Academic Encounters helps ESL/EFL students develop the reading, writing, and study skills they need to meet the demands of college courses. The readings, taken from university-level textbooks, explore high-interest topics such as stress and physical health, nonverbal communication, and love, engaging students in the subject matter while exposing them to academic discourse.

The major emphasis in the book is on the development of effective reading skills: previewing text, skimming, reading for the main idea, reading for speed, and understanding vocabulary in context. Additional exercises develop study skills including highlighting key points, preparing for tests, summarizing as an aid to understanding, and note-taking. For those instructors who want to use the content as a jumping off point for longer writing assignments, numerous opportunities are provided. Prereading and postreading activities involve discussion, role-playing, problem-solving, in order to maximize student interaction.