OPIE immerses international students in US college culture
By Megan Krause, Campus Life writer
March 5, 2008 | noon
The brick-paved paths of Athens represent academia to Ohioans, but international students see Ohio University as a colossus of culture. The Ohio Program of Intensive English aims to connect students to the United States both linguistically and socially.
Teaching in a nontraditional classroom
The Ohio Program of Intensive English is based on language immersion. Students are expected to leave behind their language while in the classroom, OPIE instructor Christina Ali said.
OPIE classrooms are comprised of students from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America.
“We actually prefer a great mix of students. Otherwise they chat in their own language,” Ali said.
The OPIE program had a surge of Chinese students this year, which decreases classroom diversity. Jing Wei, a student from Beijing, is frequently reminded to speak English by Ali due to a large concentration of Chinese students in her class, she said.
Ali noted that OPIE students are commonly enrolled to improve their English in an intense environment, to meet requirements, to take academic classes or for aid in their academic studies.
Former Bobcat's experience abroad helps her relate to students
Ali, who is an OU alumna, returned to Athens to help international students adjust to American life linguistically and socially after living and working in Japan and Northern China for three years. Ali worked with English as a second language to students at East Elementary School in Athens before joining the OPIE staff in 2006.
Her Asian immersion was not dissimilar to her current students’ experiences. She traveled to Japan with little knowledge of the language, she said.
Ali explained that OPIE exists to help students with linguistic and cultural barriers that may stand in their way.
“We’re really just trying to help them out,” Ali said.
Cultural differences challenge students
The American education system emphasizes application, which is new to some students.
“The culture of education is something that they really have to learn about,” Ali said. “I think they’re really shocked with how much individual study they find here.”
Jing struggles with English grammar because it differs greatly from Chinese, she said. The vast vocabulary and word pronunciations are a challenge.
OPIE helps international students relate to Americans through a conversation partners program. Each international student is matched with a student whose native language is English.
Ali's involvement in this program while studying at OU inspired her to change her major from creative writing to linguistics, she said.
The cross cultural communication that conversation partners encourage allows both students involved to learn. The program helps international students fit in, while OU students learn about different cultures.
“I think the main goal campus wide is just to provide awareness,” Ali said.
OPIE from a student's perspective
Each international student has a different reason to attend OU. Jing arrived four months ago to study Business after two years of studying International Business in China.
“If I can study here, I will get a better education,” Jing said.
The conversation partners program helps Jing with pronunciation and cultural education.
“Everything is new to me, and I need to learn more and more things,” Jing said.
The amount of alcohol consumed at OU is a cultural issue Jing does not particularly like, but she has otherwise enjoyed her time here. She finds the people “lovely”, and the campus aesthetically pleasing.
“I like the trees and the buildings. It’s very old,” she said.
Back in Beijing, Jing's parents own an antique shop. Jing jumped into the business world herself by running an “eBay-like” Web site where people buy and sell homemade goods, she said. Her business has stopped now that she is overseas.
Jing plans to stay at OU for two years, but she will return to Beijing this summer, where she will volunteer at the 2008 Olympic Games.
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