MLC Student Handbook

MLC
Language Center

STUDENT HANDBOOK

The information provided in this handbook is correct at the time of printing, MLC reserves the right to make
changes to the procedures, rules and regulations from time to time as it deems necessary without prior notice.
Student should read carefully all information on all official correspondence, notice boards and other sources of
information for students to be aware of changes and updates to the information published in this handbook and
also in the other handbooks. The information in this handbook is correct as at 01 May 2016.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT MLC................................................................................................................................................................................ 3
OUR APPROACH ....................................................................................................................................................................... 3
OUR VISION ................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
OUR MISSION ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4
MLC LEVELS............................................................................................................................................................................... 5
APPLICATION PROCEDURE ................................................................................................................................................ 6
STUDENT PLACEMENT AND PROGRESS ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................... 7
COURSE GRADES ..................................................................................................................................................................... 8
GRADUATION ............................................................................................................................................................................ 9
CAMPUS AND CLASSROOM POLICIES........................................................................................................................... 10
ACADEMIC INTERGRITY .................................................................................................................................................... 11
ATTENDANCE POLICY......................................................................................................................................................... 12
BEHAVIORAL PROBATION:............................................................................................................................................... 13
STUDENT SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................................. 14
TIPS ON LEARNING ENGLISH .......................................................................................................................................... 15
CERTIFICATES ........................................................................................................................................................................ 16
REFUND POLICY .................................................................................................................................................................... 17

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MLC Student Handbook

ABOUT MLC
MLC set out with the ambition to be a progressive and future leading language training
provider. To achieve our ambition, MLC is committed to providing the best value to you
through employing only qualified language instructors who are approachable and dedicated
to meeting your learning needs. We provide personal coaching in a friendly environment
conductive for learning in a convenient location. Whether you plan to continue studying at a
university/college, or you intend to improve your English, MLC could aid you to achieve that.

OUR APPROACH
At MLC, we use our Tri-Pointer strategy in order to direct and implement our approach so as
to achieve our goal of empowering our students with English.
1. Customize:
Different learners start with different language proficiency levels. Realizing
this, we will assess your proficiency level before you start through our
placement test; getting you the right level suiting your proficiency.
2. Personalize:
Our instructors will recognize the individualistic needs of the students in
order to provide them the right information and material.
3. Vitalize:
As a strong believer of experiential learning, we frequently motivate our
learners to participate in interactive learning activities. Besides keeping the
classroom lively, these learner-centered activities provide the current real
practical usage of the language to stimulate learning.

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OUR VISION
TO TRANSFORM LEARNING INTO PASSION

OUR MISSION
INSPIRE KNOWLEDGE THROUGH UNIQUE QUALITY TEACHING

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MLC LEVELS
MAIN LEVELS
Advanced

SUB-LEVELS
IELTS

IELTS Preparation

Upper Advanced

Mastery level: Students possess scholastic and

professional language skills, including presentation
and academic writing
Can understand with ease virtually everything
heard or read.
Can summarize information from dierent spoken
and written sources, reconstructing arguments and
accounts in a coherent presentation.
Can express him/herself spontaneously and very
uently
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer
texts, and recognize implicit meaning.
Can use language eectively for social, academic
and professional purposes.
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on
both concrete and abstract topics.
Can interact with a degree of uency and
spontaneity that makes regular interaction with
native speakers quite possible without strain.
Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of
subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue.
Can understand the main points of clear standard
input on familiar matters regularly encountered in
work, school, leisure, etc.
Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst
travelling in an area where the language is spoken.
Can describe experiences and events.
Can understand sentences and frequently used
expressions related to basic personal and family,
shopping, local geography, employment
Can communicate in simple and routine tasks
requiring a simple and direct exchange of
information on familiar and routine matters.
Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her
background,
Can understand and use familiar everyday
expressions
Can introduce her/him and others and can ask and
answer questions about personal details.
Can interact in a simple way provided the other
person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to
help.

Advanced

Intermediate

Upper Intermediate

Intermediate

Pre-Intermediate

Beginner

ABILITY UPON COMPLETION

Elementary
Pre-Elementary

Beginner

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APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Applying as Malaysia Student

STEP1: Fill the application form.

STEP2: Submit 1 set certied copy of original high school/collage, academic
transcript and certicate.

STEP3: Set for the placement Test.

