[bchao]

Hi, everyone!

My name is Becky Chao, and I am a senior at Duke University studying linguistics. I was hoping that some of you might be able to assist me in my research on ESL programs in the U.S. and Chinese students for my honors thesis and virtual internship with the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, China. Specifically, I am looking for individuals that fall within the following categories to participate in an electronic survey:

- potential, current, or former students from China who have studied English as a Second Language in the U.S and are at least 18 years old (the survey is available in both English and Chinese for these students)
- current or former ESL instructors in the U.S. who have worked with ESL students from China
- current or former U.S. ESL program administrators

If you fall into one of the above-mentioned categories, would you please consider my electronic survey? If you could please also distribute my survey among your colleagues, students, and/or peers as well, that would be much appreciated as well! You can find the survey at https://duke.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cuSAtZFkTLgXNyZ.

Please be assured that your answers will remain completely confidential and that any personal contact information will be deleted shortly after I finish collecting data. The survey should take about 15-20 minutes to complete, and upon completion, you will have the opportunity to enter a lottery to win one of ten $25 Amazon gift cards. You will also have the opportunity to participate in a 20-30 minute follow-up phone interview if you choose to, for which you will receive a $20 Amazon gift card if you are selected as an interviewee.

Your participation is critical to the success of this project. Only through your responses can we better understand the implications of the demand for English study in the U.S. among students from China. If you have any questions about my research, please do not hesitate to contact me at becky.chao@duke.edu.

Thank you so much for your help in advance!