WHERE LANGUAGE AND ENGINEERING MEET: FOSTERING EMERGING ENGINEERING IDENTITIES AMONG INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS

–This paper explores the impact of incorporating discipline-specific content into a university pathways program designed for first-year engineering English language learners. In an effort to increase feelings of connectedness and encourage the development of student identity for students who must complete the bridging program before beginning full-degree studies, a collaboration with First-Year Engineering, FIRST Lego League and the Engineering IDEAS Clinics began whereby students worked with instructors, professors, and students from the Engineering Faculty as part of their language courses. Student motivation and sense of faculty connection increased through the integration of these discipline-specific assessments and activities, and, overall the students reflected positively on these experiences.