Applying as International Student

STEP1: Fill the application form.
STEP2: In order to conrm your enrolment and enable MLC to submit your Student
Visa, the payment of RM 3000.00 as pre-registration is required along with: - 4 colored
passport size photos with blue background (3.5cmX5cm) - 2 set of passport copies all pages
include blank pages (Please insure the copies

are clearly copied and all pages number can

be seen clearly). - Pre- arrival Medical Screening Form and Report.

STEP3: Your Student Pass Application will be submitted for processing. This normally
takes 4-5 weeks for approval
STEP4: Upon approval, the student Pass approval letter will be sent to you. Kindly
proceed to the nearest Malaysian Embassy to get your passport endorsed
STEP5: Inform us in writing - at least 7 days before arriving Malaysia - pertaining to
your arrival details for airport pick-up and for your accommodation arrangements.

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STUDENT PLACEMENT AND PROGRESS ASSESSMENT

PLACEMENT OVERVIEW
Placement Test Scheduling- Placement testing must be completed before a student is
assigned to an MLC instructional level. It is the responsibility of all incoming students to
complete prerequisite placement testing before the first instructional day of the term. MLC
uses data-driven decision making when placing new students into appropriate classes.

Alternative Placement
If a student believes that the scores earned on his or her MLC placement exam do not
accurately reflect his or her skills, he or she may ask the Director for permission to attend
classes at a level that he or she deems more appropriate. Per the Directors approval, the
student may attempt a different placement for the purposes of determining whether the new
level is better suited to address his or her English proficiency level and instructional needs.
The student may attend the new level for one week.
At the end of the trial week, 8 the Director, teacher(s), and student will confer to determine
whether the new placement is accurate. Upon making a final placement decision, the student
will be formally reassigned or return to his or her original course schedule.

Progress assessment of current students

Student progress is evaluated using multiple measures of assessment. Students who earn a
70% average or greater in each of their courses per term are considered to be in Good
Academic Standing. Advancement decisions are informed by course grades, including
student participation rates.

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COURSE GRADES
All MLC courses are designed on a 1000 points scale. A categorical breakdown of points is as
follows:
MLC STUDENT ASSESSMENT PER COURSE BY POINTS AND PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL
POINTS
Evaluation Category

Points Available

Percentage of Total Points

Testing

400

40%

Classwork

500

60%

Participation

100

Testing: Students will take two 100 pt. tests, a comprehensive mid-term exam, and a
comprehensive final exam in each class. These assessments are pre-scheduled and listed in
all course syllabi.
Classwork: Students will have the opportunity to earn 950 points/term for general course
work. This work consists of a combination of assignments, projects, activities, and quizzes.
Participation: Students will be evaluated every two (2) weeks on their class participation.
This assessment will capture data about the learners attendance, oral participation,
listening participation, and participatory behaviors. A copy of the Student Participation
Rubric used to evaluate learners is provided in all MLC course syllabi.

Grade Scale:
MLC uses the following scale for all classes:
A

90%-100%

80%-89%

70%-79%

0%-69%

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Good Academic Standing:

Students are considered to be in Good Academic Standing when their class averages are
maintained at 70% or above and their attendance rate is at or above 80%. In order to be
advanced to the next instructional 12 level, students must have earned a 70% average or
greater in all three classes and must attend 80% or more of all classes in which they are
enrolled for the term.

GRADUATION
Graduation from MLC is not based on the number of terms spent in class, but on learner
achievement, as measured by course grades and standardized test scores. The successful
candidate for MLC graduation consistently demonstrates advanced proficiencies in the
English language with respect to listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Graduates of MLC
can expect to meet university entrance requirements with respect to English language
proficiency and will be well positioned for academic success in institutions where English is
the primary language of instruction.
Students who fit this description must pass the highest level of instruction offered by MLC
with 70% proficiency or greater in order to be eligible for graduation.
Attendance Requirements- The student must attend 80% of all courses in which he or she
is enrolled during his or her course period. This percentage is calculated on a weekly basis
and is calculated from the first class day of class.

TRANSCRIPTS AND ENROLLMENT VERIFICATION

Students may request a transcript or a letter to verify their enrollment from the main office
at any time. MLCs Academic Advisors will email these documents or provide them in hard
copy, per student request. The main office will provide these documents within two business
days. Requests are processed in the order that they are submitted, so wait-times may vary.
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CAMPUS AND CLASSROOM POLICIES

MLC is committed to providing a safe, friendly, and instructionally effective environment. To
this end, we ask that students adhere to the following policies.

