International students meet to improve English skills

Students from across the globe come to IU for many different reasons. But to pursue their education, many have one goal in common: perfecting their English.

In 2008, 4,307 international students came to Bloomington from abroad to continue their education. Some are undergraduates studying informatics, some are learning philosophy and some are studying linguistics. But for many of them it can be difficult to come to a new country to study and master language and American culture at the same time.

It can be even more difficult if you are a graduate student, said graduate student Qingfang Fu.

“This University asks a lot of you if you are a graduate student, so there are not that many opportunities for me to learn English,” Fu said. “Most of the opportunities are for undergraduates.”

Groups like the English Conversation Club were  founded to help students like Fu work on their English in a comfortable setting outside of class.

Run by volunteers, such as Darwin Roos, an IU staff member who works with international students, the English Conversation Club gives international students a chance to speak with other visiting students and learn to speak more clearly.

Albina Dossanova is a visiting scholar from Kazakhstan. It was not as difficult for her to understand English because she was taught the language in grade school and high school, she said, but she still finds the club comforting.

“I am very happy to find this conversation club,” Dossanova said. “I have more chances to speak English here and also to meet some foreign students, and I like our teachers. It gives us a chance to give some important information and speak a lot.”

Some students say they want to learn more about America than the English language.

“It’s about the culture,” Fu said. “Sometimes you do not know what to talk about. You become afraid you will be offensive. Because we have different cultures, or sometimes the topic may be sensitive.”

Many are grateful to have a place to come to work on their English while studying at IU.

“The club has definitely served its purpose since it was created,” said Sandy Britton, director of the International Center. “The students not only learn a lot, but many become friends and look forward to the weekly sessions. It’s a wonderful way to practice the language consistently.”