Campus Programs, Classes Aid in English Language Learning

ESL

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For the past three years, ELSO has offered a summer writing program called “Write Together at Home.” Launched at the beginning of the pandemic, the program aimed to lighten students’ spirits in lockdown while also providing them English support. Currently, the program is four weeks long, and students form writing groups to set goals and work together to overcome language barriers.

As for undergraduate students, the University has recently started offering a First Year Writing Seminar — held this year as Writing 1380: Elements of Academic Writing — that offers a more hands-on and individualized approach to writing in order to accommodate students whose first language is not English. The course is altered to offer different topics each semester.

In addition to speaking the language, the main challenge many ESL speaking students face is adapting to American culture. Galiyan Zheng ’24, born and raised in China, struggled the most with using conversational English and understanding slang when he first moved to the U.S.

“[In] textbooks they used to teach us [to say] ‘how are you, I’m fine, thank you.’ But when you [come] here [you realize] that’s not what people actually say. People actually say ‘what’s up,’” Zheng said. “When I first heard the phrase, I didn’t even know what it meant — it was difficult.”

Speaking to the need of forging cultural connections, International Students Union provides students with a diverse cultural community and peer network.

Doga Dinçbas ’26, vice president of publicity for ISU, has been involved with the organization since her first semester at Cornell. Originally from Turkey, she expressed her appreciation for ISU as a resource and support system.

“I get support from ISU because it is a place where nobody actually knows English perfectly, so you can just talk and it is relaxing,” Dinçbas said. “In the first semester, ISU was a really good place to start socializing, because it gives you a group of students that go through the same thing.”

ISU also holds a variety of events throughout the semester for both International Students and other undergraduates, such as their Spring Gala.

After spending two undergraduate years at China Agricultural University, Lucas Xu ’23 is an ESL speaker who improved her conversational English by going to club socials and talking with native speakers. She is considering further improving her English through Cornell’s teaching resources.

“I will consider the classes if my schedule is not too tight,” Xu said. “To be honest, I’m not sure if speaking with other ESL speakers would help. I prefer some organizations that can connect ESL with native speakers to practice English. In return, ESL students can teach those native helpers their first languages.”

Dinçbas is currently taking Writing 1380: Elements of Academic Writing. The Knight Institute offers a few classes per semester that have a curriculum specialized for students that do not yet have a full grasp on the English language. Dinçbas said she struggled with her normal FWS last semester but expressed that taking the specialized one has been a much better experience.

“I struggled with my last FWS because the English [was] too intense.” Dinçbas explained. “I was reading Dante’s ‘Inferno’ in really old English and understanding nothing. After that, they directed me to the international students writing seminar, and it’s going amazing, because the teacher is aware that nobody actually knows [English fluently].”