CAMPUS POLICIES
Smoke-Free Campus:
MLC strictly prohibits smoking on campus. Students may not smoke in the centers buildings
or its common areas. Students who violate this policy will be referred to the Director and
placed on Behavioral Probation.
Cell Phone Use:
Cell phones are prohibited in all classes. Students are not to send or receive text messages or
phone calls during class time. An MLC instructor who finds a students cell phone being used
in the classroom during a graded assignment or test will issue a zero on the respective
assignment or test. If a teacher sees a students cell phone in use in class, he or she may issue
a score of zero on the assignment or test that has been administered. If a teacher hears a
students cell phone while class is in session, he or she may deduct participation points per
incident from the students biweekly participation grade. Cell phone applications for
translation are prohibited. Students who violate this policy will be referred to the Director
and may be placed on Behavioral Probation.
Cleanliness in Classrooms and Common Areas:
Learners are expected to use the trashcans provided across campus to promote a safe and
clean learning environment. It is neither customary nor acceptable in Malaysia to throw
trash or other waste on the ground. As the MLC is located in a high esteemed university, it is
especially important to keep the area clean. Upon leaving any classroom or common space
on campus, learners are expected to responsibly attend to their trash, dirty dishes, etc. Prior
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to leaving any classroom, learners should prepare the space for its next group of users.
Students are advised to keep noise levels down in common and exterior spaces out of
courtesy to other classes and departments at the University of Malaya.
English as a Common Language:
Students are encouraged to practice using English when communicating with classmates,
faculty, and administrators. Native languages are welcome at MLC and should be used by
learners to clarify and expand their understanding of target concepts, as appropriate, in the
classroom. MLC instructors preferences as to the amount and nature of native-language use
in their respective courses may vary. Electronic translators are permitted in class at the
teachers discretion.

ACADEMIC INTERGRITY
MLC students are expected to pursue their education with integrity. Academic dishonesty, in
any form, will not be tolerated and may result in a students immediate expulsion. Forms of
academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to, cheating on class assignments,
plagiarizing the work of published authors or other students, and cheating on formal
assessments (school-based or standardized).
Cheating on Class Assignments:
Cheating is defined as taking credit for thinking or effort that someone else has done.
Cheating misrepresents a learners true proficiencies and limits an instructors ability to
effectively serve the individual and his or her classmates. Students are expected to do all of
their assigned work independently, unless otherwise instructed. Individuals who are caught
cheating will earn zero (0) points for the work in question and will be referred to the school
Director for disciplinary action.

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ATTENDANCE POLICY
Eighty Percent (80%) Attendance Policy:
Each student enrolled at MLC is expected to attend all classes to which he or she is assigned.
All learners are required to maintain a satisfactory attendance rate of 80% or greater.
Students are required by Immigration to maintain a full-time student status, a distinction
defined by Immigration as having consistently attended 80% of all classes to which the
student is assigned.
Consecutive Absence Policy:
Any student attending MLC who misses eight (8) consecutive days of class will be considered
withdrawn from the institution. A withdrawal of this nature will cause the immediate
termination of the individuals enrollment.
Tardiness Policy:
Courses taught at MLC start promptly at the beginning of their scheduled class time. Students
are expected to arrive early enough to be seated and ready to learn when class begins.
Students who are more than 10 minutes late for class will be marked tardy. Three (3) tardies
in any given class will be recorded as an absence. Students who are thirty (30) minutes late,
or later, to class will be marked absent for the class period. MLC instructors record the arrival
time of each tardy student on a daily basis and report this information to the schools
Director for monitoring.
An absence caused by three (3) tardies in the same class will be counted toward the Eighty
Percent Attendance Policy, described on page 15 of this handbook. Early Departure from
Class: Students enrolled at MLC are required to attend each of their scheduled class periods
from beginning to end. A learner is expected to ask their instructors permission if he or she
needs to leave the room during class time. A student may leave class three (3) times per term,
with instructor permission. Students who leave class without instructor permission will be
referred to the Director and may be subject to disciplinary action.
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BEHAVIORAL PROBATION
Behavioral Probation may be assigned to learners who consistently conduct themselves in a
manner that is unsafe, inappropriate, or unconducive to learning.
Such behaviors include, but are not limited to:
Persistent and/or flagrant violation of school rules
Being verbally and/or emotionally intimidating or abusive to faculty, staff, or other
students
Possession of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, or alcoholic beverages
Being under the influence of drugs or alcohol
Doing physical harm to others
Endangering himself/herself with risky behavior on school or business complex property
Performing illegal acts on the campus
Any student placed on Behavioral Probation will be counseled by the Director and will be
placed on Conditional Enrollment. Any student who receives two Behavioral Probations
within four-weeks is subject 15 to immediate expulsion from MLC.

