Students bond over English language

The English as a Second Language (ESL) program is seeking volunteers from the Gonzaga community to serve as conversation partners with international students for the upcoming academic school year.  

For the last 31 years, the English Language Center (ELC), located in Schoenberg Center, has continued to grow and currently hosts 86 international students in the ESL program.  

Along with teaching English to help prepare them for endeavors in the United States, the ESL program  partners international students with native English speakers to further practice familiarity and fluency with the English language.

"The primary focus is to encourage exchange of cultures and languages through spontaneous, natural conversations," said Sarah Alami, program assistant of International Student Programs. "We are looking for students, teachers, staff and basically anyone from the general public with an interest in exchanging conversations with international students."

The demographic of foreign students varies.  The largest number of students typically comes from Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Japan, according to Alami.

The ultimate goal is not to help the international students with homework or grammar, but to spend one hour a week together as an opportunity for them to meet new friends.

"Conversation partners continue beyond the one hour of speaking practice as the foreign students get to know many Americans and start to integrate themselves more and more through different social settings," junior Anne Skold said.  "On the flip side, many foreign students are eager to share their lifestyle with the American students, so conversation partners is a good way to make friends with people of different backgrounds."

Skold has been involved with the ESL program since her freshman year, having already been a conversation partner with five foreign students.

"I had the opportunity to attend and observe a 107 ESL class. This was an excellent way for me to gain a better understanding as to how to go about teaching English to foreign students as we were able to observe the classroom setting from both the student's and the teacher's perspective," Skold said.

"My involvement with ESL started when I was hired last September as a Federal Work Study in the International Students Program," sophomore Gurkeert Bagri said. "As I met more of the international students, especially those in the ESL program, I really started to understand that these students are just like regular GU students trying to fit in and learn about American culture."

International student Jaeyong Han is enrolled in the 107 ESL class.

"Working as a group with other classmates has benefited me the most," Han said. "It makes me want to speak more."  

The ESL program also organizes conversation socials, the first one being held Saturday, Sept. 11, at 2 p.m.  The location is still to be announced.

"We try to organize a bunch of activities on weekends and evenings so everyone can participate," Alami said. "It encourages our international students to get involved outside of the ELC."

The concept of "learning from each other" is core to the ESL program. "Sharing words, thoughts, ideas, beliefs and most importantly culture, this juxtaposition provides students with raw, uncensored insights into a world completely different from their own," according to officials.

"I gained a new appreciation and understanding about the difficulties international students go through when they choose to attend school abroad," Bagri said.  "I'm so very grateful for all the new friends I've made through this program, as well as the different perspectives these students have to offer."

"Working with the ESL program at Gonzaga has shown me that there is so much more to teaching ESL than to simply focus on the academic aspects," Skold said. "I definitely recommend others become conversation partners as it would be doing both themselves and the students a favor."

"Being a conversation partner is a good way to get to know the culture and habits of other countries while also being a reciprocal means for foreign students to explore the culture and habits of our country."

Students, staff and anyone interested in becoming a conversation partner can contact Sarah Alami at alami@zagmail.gonzaga.edu, for further information.