Bridging the Gap: Transition from Collegiate IEP Writing Courses to First-Year Writing Courses

English Language Learners (ELLs) who have decided to enroll in American Universities in order to pursue their degree often take Intensive English Language courses prior to beginning the work on their degree. These Intensive English Program (IEP) classes are intended to assist the learners with their understanding of English so that when they begin mainstream courses that are either intended for their degree or a general education course, these students are able to succeed and be at a similar pace with their Native English Speaking peers. However, it has been seen that when ELLs progress out of the IEP courses and begin their mainstream courses, especially in English writing, the students are still lacking similar skills to their peers that instructors assume all students are aware of. The following study highlights the disconnect between IEP writing courses and mainstream college writing classes so that the reason for ELLs struggles can be identified