Common communication
Intensive English Program opens dialogue

By Maliha Suleman
Staff Reporter

Hundreds of TCU students carry on conversations every day, most of them in English.

Sasha Chkolnik recalled how anxious and homesick she felt when she first heard those foreign voices.

With the help of the Intensive English Program at TCU and a lot of practice and dedication, she said she overcame one of the greatest challenges an international student can face: communicating fluently in English.

The group of students and teachers meet daily in the basement of the Rickel Building and form the crux of the program at TCU.

Catherine Hutcheson, faculty and assistant director for IEP, said the students strive to learn the language despite the numerous hurdles and challenges they face everyday on campus.

Megumi Kato joined the program in fall 2000 to strengthen her English skills.

“I want to get my master’s in education and teach in Japan some day,” she said.

Chkolnik, a sophomore economics major, said it is natural for the students in the program to form close relationships with one another, because international students have a better understanding of how it feels to be away from their home country.

“International students find it easier to form closer and warmer bonds with other international students,” she said.

Kato said she loves the program because the teachers are professional and the classes can be fun. She wishes, though, more students at the university felt comfortable socializing with students who are not as fluent in English.

“I notice there is not much communication with American students because we are international students,” Kato said.

Hutcheson said students who are not as fluent in English face challenges interacting with the community.

“Often people equate not being able to speak English with not being intelligent, and that isn’t true,” she said.

Delia Pitts, director of International Education, said living requirements for IEP students could be isolating them.
“We require them to stay in Brachman (Hall) and room with other IEP or international students,” she said.

IEP not only teaches students skills to better their English, but also gives them chance to learn about Fort Worth and American culture through outings to restaurants and local attractions such as the Botanical Gardens.

“We take them to the stock show and other events because it is part of a larger goal to help them integrate in the community at TCU,” Pitts said.

It’s not just IEP students who can benefit from interaction with other students. Even U.S. students can achieve something here, Pitts said.

“U.S. students are limited in their perspectives and should try and better their knowledge of other countries and cultures,” Pitts said, “At the same time, international students should look beyond their own language-speaking groups.”

Adjusting to the community is not the only problem IEP students face. Often they face some of the same frustrations of several other TCU students.

Chkolnik said she missed home-cooked food at first.

“In the start I really missed the food because I felt the food here was so tasteless, but I’m used to it now,” she said.

The students of the program work hard to better their skills in the language.

Chkolnik bought a special TOEFL book, several CD-ROMs and tapes to assist her.

“I used to take like three or four tests from the book everyday,” she said.

Chkolnik said she loves TCU now and hopes to get her master’s degree someday.

Maliha Suleman
malihas@hotmail.com