2008 Woodie Awards
ELI program celebrates 20 successful years at ISU
Cynthia Foster
Issue date: 9/6/07 Section: News
ISU's English Language Institute (ELI) celebrates 20 years of providing specialized curriculum and services to adult language learners.
"The program is an intensive English program which allows students to come here from different countries to improve or develop their English skills," Kasia Stadnik, director of the English Language Institute, said.
All classes in the program are taught in English.
The students come from many countries.
"Over the 20 years of our existence, we've had students here from 57 countries," Stadnik said.
Some participants in the program do not currently meet the English proficiency requirement for admission to academic programs in the U.S.
According to Stadnik, students attend 20 hours of classes every week.
"The courses are divided into skill areas such as reading/writing and speaking/listening," Stadnik said.
Students also have classes in current events, grammar, vocabulary and academic lectures, Stadnik said.
According to Carol Baughan, an ELI instructor, the program also offers a conversation class.
"We have students from ISU become partners with our students so that they can practice their English conversation," Baughan said.
Stadnik said there are also academic lecture classes, which give students the opportunity to have a university experience.
According to Stadnik 1,319 students have come through the program.
"Most of the students come here with academic goals to improve their English proficiency where they can be admitted to ISU," Stadnik said.
Stadnik said other students attend the program to improve their English for other reasons.
"Sometimes students have a business that requires English or they want to spend time with family members in the community," Stadnik said.
The program follows the same academic calendar as ISU.
"The students can stay in the program as long as they want to or need to. Typically, our students stay in the program about two semesters," Stadnik said.
Stadnik commented on how successful the program is.
"Most of our students accomplish their goal of being able to get admitted to a program they want," Stadnik said.
Stadnik also said most students accomplish their goal of communicating in English in both writing and speaking.
"The program is based on the principles being discovered as to what works best for English learning," Stadnik said.
Baughan said teaching at the ELI is rewarding for her.
"Because the students are from other countries, I learn a lot from them," Baughan said.
The English Language Institute is located in the Hudelson Building.
For more information, visit their Web site at cas.ilstu.edu/internationalaffairs/eli.htm.
"The program is an intensive English program which allows students to come here from different countries to improve or develop their English skills," Kasia Stadnik, director of the English Language Institute, said.
All classes in the program are taught in English.
The students come from many countries.
"Over the 20 years of our existence, we've had students here from 57 countries," Stadnik said.
Some participants in the program do not currently meet the English proficiency requirement for admission to academic programs in the U.S.
According to Stadnik, students attend 20 hours of classes every week.
"The courses are divided into skill areas such as reading/writing and speaking/listening," Stadnik said.
Students also have classes in current events, grammar, vocabulary and academic lectures, Stadnik said.
According to Carol Baughan, an ELI instructor, the program also offers a conversation class.
"We have students from ISU become partners with our students so that they can practice their English conversation," Baughan said.
Stadnik said there are also academic lecture classes, which give students the opportunity to have a university experience.
According to Stadnik 1,319 students have come through the program.
"Most of the students come here with academic goals to improve their English proficiency where they can be admitted to ISU," Stadnik said.
Stadnik said other students attend the program to improve their English for other reasons.
"Sometimes students have a business that requires English or they want to spend time with family members in the community," Stadnik said.
The program follows the same academic calendar as ISU.
"The students can stay in the program as long as they want to or need to. Typically, our students stay in the program about two semesters," Stadnik said.
Stadnik commented on how successful the program is.
"Most of our students accomplish their goal of being able to get admitted to a program they want," Stadnik said.
Stadnik also said most students accomplish their goal of communicating in English in both writing and speaking.
"The program is based on the principles being discovered as to what works best for English learning," Stadnik said.
Baughan said teaching at the ELI is rewarding for her.
"Because the students are from other countries, I learn a lot from them," Baughan said.
The English Language Institute is located in the Hudelson Building.
For more information, visit their Web site at cas.ilstu.edu/internationalaffairs/eli.htm.
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