow yourself adequate time to take care of this when making your travel arrange-ments.

You will need to be sure that you have a valid passport and a valid visa appropriate to your status for re-entry. Also, if you are subject to Special Registration, don’t forget to register your departure according to the required pro-cedures before you exit the U.S.

If you have questions, go to the ISSS Offi ce in Room 2 Strong Hall.

Leaving the Country for Summer Break?

5. Last day of AEC classes

6. Final Profi ciency Exam

7. Shopping trip to Kansas City

11. Last day of KU classes

15. Results of Profi ciency Exam are available after 1:30 p.m.

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Believe it or not, the spring semester is almost over! Some stu-dents are feeling tired and anxious about the fi nal profi ciency exam. If you are tired or feel nervous about the exam, there are several things you can do to help yourself get the most out of these last weeks.

Attend all your classes. Your AEC teachers teach and review im-portant points in every class. Since the AEC test is different from the TOEFL test, it is better to attend your classes and learn from them than to stay home and study TOEFL books.

Ask your teachers questions. If you are confused about some-thing that was taught in one of your classes, ask your teacher to explain it to you again.

Review your work gradually. Don’t plan to study at the last minute. Instead, spend a little time each day reviewing what you have learned this semester.

Be sure to get enough sleep. It is not a good idea to stay up very late studying. This will only make you more tired and you might get sick.

Take time to relax. It is easier to concentrate on your studies if you take breaks, get a breath of fresh air, or spend time with your friends and family. Plan to spend some time each day do-ing something that you enjoy.

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The AEC Final Proficiency Exam

The AEC’s Policy on Cheating

The Applied English Center, like all other parts of the University of Kansas, does not tolerate cheating. Students caught cheating can be dismissed from the university.

One form of cheating is plagiarizing. If you use someone else's words or ideas and pretend that they are your own, you are guilty of plagiarizing. If you are caught plagiarizing, you will receive an F on the assignment. In addition, you may receive an F in the entire course or even be dismissed from the university.

Another form of cheating is getting answers from someone during a test. Because of the seriousness of the charge of cheating, it is important that you not appear to be cheating when you are not. For example, during a test or quiz, be sure to keep your eyes on your own paper, never talk to another student, and don't leave open books or exposed papers where you can see them except when your teacher says, "You may use your books during this test." If you finish a test early, don't look at other students' papers; keep your eyes on your paper. You can fill the extra time by checking your answers to be sure that you made no mistakes.

Another form of cheating is showing a false identification card or passport or taking a test for another student. This is a very serious offense at the University of Kansas. The punishment for all people involved in this offense is possible dismissal from the university or possible criminal prosecution under the laws of the United States government. Do not change any identification card or use false identification. Do not take a test using someone else's name or identification card or passport.

TESTING

The AEC Final Proficiency Exam is on Saturday, May 6 at 9:00 a.m. You should have received a letter from your teacher telling you the room and what time you should report for the test. Please remember to bring your KUID, two pencils, and an eraser with you. The final proficiency test is a formal part of your course work in the AEC. As you know, your test scores affect the final grades you will receive in your AEC courses. You may also want to bring a pencil sharpener and a sweater or jacket with you. If you think you will get hungry, you can bring a snack, such as a candy bar or fruit, to eat during the break. (Eating is not allowed in the test rooms.) We want to remind you of the rules of good behavior when taking any university test:

• You should work quietly and not bother students around you.• You should keep your eyes on your own desk.• Don’t give the proctors reason to suspect you of cheating.

The university gives proctors the right to dismiss any student who bothers other students in the room or who is suspected of cheating. Don’t let this happen to you.

HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE TEST Do something relaxing the evening before the test and get a good night’s sleep. Don’t stay up late studying. Plan to get up early enough to eat breakfast. Try to relax and keep a positive attitude during the test. Good luck!

RESULTS - When will results of the test be ready?

