CESL 'the forefront of language learning'

Kristy Mangos Arizona Daily Wildcat International students Naori Shiraishi and Abdullah Alhajeri find out more about their fellow classmates during a "high intermediate English" speaking and reading class, yesterday, at the Center for English as a Second Language.

"We like to consider ourselves to be on the forefront of language learning," said Elizabeth Templin, assistant director of the center. "We have been here for more than 25 years and ours is one of the oldest language learning centers in the country."

CESL has 150 full-time students this year, a number that may grow to 200 by October. These are students who take CESL classes exclusively and are not enrolled at the university. Presently the center has students from 40 different countries including Japan, Korea, Mexico, countries in the Middle East, Europe, Africa and Eastern Europe.

A student learning English for the first time would spend, on average, one full year of study to complete the language course.

Most don't come in as true beginners though, Templin said.

They come in at different levels and learn at different rates depending on their individual abilities. There are seven proficiency levels and it usually takes a student eight weeks to move up to the next proficiency level, but if they do exceedingly well they can move up two levels, she said.

At the end of each eight-week session, a student receives a grade report. Each grade level teaches something specific like reading, writing, word-processing or pronunciation.

Those at the advanced level may take one class at the university before they graduate from the center. Upon successful completion of the program, a student receives a CESL Certificate of Attendance. They also have the opportunity to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which is a prerequisite for non-native speakers before admission to most U.S. universities.

A CESL graduate is able to read and write college-level English, hold discussions, take notes, gather information from the Internet and do word-processing.

But CESL is not just about language learning.

"Everything we do prepares them to be successful at the university," Templin said. Orientation, preparation for the American classroom, survival skills and opportunities to meet American cultural partners are all part of student life at CESL. Cultural partners, who are American students, spend time with a CESL student doing whatever they both enjoy and in the process they absorb each other's language and culture.

"Many of the students may see Americans as unfriendly," Templin said, "but they just have a desire for privacy. They are usually quite helpful." It's a different culture here and sometimes when an American student says 'call me if you need help' a foreign student may take this as a put off, she said.

CESL student Moctar Barro, from Mauritania in West Africa, has been in the country for only six days, is a French speaker and works at the CESL office.

"CESL has helped me to form my English well." he said. "After three months I will be ready to take my TOEFL."

Takayuki Sasaki from Japan has been here for 10 days.

"I am able to debate issues like domestic violence and tobacco use," he said. "I also meet many friends here."

On the second floor of CESL is a notice board that displays information about CESL students seeking cultural partners.

"We wish more university students would take time to have cultural partners," Templin said. "It is enriching to experience another culture. A lot of students think they can come to get a partner only if they are learning a foreign language, but it is also an opportunity to go have a soda, watch a football game, make a friend."