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STUDENT SERVICES
MLC is sensitive to the many challenges that an international student will encounter as part
of his or her acculturation process. We are dedicated to making this transition as comfortable
as possible for our students. The following information may help new students as they adjust
to their new surroundings.
Educational Field Trips and On-Site Activities:
MLC offers frequent excursions that give students additional exposure to American culture
and native speakers of English. These field trips are intended to enrich the student
experience by extending ones understanding and use of the target concepts addressed in
the school curriculum.
Social Activities:
Social activities will help you adjust to life in MLC Malaysia and allow you to develop a
network of friends to make your MLC experience more enjoyable. Teachers and counsellors
will organise activities for students every month. These include movies, sports, games,
cultural events and/or visits to local institutions of higher learning. Be sure to join in these
activities to make new friends and practice using the English language.
Accommodation:
Looking for a place to live? MLC counsellors will help you find the best accommodation that
suits your budget and needs.
Visa and Immigration Support:
MLC will handle all student visa processing for international students. The MLC counsellors
will keep you updated on the visa processing progress and provide you with information,
support and guidance on maintaining your immigration status while you are in Malaysia.

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University Pathways:
MLC offers students pathways to colleges and universities in Malaysia and around the globe.
The counsellors are also able to provide advice and guidance to choosing the right program
in the right institution. This is a free service provided to all MLC students.

TIPS ON LEARNING ENGLISH

Studying English outside of your country may be a new experience for you. Your MLC classes
may also be different from the English classes you took in your country. Your teachers will
ask you to speak often, share your thoughts and ideas and practice with other students. To
learn quickly in class you should do the following everyday:
Speak only English.
Sit next to someone who does not speak your language.
Ask questions. If you dont understand something, raise your hand and ask.
Speak in complete sentences.
Take notes.
Keep a vocabulary notebook, where you write down new vocabulary every day
Dont be afraid to make a mistake. All language learners make mistakes. Mistakes help
teachers know what you have learned, and what you need more help with.

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CERTIFICATES
Certificates are awarded to students who have completed exit levels i.e. Beginner,
Intermediate and Advanced.
Certificate of Completion
This is awarded to students who have successfully completed level Advanced level. This
certificate is recognized for admission into most local colleges and to certain universities,
local and overseas.
Certificate of Proficiency
This is awarded to students in Advanced level if they demonstrate superior academic
performance and obtain 90% or more marks in all the components.
Certificate of Promotion
This certificate is awarded to students who have successfully completed Beginner and
Intermediate level.
Certificate of Attendance
Students who have attended 75% of their classes but have failed to achieve proficiency at
Levels 103, 106 and 109 are awarded the Attendance Certificate. This certificate is also
awarded to all students upon request at the end of their period of study at MLC Language
Centers provided they have fulfilled the 75% attendance requirement in all the components.
Repeating a Level and Academic Probation Learning a language is like learning any skill; you
may not always learn everything at the same speed. Some things will be easier to learn than
other things. Sometimes language learners reach a stage when their progress slows for a
short time. While this may be disappointing, you should not let it discourage you, even If it
means that you have to repeat a level. Your teachers and Academic Director are eager to help
you when you are having difficulty.

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REFUND POLICY
Refund for Withdrawal Due to Non-Delivery of Course:
MLC Language Center will notify the Student within three (3) working days upon knowledge
of any of the following:
(i) It does not commence the Course on the Course Commencement Date;
(ii) It terminates the Course before the Course Commencement Date;
(iii) It does not complete the Course by the Course Completion Date;
The Student will be informed in writing of alternative study arrangements (if any), and also
be entitled to a refund of the entire Course Fees and Miscellaneous Fees already paid should
the Student decide to withdraw, within seven (7) working days of the above notice.
Refund for Withdrawal Due to Other Reasons:
If the Student withdraws from the Course for any reason other than those stated in (i) to (iii),
MLC will, within seven (7) working days of receiving the Students written notice of
withdrawal, refund to the Student an amount based on the refund table:
% of [the amount of the Course Fees

If Students written notice of withdrawal is

and Miscellaneous Fees paid]

received:

100%
[Except for Registration and
Immigration Procedure Charges]
80%
[Except for Registration and
Immigration Procedure Charges]
0%

More than [45] days before the Course

Commencement Date

Before, but not more than [45] days before the

Course Commencement Date
After the Course Commencement Date
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