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Show '.?? ,I :iri5rr0 1V,( Forum December 13, 1985 1 Page 5 features by Myriam Hernandez Have you ever wanted to find a little corner in the world and get lost for sometime? You can do that right here at Westminster College. If you go to Converse Hall to the English Study Center, you will meet the most interesting people. There are students from all over the world representing 25 different countries. They come 'to Westminster to enroll in the English as a Second Language program. Some of them will learn the language well and return to their countries. Others will stay and seek higher education in United States colleges and universities. The ESL program started in spring of 1982, directed by Mike Sudlow, who has his masters degree in ESL, and Mike Hopkins, certificated in teaching ESL. Both have had experience teaching ESL in foreign countries: Japan and Central America, respectively. Robert Brown, president of ESL, said, It used to be just another program before we came to Westminster, Only 12 students were enrolled." The present enrollment is 42 students. Thirty percent come from the Orient, 30 percent from Spanish speaking countries, another 30 percent from the Middle East and the rest from Europe. The idea of an ESL program took form when Mike Sudlow, employed by a Japanese company, was teaching English to businessmen in Japan. The company wanted to send businessmen to the United States lor a short time, so Sudlow, Hopkins and Brown started the first program in Provo. It was not as successful as we expected, so we soon closed it down, said Brown, adding that they are doing better here at Westminster. Like the students, the teachers of the program are also from different places or at least they have been in contact with other cultures. This makes the melting pot of different cultures, customs and languages a pleasant and friendly atmosphere to work in. The teachers are well qualified and have excellent experience teaching ESL, said Brown, Judy Rogov in has extensive experience teaching and training in ESL. Pat Turley has a bachelors degree in linguistics with emphasis in ESL, Rebecca Bennion and Roland Brown both have certificates in ESL. Pam Bennett has a bachelors in FrenchEle-mentar- y Education and has taught ESL before. tive is to teach English as well as we can and help the students have a good experience and a fun time while in the United States. said' Brown. To acccomplish this they have trips and activities outside the classrooms. So if you want to find your little corner in the world, talk to the International Students. Brown. The ESL program develops its own text books to match the language and experiences of the different students. Our major objec- - Greece. How To Pass Yooi? Fimals by Bill Godwin Its that time of year again. Stores are expe- riencing severe shortages of midnight oil, dentists are sending Christmas bonuses to their kids in college in anticipation of all the extra money theyll be making capping gnashed teeth, and the price of coffee is rising in the commodities Referring to the students. Brown said that they are very good in general, Sometimes a couple of them go wild, but usually they are serious and responsible. The students who are most fun to work with are the Japanese. They are willing to work hard but also willing to have fun," said Maybe someday you will be visiting the countries where they come from: Iran, Jordan, South Yemen, Saudi Arabia. Libia, Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Venezuela, Colombia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Taiwan. Popular Republic of China, Thailand and market All of that can mean only one thing. The dreaded finals are upon us, and students everywhere are looking for ways to improve their test scores. The best answer to test taking is being prepared, said Bill Simmons, the new director of learning skills. After perusing a few books on the subject and asking around campus it is my sad duty to report that the secret to being prepared is to study, preferably at times during the first 14 weeks of the semester. According to Simmons cramming doesnt replace studying. I can also add from hard personal experience that cramming is not only ineffective but it is also probably the worst thing you can do to your brain this side of a full frontal lobotomy. Simmons said that one of the best things you can do while studying for a test is to write short summaries of the material you think you will need to know. The act of writing the information down helps plant it in your brain. Studying with another person and during your best hours (are you a morning person or a night person?) can also be helpful according to Simmons. Even if you have faithfully studied throughout the semester and feel comfortable with the material it is still possible that you may suffer test anxiety. Anxiety can make even the best prepared student perform poorly on a test According to Simmons if you can manage stress it is easier to come out on top. He suggested that breathing exercises can help eliminate tension while taking a test. One of the ways to reduce stress before the test is to be physically prepared. The experts recommend that students eat right and get enough sleep before a test. If you have the choice between staying up all night studying and resting then get some rest, Simmons said. Of course if you arent prepared and have to cram then you may not have that choice. Simmons had some suggestions for taking a test 1. Read the instructions carefully and dont be sloppy writing the answers. 2. Keep track of your time dont leave that big essay for the last five minutes. 3. Answer the questions that you know first and then go back and work on the other problems. Simmons said that way you will feel good about the questions youve answered and it will give you a leg up on the others. 4. When reviewing the test remember that your first answer is probably right Dont change it unless you are sure you know the right answer. If you have to resort to a guess on a multiple choice question Simmons noted that some studies have shown that the longest answer is often the right answer. 5. It is helpful to prepare a short outline before starting to write the answer to an essay question. You should also reread the question to find the specific points that the professor is looking for. Simmons said that essay questions are probably the most difficult to answer for most students. They are hard for the prepared student due to the fact that the answer must be organized. and for the unprepared student Simmons noted that most professors can recognize b.s. fairly quickly. So there you have it. It seems that there is no easy way, no "magic pill that will ensure success on finals except for a concerted effort to learn and master the material throughout the semester. Even if there were some simple way to breeze through finals you dont think Id give it away here do you? Heck, no. Id sell it and youd buy it too, along with every other student in the world, and I would retire a wealthy man and go to school to simply gain knowledge instead of greater earning power. f INTRODUCTORY OFFER (First Visit Only) rin lAJ 10 p.m. Hew Year 0 s Eve.Tuesoay. December 31st Joseph Silverstein. Conductor & Violin Soloist "An Evening in Vienna Concert & Hair Cut, Conditioning, Style Celebration $20 Including Champagne & WOMEN: $14.40 Reg. $18.00 MEN: $10.00 Keg. $12.50 Hors dOeuvres SPECIAL CHAMBER ORCHESTRA PACKAGE. S35.S51 Value Includes New Years Eve; Academy of St Martin in the Field, Mar.11, and two Chamber Orchestra concerts, Feb. 15 & Apr. 5. G5JTV 533-640Available at the Symphony Hall Box 0fRc. Mail Orders: 123 West South Temple. S.LC. UT 84101 Call Susanne or Stacie at 3975 So. Highland lULUO Perms, Color Weavings, Tints $5.00 Off Any Chemical Treatment Drive, Suite Expires January 14, 15, 1986 278-873- 6 Salt Lake City . -- |