Black Hawk COLLEGE ESL NEWSLETTER A publication from Fall Semester 2007 English as a Second Language Students Students’ View of the ESL at BHC part of the world have enrolled since the By Ekue Ayika program’s inception in 1991. The beginning There is a story of soldier who joined and the continuation of this program have the Allied army. On the battlefield, there not been easy for the program’s builders, wasn’t any possibility of the soldier the instructors, and the students. This essay expressing his thoughts is an insight into the ESL program, telling of because he couldn’t its impact on my life, emphasizing the understand any of the advantages of such a curriculum. It is also languages that were spoken, the opportunity for students to express their and nobody could understand concerns about what they think could be his language. Unable to share his fear of improved. death, his desire to see his family, his need In reality, the ESL program has gone to talk to someone about all that he left through a number of changes, mostly to behind and loved, he began to decline keep the program updated. “We always mentally. When his situation got worse, and want to make it modern so that students can his case was reported, he was finally face the common challenges,” declared removed from the battlefield. A linguist Anne Bollati, Program Coordinator. She eventually found someone who spoke the continued saying that “Moving into soldier’s language. It was the end of his classes online has been one of the trouble because he had someone whom he numerous changes we could speak to, and who could listen and have had to make.” It understand him. is important to This story shows the importance that understand that these communication has in our life. All changes have been immigrants are somehow similarly “sick.” made in response to We are sick of not being able to the staffs’, instructors’, and students’ communicate accurately. To “cure” these proposals. immigrants, Black Hawk Therefore, the latest change in the College offers the English number of days the classes meet—two days as a Second Language with one online component instead of the (ESL) program to previous system of four days with one everyone who wants to online—is a response to students who start learning, or to thought that switching to the new system continue improving their would give them more time to study since English. Hundreds of many of them are working full time. There students coming from every are many difficulties that any change brings. While students have the right to express common to hear from ESL students that the their opinion by making suggestions, program takes too long to be completed. instructors have the responsibility to offer, a Anne Bollati was clear, “We have the program and a system of class attendance minimum number of classes,” she that meet with their objectives. This underlined. It is clear that there is no way to dilemma has made the decision for change reduce the program. She went further, difficult, particularly about the recent change declaring, “Our job is to prepare students for of the system from four days. “I had resisted academic programs in American colleges for two years before I decided to experiment and universities, which require a very good the two day system,” said Anne Bollati, who level of English, not ordinary English.” Being took the time to analyze the effects of the accurately prepared to enter a university is eventual change. very important, and the language is one of The question is to know whether the the most important new system will survive. The ball’s in the conditions for students’ court. We asked for something success, no that was given to us. Keeping the system matter what depends on our reactions to it. How well we the student will do during the semester is major will be. very important for the The eight classes of the continuation of the new ESL program, intermediate and advanced system. Anne Bollati said, grammar, writing, reading, and oral skills “If this change helps good are intended to meet this desire to prepare students be better, we will the students thoroughly. “Once the students keep it.” Her reticence is complete the ESL program, we don’t want justified; teachers are still reporting them to come back because of insufficient absences and assignments not completed, English, but we do want them to come back which are not good signs. Missing a class and tell us how the program helped them day in the new system is the equivalence of achieve their goals,” said Anne Bollati in two days, which is difficult to catch up. “We response to the students who want the will try the new system one more semester,” program to be shortened. No matter which said the ESL Coordinator. It will be the system is considered, learning English at semester when the reported problems have BHC is memorable to me to be corrected on both sides, students’ and Learning English is as vital for me as instructors’. This change is for some breathing. When I was in high student’s a good action. My Oahn Wilson school in Togo, I liked English said, “I have more time for my assignments because of how it sounded to even though it means more homework; I me. Even though I attended all also save the time that it takes to come to of my English classes, my school every day.” Dulce Fourneau, another knowledge of the language was rather thin. student said, “This new schedule is good Coming to America reawakened the desire because it gives me the opportunity to take to master English. Fortunately, soon after another class and to organize myself.” For my arrival, I was able to enroll in the BHC me, the new schedule helps me deal with ESL level 5. There I found highly motivated my fatigue after work. I would probably drop and caring teachers who are helping in one of the two classes that I am taking if we “curing” immigrants. were in the former system. I save one I did not imagine the magnitude of all semester with this change.” that I have had to do so far. Patience and “I am for improving changes, but one hard work have been my weapons in change the program educators won’t fighting during this war of vocabulary, consider is the reduction of the number of reading writing, and speaking. Even though ESL classes,” said Anne Bollati. It is going through the ESL program has not been easy, it is not intended to discourage student said: “The ESL program opens the students from learning. “Learning a ways for success.” Besides, Herve, a friend language is a difficult enterprise,” said Anne from Togo said, “It was all about reading Bollati. The variety of topics and sessions, and writing,” regarding how what he had the relation between them, and the learned helped him pass a test for a job. For commitment of teachers and tutors involved me, the program is making me more and in the ESL program make the curriculum more confident. Before I started this ever interesting, for I have never thought program, I only thought that my writing was that learning could be so much fun. Exactly acceptable. Today, even though I as expected, each day in class brings a plus still have to learn, I have made to my English, and much more. tremendous progress in The ESL program is more than just reading, writing and speaking. an English program. Enrolling in this Students’ reaction of the ESL is not only the program has been an opportunity for benefits of the program. It is also their students to travel around the world without request for changes or for improvement. being out of the United States, since we “Language is the blood of the soul have met with many students from different into which thoughts run and out of which nations. A typical ESL class is the gathering they grow,” said Oliver Wendell of at least five different nations, and no trip Holmes. The BHC ESL program of that scope would be as cheap as this responds to the function of fictive voyage, which has been for me the language described in this greatest opportunity to interact with people passage. This important function with broad cultural diversity. Ekoua, an ESL requires that we give all that we student declared, “Classes are like the have, to have all that we need in meeting of ministers from different nations, order to grow. discussing the socio-cultural issues of their countries.” Also, the program covers many aspects of knowledge. How My Life Has Changed Every student sees himself fit By Reine Kouete in the program. Particularly, In 2004 I won the DV Lottery, students who had already had Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, which some college in their country before coming “Every year makes 50,000 permanent visas to America tell us how good the available to people from countries with low multidisciplinary aspects of the ESL classes rates of immigration to the United States”(*). are. “We all see ourselves fit in the program When I first received the American of discussion,” said a former sociology government letter, I could not figure out major when one of our discussion topics what it was. I showed the winning was about the “Crowd Behavior.” For me, notification letter to Kossiwavi, a mentor at a this straightforward relation between secondary school who was my neighbor.