ELS/Chicago Students Present at Dominican University Symposium

May 19, 2017

In April, ELS/Chicago General English students presented “Learning Perspectives: International Students in the United States” at Dominican University. The panel took place at the university’s Undergraduate Research Scholarship and Creative Investigations (URSCI) & Global Learning Symposium.

At the event, the students had the opportunity to practice English-speaking skills outside of the classroom with native speakers, and share their personal educational experiences in their home countries and in the United States. They discussed the similarities and differences between U.S. education and education in their respective homes. Their final task was to give American students suggestions on how to approach and include international students in the classroom.

The panel included 11 ELS/Chicago students – who have been at the Center from one week to nine months – originally from: Colombia, Japan, Mexico, Poland, South Korea, and Venezuela.

“At the beginning, I was scared to talk in front of native people. I felt a lack of confidence about myself,” ELS student, Clara admits. “After I started to talk I felt better. I felt more confident and less shy. I felt good and happy because we all did a good job. It helps me get more confidence.”

ELS/Chicago student Jesus shared similar feelings with his classmate, Clara.

“I was feeling very nervous because I was expecting many American students,” he said. After speaking at the symposium, he felt proud he could answer all the questions.

Ninoska, another ELS/Chicago student in attendance felt a sense of pride, too.

“I felt excited, happy, and proud of myself,” she said. “Although I know that I made some grammar and pronunciation mistakes, it was a rewarding experience.”

To learn more about ELS/Chicago, click here!

To learn more about Dominican University, click here!