The final proficiency exam scores, spring class grades, and course recommendations for summer and fall semesters will be available at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, May 15. You should pick up your exam results on Monday, May 15 at 1:30 p.m. It is important that you pick up your test results at that time in case there are any problems with your test scores. If you are leaving town before Monday, May 15, come to the AEC office to speak with Doris Gasper. When you pick up the scores on Monday, May 15, you may make an appointment to see a counselor on:

• Monday, May 15, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. or• Tuesday, May 16, 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon, and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Counseling appointments begin again Monday, June 5, 2006.

WHERE DO I TAKE THE PROFICIENCY TEST?

Your AEC teacher should give you a letter telling you where you will take the exam. If you have any questions about the exam, please come to the AEC and talk with Doris Gasper.

TRANSPORTATION TO THE TEST

Plan ahead! KU buses do not run on Saturdays. Lawrence city buses do run, but you will need to check the schedule for times.

STUDENTS WHO MUST BE ABSENT THE DAY OF THE PROFI-CIENCY EXAM

The final proficiency test is a formal part of your course work in the AEC. Without final proficiency test scores, you may not continue to study at the AEC or KU. You must take the test on Saturday, May 6 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., unless you can document unavoidable circumstances. Please be aware of this date when you make travel plans. If you cannot get to the test due to circumstances beyond your control, it is your responsi-bility to contact the office as soon as possible to make special arrangements. Ask to speak with Doris Gasper.

AEC Activities and Adventures

Join us on our shopping trip to Kansas City! The final proficiency test is on Saturday, May 6th, and this shop-ping trip is on Sunday, May 7th. What a great way to celebrate finishing the semester. For those of you who are returning home, this is a great chance to buy some gifts for your friends and family at home!

We will leave from the front of Lippincott Hall (the AEC) at 10:00 a.m. We will go to the Oak Park Mall and the Plaza. You can visit many different kinds of stores with a wide range of prices. You can bring a sack lunch or buy lunch at a restaurant. We will return to Lawrence by 5:00 p.m.

Family and friends are welcome, but children should be over the age of five. Sign-up at the AEC front desk from now until 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 3rd.

Shopping Trip to Kansas City

Local Events: Garage Sales

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Garage sales can save you lots of money, and you can usually find some really great deals. People in Law-rence often sell good things for low prices. You can find brand new things or antiques, clothes, toys, kitch-en appliances, furniture, books and much, much more.

On weekends, you can find a garage sale by look-ing for posters on trees or telephone poles or by just walking around town and watching for people selling things in front of their houses. You can also find a list of garage and yard sales in the Classified section of the newspaper or by looking at the newspaper online. (To look online, go to www.ljworld.com and click on “Classifieds” at the top of the page. Then choose “Ga-rage Sales” in the Lawrence area and you will see a list of the sales with the addresses.)

If you want to do some “serious garage ‘sale-ing’,” here are some ideas on how to make the most of sales.

If you plan on “sale-ing” in the morning, look at the Classified section of the newspaper the night before and circle the sales you are interested in.

Look at a Lawrence map (there’s one in the phone book) and plan a route start-ing with the sale you are most interested in.

Be “price savvy.” That means you should know how much the items being sold at the garage sale would cost if you were buying them new at a store. For example, a new coffee maker at the store may cost $20.00. The same coffee maker at a yard sale has probably been used and doesn’t come with a warranty like a new coffee maker. You probably wouldn’t want to spend more than $10.00 for it, and you can always try bargaining with the seller if you think the price is too high.

Make sure you dress comfortably. Remember that mornings are sometimes cool but by 11:00 it can be hot.

Bring a snack and a drink.

Try to pay for items with cash. Many sellers won’t ac-cept personal checks. If you see something you really want and have to go to the bank to get cash, the item may be sold to someone else by the time you return.

Most sales begin around 8:00 am and last until about 1:00 pm. The people having garage sales don’t like “early birds,” so it is important to make sure you don’t get to the sale much earlier than the starting time.

