7. Attendance & Tardiness

Improving English Proficiency

  Listening/Speaking & Reading/Writing Skills
  Critical and Analytical Thinking Skills in English
  Professional English Skills

The language instruction program emphasizes improved understanding of spoken English and the use of oral English in both informal social situations and more rigorous classroom discussions. Reading and writing skills are integrated into the program as a complement to the development of oral skills.

Students have many opportunities to develop vocabulary and critical thinking skills in the examination and discussion of contemporary issues in the U.S. and the Asia-Pacific community. Finally, a new course theme introduces professional presentation and interview skills, as well as the basics of American business etiquette and manners.

Daily class activities use highly interactive and communicative methods to give students opportunities to develop both spoken fluency and increase their comprehension of the spoken language. Emphasis is on “real life” language skills which students are likely to need in international encounters; however, critical thinking skills and professional language skills will also receive attention. Some class time is devoted on developing and perfecting students’ mastery of grammar and usage through deductive analysis and noticing activities.

Students will be able to:

  understand authentic English
  converse more fluently in English
  speak and write with greater grammatical accuracy
  discuss and think critically on a variety of contemporary issue

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Library Resources and Effective Public Speaking

  University Library Research
  Electronic and Printed Media Exploration
  Interviewing for Information
  Preparation and Delivery of Oral Presentation

This highly student-oriented module gives students the opportunity to research a topic of special interest to them in the University of Hawaii’s Library, which contains one of the most comprehensive collections of Asian and Pacific documents in the world. Besides continuing to increase their English language facility through the use of authentic media materials, students will also get an introduction to academic research and presentation skills, valuable in any modern business or academic career. Presentations may be on both assigned and self-selected topics. Students will also practice their speaking and listening skills by conducting information interviews on various topics.

Students will be able to:

  conduct basic research using library media and interview sources
  deliver an informed and well-organized presentation on a topic of interest
  develop a broader perspective by doing research on another country in the Asia-Pacific region

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Understanding America

  American Culture
  The American Way of Thinking
  American Social Issues
  Student Life in the U.S.
  Hawaiian History, Culture, Language and People

Lectures, discussion and special activities introduce students to aspects of American culture, and increases knowledge of Asian-Pacific nations, with a special emphasis on the Hawaiian experience. Expanding on the themes of the language development module, students explore various issues of contemporary America, including environmental issues, global relations, and U.S. ethnic diversity. They will connect the issues studied here with the histories of some of the sites visited in the afternoon outings (fieldwork). The goal of this module is for students to continue to develop their language skills while honing their critical and analytical thinking skills on a wide variety of topics, as well as developing greater cultural understanding and sensitivity.

Students will:

  Be familiar with basic Hawaiian and U.S. history
  Be able to recognize and discuss modern environmental and social issues
  Have a broader perspective on the global community
  Have wider personal horizons and career perspectives

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Visits to Hawaiian Cultural Attractions*

  Visit Places of Historical/Educational Significance
  Interact with UH Students & Community Residents

Afternoons are spent engaging in fieldwork and exploration. Participants visit sites of historical, cultural, and educational significance in the community to gain a perspective of the history of Hawaii, as well as of the larger American experience. Visits to natural sites give insight into the impact of humans on the environment, and into the geographical features of the Hawaiian Islands.

In addition, participants gain fluency and confidence in their English-speaking abilities through: fieldwork activities, interviewing assignments, and telephone questioning. Fieldwork activities are based on questions relating to places of historical, educational, and cultural significance, and are designed to promote interaction with local residents through conversation.

Interviewing assignments encourage participants to actively engage themselves in the community, while telephone questioning helps participants gather important information over the telephone. Encounters between participants and University of Hawaii students and community residents allow students to interact with and learn from native speakers, and gain greater understanding of modern American culture.

*Admission fees to be paid by participants

Students will:

  Gain insight into environmental and social issues from a Hawaiian perspective
  Explore the unique history and beauty of the Hawaiian Islands
  Interact with local community members to exchange ideas and develop cross-cultural understanding

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Textbooks

The official CAPE textbooks are English Firsthand and Face the Issues.

These textbooks will be regularly supplemented with material from several other communicatively focused books. Handouts related to Presentation, Interviewing, Personal Appearance, Special Activities, etc. will be used to enrich students’ English language facility and to increase their presentation and interactive skills in business and real life situation. In addition to these textbooks and handouts, other supplemental materials are available for reading assignments.


Special Activities

Many special activities have been designed to ensure that theCAPE students have an academically and culturally well-rounded classroom experience. Through the completion of a wide variety of culture enhancing activities, it is hoped that students will broaden their minds and build their characters in order to become active and responsible citizens of the twenty-first century.

Many of the skills building activities will include a global perspective. A number of presentations with topics ranging from current events to Hawaiian customs will be done in class to help develop students’ speaking skills. Academically, students will benefit by learning and applying basic library research skills. Students will further supplement their cultural and academic experience by investigating and attending a class in their major at the University of Hawaii.

The students’ global perspectives will also be expanded as they do a One Country Report about a country in the Asia Pacific region. Newspapers will regularly be used in the classroom, giving students an opportunity to increase their global awareness and improve their reading skills. In addition, students will complete many special reading activities which will increase their knowledge of English language literature, global business, and historically great minds.

Students will have an opportunity to enjoy many of the culturally and historically rich attractions Oahu has to offer by doing afternoon fieldwork sessions. The varied material covered in the classroom and the fieldwork sessions will provide students with an abundance of material to write about for class assignments or to complete the required paragraph that must be written every day.

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CAPE strives to provide students with a unique combination of learning activities which will not only increase the individual’s knowledge of American English, but will also promote the forging of global citizens. As we enter the twenty-first century, it is important to maintain a spirit of harmony and solidarity so we can cooperate across barriers of language, nationality, and history. While attending their respective programs,CAPE expects its participants to exhibit a commitment to the pursuit of educational activities. Students, as well as faculty and staff, should demonstrate courtesy and mutual respect in their relations with others at all times.

If a participant’s behavior disrupts the harmonious pursuit of these goals, please notify theCAPE office as soon as possible. The individual will be counseled by CAPE staff. If, after counseling, the individual continues to willfully exhibit behavior that interferes with the conduct if its programs and/or interferes with other participants’ ability to pursue their program of study, CAPE may exercise its right to terminate that individual’s participation in the CAPE program he or she in enrolled in.

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Unexcused absences are to be treated seriously. Because of the intensive format of the program, even one absence can interfere with a student’s performance. Therefore, all students are expected to attend class regularly. Teachers need to take daily attendance and report any unexplained/unexcused absences to the CAPE office.


Any student who arrives more than ten minutes late should be marked tardy. Three tardies will constitute in an absence. Absences will be treated as described in the attendance policy below:

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