English as a Second Language Program PROGRAMESL DESCRIPTION: INTERMEDIATE ESL: The ESL program is an academic program designed for non- Students who enter this level have decided to begin academic native speakers and international students who need English or vocational programs. All reading, writing, speaking, listening, skills to participate in American society, to enroll in vocational and sentence structure activities are taught in the context of a or academic programs at the college level, or to enter or advance variety of academic disciplines. Students study the simple sentence in the workplace. Students will attain and refine language and from a linguistic perspective, write paragraphs using all rhetorical study skills as well as deepen their knowledge of U. S. culture modes, write college essays, give 5 to 10 minute oral presentations, through a series of specially designed courses in sentence structure, use the computerized library resources, listen to academic lectures reading , writing, speaking, listening, pronunciation, and conver- and take notes. sation. Students have access to computer, video, and lab equipment through the Independent Learning Center. Individual and group Courses of this level: ESL 061 Simple Sentence Structure tutoring can be arranged free of charge for any student needing ESL 063 Reading I help. Students may also participate in college clubs and attend ESL 065 Writing I all extra-curricular activities. ESL 067 Listening/Speaking I ESL 069 Pronunciation and Conversation TESTING: Students do not need to present a TOEFL (Test of English as a ADVANCED ESL: Foreign Language) score to enter Black Hawk College’s ESL Students in this level advance their language skills and knowledge program, but students should have a beginning knowledge of the academic culture so that they can enter academic classes of English equivalent to 430 or 117 on the TOEFL to move or vocational programs. They study complex sentence structure, through the program efficiently. If the student has taken the write documented academic essays and research papers, read a TOEFL, he/she should report the score to the ESL Coordinator, variety of texts from many disciplines, read a novel, listen to lectures for this and other test scores will help place the student accurately and take notes, and give 10—15 minute speeches. Students at in the program. Before class registration, all first-semester students this level participate in a number of special projects. They create will be given the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency. an ESL newsletter that is distributed campus-wide; listen to lectures The test is composed of three segments: given by Black Hawk College professors, and interview professionals 1. Michigan Test of Aural Comprehension (listening) in their chosen fields. Students take field trips related to class 2. Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency readings. (grammar, vocabulary, reading) 3. Writing Sample (composition) Courses of this level: ESL 073 Reading II ESL 075 Writing II Placement on the test is as follows: L COMM 105/ESL 072 60 or below beginning level Essentials of English/Grammar II 60 to 69 intermediate level L COMM 100/ESL 078 70 to 80 advanced Communication Skills/ 80 or above academic program Listening/Speaking II * All of these courses are offered at Black Hawk College. PROGRAM PROFILE: L Students attend classes 5 days per week. The average class size Students receive 3 transferable credits for each of these is small and the average course load is three hours each day. courses. Students are given daily assignments as well as special projects that are completed outside of class. Students take the equivalent of 12 credit hours for a full class load. Upon finishing the program, For more information contact: students receive a certificate of completion at the spring graduation Ann Bollati ceremony. English as a Second language Coordinator 309-796-5183 Black Hawk COLLEGE ESL NEWSLETTER A publication from Spring Semester 2005 English as a Second Language Students April, 2005 TRIO’s Program programs are Talent Search, Student Support By: Marlen Perez and Upward Bound, which are now within the Some students finish high school fearing TRIO Program. TRIO is federally funded, the idea of hard work in college. Getting into providing academic support services to eligible college can be at first very stressful for those students with the goal of assisting students in who are not used to a lot of graduating from Black Hawk College and homework. I think this is one transferring to a four-year school. of the reasons some people Juanita Zertuche, pictured below, is one do not go to college; in the advisors who registers students for TRIO. addition, some high school She also helps teachers discourage students by students who warning them college work is too hard. What want advisors or students might not know is that there are tutoring help. programs that help them improve their study Zertuche thinks it skills. is important to To be more specific, at BHC there is an come to the advising center located in Building 1. It is Student Success Center if students are having called the Student Success Center. This center problems with studying in general or with a has many services like academic advising, specific class. The Center’s mission is to help tutoring, basic computer and study skills the students in every way so they reach their assistance, financial aid and scholarship most important goal: graduation from college. applications and advising, and equipment loan Every student, who is a first-generation programs (computers, calculators, etc.) college student, is eligible for the TRIO The tutors at the center are available to program; the students can register for the help all BHC students. The tutors are familiar program, but it has a limited space, so anyone with course requirements; tutors can also interested must go quickly to get information suggest studying techniques. There is no cost and register. Students can go to the Student for this advising. The hours to get help are Success Center and have all their questions from 8:00 to 3:00 Monday to Friday, and 9:00 answered about this program. Students who to 11:00 on Saturdays. (On Saturdays, there is are accepted into the program can receive the only help with math.) The Learning Skills benefits until they graduate. Specialists are Sue Smith, Jaime DeLeVere A student of Black Hawk College, and Juanita Zertuche. Florencia Vargas, thinks “TRIO is very helpful In addition to because it helps improve my English, and a the services, the student can get more knowledge about this Student Success culture.” Center has a program Anne Bollati, English as a Second called TRIO. This BHC students with a math tutor Language Program Coordinator, knows that program has existed the TRIO program is state funded. This for 20 years. It started with one program, then provides services for first generation college after a while, BHC included two more. The students and a tutoring center. She thinks it is 1 a good program because many students have my American boyfriend sufficiently even a hard life since they have to work though I have been here for four years,” Hiroko and go to school, and they need Ikeda said. She came to the USA on April 14, extra help. 2001. Although all of the Japanese get English Knowing about all these education throughout junior high school and services can help a student. It is high school, they must work really hard to important to keep in mind, in case accurately learn the language. somebody has trouble with studying and needs Also, driving is a daily life challenge for extra help. There is a place to go. the Japanese. At the beginning, Japanese students feel stress while they are driving because the rules of the road in the USA are completely different from the rules in Japan. In Japan, people drive on the left side of the road while Americans drive on the opposite side “Ladies Second” from the Japanese. Megumi By: Nari Ota Yasue, who is an “Amazing,” this is the word I used when I international student at saw the American rivers, landscapes and BHC, said, “I practiced buildings. The huge scenery impressed me, driving for 1 hour each day “This is the USA,” I said to myself. When I first to get used to the American came, I understood the USA only on the driving rules when I came here because I surface from what I could see. However, since almost got into an accident with driving on the I came here, I have faced other difficulties wrong side.” Another student, Masako because culture is hidden from my eyes. Yoshizawa, who has been in Moline since April Entering other foreign countries requires 14, 2001, said, “I don’t like the American use of cultural adaptation. Adapting to a new culture the measure of a mile instead of a kilometer. I doesn’t mean losing one’s own culture. No one didn’t know the difference between the two. wants to break with his Since the day that I first came here, I have own culture. Adapting to misunderstood it.” a new culture is to In my case, when I came here, US coins create a new culture, accumulated in my room because I would just which blends both the use dollars at the supermarkets because I native culture and one’s used to get tired of own. All international counting those students will have culture shock, but it will be unfamiliar coins. For the different depending on their native culture. Japanese, almost all There are a lot of interesting stories. As for the daily life creates Japanese, they need to accept many hardships.