Most important, have fun and enjoy taking part in an American tradition!

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LEO Closing for Break

Remember, you can visit the Counselor’s Corner on-line. Go to http://www.aec.ku.edu/counselors/corner.html. Use the links to get information on a variety of topics such as good study habits, speaking up in class, and a lot more! Just select the topic that interests you, and click on it.

Ask the AEC Counselors

Question: Help! I just realized that the semester is almost over. I have so much work to do. How can I pos-sibly accomplish everything? Response: At this time in the semester, the number of homework assignments, papers, and tests in AEC and KU classes can begin to feel overwhelming. Establishing good study skill habits can help this push-to-the-end-of-the-semester feel less stressful. Here are some ideas for planning time, space, and study materials that other students have found helpful.

TIME • Spend 1-2 hours of preparation and review for each hour in class. • Review class notes before and after class. • Divide large assignments into sections, and complete a section each day. • Don’t wait to begin studying until the night before an exam. (In other words, start working now on major as-signments that are due or major exams that take place at the end of the semester.) • Take a ten-minute break after each hour of studying or when you change subject areas. • Plan activities on a time chart showing each day’s activities for a week. • Be sure to leave time for rest and physical recreation. • Consider studying in the morning instead of at night to avoid distractions.

SPACE • Keep books, notes and study materials in their place.

This will save you time look-ing for them when it’s time to study. • Study where you won’t be distracted, for example in the library or in an empty classroom. Make sure the place is quiet, spacious and well-lit.

STUDY MATERIALS • Mark important ideas in your textbooks with a high-lighter pen or make a light pencil mark in the margin, which can be erased later.• Write down all homework assignments, tests dates, and paper due dates in one place, preferably a calendar.• Write down important dates and times in a small cal-endar. You create a good impression when you complete responsibilities and keep appointments on time. • Buy ten or twenty file folders to keep in your study area. You can use a separate folder for each class, for important personal papers, financial receipts, and so on. If you buy folders in different colors, you can find papers even more easily. We hope the rest of the semester goes smoothly for you. If you want more information on study skill habits, please stop by the AEC counselors’ office.

Counselors’ Corner

LEO will close on Thursday, May 4, at 5:20 p.m., and will open again on Tuesday, June 6, the first day of summer classes.

KU Computer Lab Hours During BreakMain labs, like 10 Budig Hall and Room 452 Kansas Union, will be open between semesters. You can check open hours and information for all KU labs at http://www.ku.edu/~complabs/

Saving Your WorkIMPORTANT: COPY YOUR WORK SAVED IN LEO If you want to keep anything that you saved on a LEO computer, please bring in a disk or memory stick and copy it. All work saved by students on the LEO Server will be removed after the spring semester.

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C H I N AHi! My name is Hithendra Nath Reddy Pothu. I’m from India. My interests include painting, reading books, and doing research.

SAUDI ARABIAHello! I am Hyun Chang Lee. I’m from South Korea. My major is Electrical Engineering. I really like sports such as soccer, table tennis, and squash, so I go to the recreation center almost everyday. If you see me, please say “hello” to me!

SOUTH KOREA

Hello! I’m Jenny Ran Ren. I’m from China. I like talking with others, and I like watching all kinds of movies. The last movie I happened to watch was a Chi-nese movie called “Butterfly.”

Hi! My name is Nabil Alotaibi. I’m from Saudi Arabia. I like to play golf, learn about all different cultures, and listen to all kinds of music. My favorite music is reggae, and I like Bob Marley and Gregory Isaacs.

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Hi! I’m Yan Zhang. I come from Beijing, China. During my free time, I would like swimming, but I spend a lot of time staying in my room to do my homework. After 9 months studying at KU, I learned that it is a difficult thing to study in a foreign country!

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Remember, you can see these pictures and the whole News-line in color online. Go to <www.aec.ku.edu>, click on “Current Students,” then click on the link to the “AEC News-line.”