Academic English Refresher Course: A single case study

Abstract

American University of Armenia, one of the leading universities in the Caucasus, is a destination for both Armenian and international applicants. It is a higher educational institution currently offering both graduate and undergraduate programs. As it is stated by the RA Law “On compulsory military service” all males should conduct a mandatory military service for two years. This law, referring to all the Armenian universities, including AUA, results in a two-year absence from classes on the part of many male university students, particularly undergraduates. It turns out they enter an institution of higher education, but later on, are forced to take two-year deferment. Therefore, this study attempts to study the situation closer and revel needs of undergraduate army returnee students after the military service. The study has chosen AUA as a setting, primarily as it is the only institution in the RA where the language of classroom instruction is English. The present case study examines a particular case of an army returnee student, the first undergraduate army returnee student at AUA, who resumed his studies in January 2016 after the army service and continued his education from the second term. The aim of the study is to investigate the needs of AUA undergraduate army-returnee student as well as steps necessary to create academic English refresher course suiting the needs of army students. This study may become a precedent for AUA to offer an academic English refresher course to all the army returnee students. The course designed with the framework of the present case study may serve as a model for the future courses to be offered.