This 10-week course strengthens academic reading skills through the study of culture. Every week, students practice reading strategies that enable students to read faster, build comprehension, and sharpen study skills. Students read a variety of texts and perform reading tasks that are typical of seminary study. In particular, students read to understand culture and cross-cultural communication. Students discover insights into cultures and develop communication skills that will enhance cross-cultural participation. Thus, reading stimulates dynamic interaction of language skills and cultural learning.

Language Objectives
• Strengthen academic reading skills for greater comprehension and speed
• Develop effective study skills and critical thinking skills for reading assignments
• Increase confidence and proficiency in other language skills, especially conversational fluency
• Gain exposure to a variety of Christian literature and themes common in seminary

Cross-Cultural Objectives
• Provide an understanding of mainstream American culture, including cultural uses of
• English, values, behaviors, and cultural diversity within the United States
• Increase knowledge and communication skills to address cultural conflict & adjustment
• Explain specific American patterns of communication that can lead to misunderstandings
• Describe patterns of communication and culture that contrast with American patterns

Students actively engage in different types of academic reading, exercises, small group work, presentations, lectures, and discussions.

Levine, Deena R. and Mara B. Adelman. Beyond Language: Cross-Cultural Communication. ( 2nd ed.) Prentice Hall Regents, 1993.
Folse, Keith S. Intermediate Reading Practices: Building Reading & Vocabulary Skills. (Revised edition) University of Michigan Press, 1993.

Levine, Deena R., Jim Baxter, and Piper McNutty. The Culture Puzzle: Cross-Cultural Communication for English as a Second Language. Prentice Hall Regents, 1987.
Baudoin, Margaret E. et al. Reader’s Choice. (3rd ed.) Univ. of Michigan Press, 1994.

This noncredit course is "Satisfactory" or "Not Satisfactory." The following requirements are designed to strengthen cultural and English language fluency, particularly reading skills:
1. Class participation and preparation (weekly reading, oral and written assignments)
2. Cultural Observation Report (250 words)
3. Reading Log of 1000 pages and 4 Reading Report Forms
4. Integration Paper (1250 words)
5. Big Book Group Project