“Teacher, what does ‘about’ mean?”
Native speakers of a language intuitively understand prepositions, but many would be hard-pressed to explain them to someone who is learning the language. Native speakers might also have trouble clearly explaining when to use “because” instead of “so” or naming the situations that call for the present continuous verb tense.
Instructors at EMU’s Intensive English Program (IEP) can explain these nuances of English and teach them in a way that new learners can grasp. Many of the instructors hold master’s degrees in TESOL, applied linguistics, English, or education. This educational background, along with international teaching experience, helps them engage in best practices in ESL teaching to the 60 to 80 students who attend the IEP in a typical semester.
These students represent 15 to 20 countries and a wealth of linguistic diversity. Many come from three of the world’s largest faith groups: Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist. Their cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds vary, but they come together to work on a common goal: learning English.
On orientation day, Jeremy Samsoe, program director of the IEP, encourages students to speak English at school, both for conversational practice and to make sure everyone feels included. In one Level 1 class where most students know Spanish and often resort to using it, their teacher keeps pushing them to speak in English. One day she jokes with them, “I don’t want to hear anything except English or Chinese in this class.”
As adult learners, most students are committed to attending classes and learning all they can. Students generously help each other spell words or make sense of assignments. Teachers nurture positive environments where students can practice, ask questions, and make mistakes. If someone misreads “chocolate cake” as “chocolate coke,” the class laughs together over the shared difficulty of learning a new language. Sometimes teachers add a fun component to an assignment that might feel stressful. For instance, students give a presentation about food they enjoy making and then share the food with everyone. This rich cultural spread might feature empanadas, chicken feet, banana bread, lentils and rice, and doughnuts.
One upcoming graduate of the IEP, Khan Khanzada, came to the United States in 2021. He didn’t know English and couldn’t explain his educational background or the job skills he already had as an electrician in Afghanistan. He struggled with his new work situation, but what pushed him to learn English was a visit to the doctor. Since they couldn’t communicate, the doctor called in a translator. When Khanzada saw the bill for this service, he wondered why translation cost so much. That’s when he decided he couldn’t continue living in the United States without learning English.
Khanzada already spoke five languages, but all of them were very different from English. He started studying at Skyline Literacy but wanted to learn English faster than the four-hour-a-week program could offer. In 2023, Khanzada enrolled in the IEP, beginning as a Level 2 student.
The IEP offers six levels of English instruction and tests students to place them at a comfortable level. Full-time students take 20 class hours per week, Monday through Thursday, with instruction in listening, speaking, reading, writing, and grammar. Class sizes typically range from 6 to 12 students, allowing instructors to give students more attention than they would get at a larger school. Students can also receive tutoring one-on-one or in small groups.
Two years after he started classes, Khanzada reached Level 6. He loves that he can now talk about anything with anyone in English. But his remarkable progress took dedication and hard work. More than once, Khanzada said to himself, “This is my last day. I’m going to stop because I can’t do two things at once.” Like some other students, Khanzada works full-time while also studying full-time. After a 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift, he comes home briefly before showing up for his first morning class at 9 a.m. When classes end at 3 p.m., he goes home to sleep a few hours before his night shift begins.
Khanzada did not give up though, and now that he knows English, he shares his phone number with recent immigrants and tells them to give him a call if they have any communication problems. But they don’t get a surprise translation fee because Khanzada offers his services for free.
Khanzada doesn’t consider himself a perfect speaker yet, but he “can easily solve his own problems in writing, reading, listening, and speaking.” His goal is to speak English so well that nobody can tell he’s a non-native speaker. After he graduates from the IEP, he plans to perfect his English by watching movies, listening to conversations between native speakers, reading books, and intentionally learning new vocabulary.
After completing the IEP, some students find better jobs because of their improved English skills. Khanzada, for instance, has already been able to get a job as an electrician. Other students enter universities, graduate programs, and community colleges in the United States. And some return to their home countries, equipped by their language study to pursue a new career.
Khanzada’s advice for people who don’t know English is to start taking classes. They should never say they can’t do it because their situation is too hard. “The only person who can change your life is you,” Khanzada said. “You have to start from somewhere. Starting is the main key that opens a lot of doors to success.”
Watch WHSV-TV’s coverage of the IEP here.
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