Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 2007)
4 Art^fculture___________ The Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2007 ____________________________ Clackamas fl ESL classes help struggling studen With a 17 percent increase in ESL students on campus, the students are having to overcome new problems Valerie Shea Contributing Writer They have gathered at Clackamas from all over the world, seeking a new language, the understanding of a new cul ture and an education that will allow them to find meaningful employment. They are college students enrolled in ESL (English as a Second Language). Are they treated with accep tance and respect or just the opposite? According to ESL Department Co-chair Molly Williams, ESL enrollment at Clackamas is up more than 17 percent this term, and no one really knows why. This is unusual because prior to this year, enrollment in the pro gram was fairly stable. Whatever the reason, the cam pus population is very diverse. Williams calculated that theTSL Department currently serves 145 immigrants and 15 international students. An immigrant is defined as someone who has permanently moved here from another coun try. An international student is one who has entered the United States with a foreign passport and stays on a temporary basis. In Cultural Communications, a course Williams co-teaches, students learn that cultural •diversity can bring richness to the campus and be a wonder ful learning experience for all. However, it can also bring divi siveness and fear of acceptance, caused by stereotyping and prej udice. To fully understand how the college community accepts these differences, it is essential to learn from those who are most affected. One of the newest interna tional students on campus is Neuza Delgado, 19. Delgado arrived in Oregon just seven weeks ago from Portugal. She is living with her mother’s cousin in Milwaukie. At the college Delgado is enrolled in English Conversation, English Grammar, English Reading and Writing and Clackamas Experience. Like ' many international students, she three guys were laughing at his more inclusive of our multi-cul noted that some peo, feel comfortable talk does not yet have a driver’s Korean accent and whispering tural population. license, so she relids on the something about ESL,” he said. Cardenas would like to see individuals who speak bus for transportation, which Williams discussed the dif more diversity in school selec guages. He suggested that A takes 60 to 90 minutes each way ficulties that our ESL students tions of campus events, enter face, and she confirmed an event tainment, guest speakers and “make an effort to ex between home and school. She is enjoying the experi that transpired last spring. culture and help with media. ence of living in Oregon and has Two female students were in a One of the college’s student guage.” found the college’s staff and stu courtyard conversing in Spanish ambassadors is Useni Makano, “Don’t let it stop dents to be friendly. She looks when a male student interrupted 21. talking to them ... eml forward to training as a dental them by exclaiming, “This is pie by understanding,” Makano immigrated America. We speak Oregon eight years assistant. English!” The young ago. Michael Guo, Originally 21, an internation women were upset from the Congo, al student from and filed harassment he has witnessed “People China, is enrolled charges against the the kindnesses and should in his fourth term offending male. the cruelties that at Clackamas. He realize how Williams, who accompany being has family in the has been teaching culturally different. hard it is area and lives ESL at Clackamas A construc to learn a with his grand for the last 28 years, tive attitude helps mother. acknowledged that Makano overcome new lan In addition to this was an unusual negative influences. guage. ” “I think positive attending classes, occurrence. Guo works in the “People should all the time,” he media check-out realize how hard said, “Their mad- center in the Dye it is to learn a new ness should not Molly Williams Learning Center. language,” she said. affect my happi- ESL Department ness.” “Be patient.” Guo says the Co-chair With a dream She suggested best thing about that individuals who of working at the the college is that speak English help United Nations, per he has been able these students learn the lan haps as an ambassa to improve his English. “The ESL teachers are very guage by “using different words dor representing the and pictures” rather than simply country of his birth, nice,” he said. Makano has chosen Studying at Clackamas is not talking louder. Miguel Cardenas, an adviser to major in interna always easy for Guo. Two obsta cles he faces are adjusting to in the Community Center, con tional studies. Makano wants the local culture and learning to firmed that many students are communicate in proper English. victims of stereotyping. He sug to build bridges The ESL workstation in the Dye ■ “Some cultures are different, gested that the campus commu between nations and Learning Center. I and I feel uncomfortable,” he nity would benefit from being between people. He said. “It is difficult to write.” Guo says he is generally quiet in class, but when he does speak to ask a question, stu dents hear his Chinese accent and turn their heads to look at him. “It makes me nervous,” he said. A more seasoned interna tional student is Junta Chinen, 23, who arrived 15 months ago from Okinawa, Japan. He is hoping to complete the nursing program Chinen is no longer taking ESL courses, and he speaks , English very articulately. He credits the ESL Department for his progress, and said that when he first arrived, he did not know enough English to say “I am a student.” Chinen enjoys the campus and meeting students from all over the world. But unfortu nately, negative incidences do occur. . His smile faded as he told of an experience in the Photos by Alexandria Vallelunga Clackai Community Center. ESL Department Co-chair Molly Williams talks with student Michael Guo, who wc “Just yesterday, I was talking the Dye Learning Center. ESL enrollment«, while usually stable, has seen an ini to a Korean friend of mine, and of 17 percent. OPEN: The Alexander Gallery's exhibit titled "Confluence," which features works by Tim Lundholm, Mike Suri and Tom Yody, opens on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. "Confluence" will be open I ufetil Jan. 18 next z TODAY - 11/29: There will be one-act plays, improvisation and stand-up comedy in the McLoughlin Theatre at noon, and also on Noy^^^He io all. 12/2-12/8: Finals week; see the Fall Term schedule of classes for the finals schedule.
