2008 Woodie Awards
ESL program experiences growth
Joey Vonhaeger
Issue date: 9/28/06 Section: Culture
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By Joey Vonhaeger
Staff Reporter
The English as a Second Language Institute, or ESL, has experienced some growth in recent years as well as praise from its students.
The program targets international students to help them develop English proficiency through non-credit classes.
Jane P. Womack, the director of the UTC branch of the ESL, said the events of Sept. 11,2001 caused a dramatic decline in enrollment.
"The entire nationwide program suffered. Most people didn't want to study English in the United States," Womack said. "A lot of people went to countries like Canada or England; it's just now beginning to pick back up over here."
Nicolas Del Pino, a Molina, Chile sophomore, said that learning a foreign language in the country that it is spoken in is an advantage.
"If you want to learn a foreign language, the best thing to do is come to the country to learn it and practice it," he said.
Del Pino also said that the program has taught him how to communicate with people in the United States.
"I went from not being able to communicate with people in this country, [and] now three years later, I am able to communicate with people from another culture," he said. Del Pino is now taking classes at UTC that are taught completely in English.
Other students agree that learning English in a country where it is the first language can be an advantage. Min Kim from South Korea said that his country teaches a way to learn English that is different from the way he is taught here.
"It is better to learn English here because English is the first language in this country," Kim said.
He also said that learning English could even help him in his country. "Knowing English is important to get a better job in my country," he said.
Staff Reporter
The English as a Second Language Institute, or ESL, has experienced some growth in recent years as well as praise from its students.
The program targets international students to help them develop English proficiency through non-credit classes.
Jane P. Womack, the director of the UTC branch of the ESL, said the events of Sept. 11,2001 caused a dramatic decline in enrollment.
"The entire nationwide program suffered. Most people didn't want to study English in the United States," Womack said. "A lot of people went to countries like Canada or England; it's just now beginning to pick back up over here."
Nicolas Del Pino, a Molina, Chile sophomore, said that learning a foreign language in the country that it is spoken in is an advantage.
"If you want to learn a foreign language, the best thing to do is come to the country to learn it and practice it," he said.
Del Pino also said that the program has taught him how to communicate with people in the United States.
"I went from not being able to communicate with people in this country, [and] now three years later, I am able to communicate with people from another culture," he said. Del Pino is now taking classes at UTC that are taught completely in English.
Other students agree that learning English in a country where it is the first language can be an advantage. Min Kim from South Korea said that his country teaches a way to learn English that is different from the way he is taught here.
"It is better to learn English here because English is the first language in this country," Kim said.
He also said that learning English could even help him in his country. "Knowing English is important to get a better job in my country," he said.
