The Journal

Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Lifestyle

Media Credit: Jennifer Meinhardt First-year graduate student Amornaste Charoenpong, of Thailand, sits in Jazzman's Cafe. While studying English as a second language at the ELS Language Center in St. Louis, he gained practical experience of the language by learning how to order food at restaurants.

For international students studying in the United States, language is a barrier, but it is not the only one. Transportation, housing, health care and insurance all present obstacles that students must face early on in their stay - in many cases, while they are still trying to learn the language.

To address these problems, some Webster University students have turned to the ELS Language Center in St. Louis. Since 2003, the center has profited from the niche market of international students by offering English classes coupled with practical assistance. Students at the center learn conversational English but also gain some street smarts along the way.

"We do a good job of getting students ready, not just for academic studies, but also for practical living matters, like how to get a driver's license, getting dental and doctor appointments and how to get around the community," said the center's director, Allen Stout.

WU English as a Second Language Coordinator Carolyn Trachtoza said that the ELS Center at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, can fill gaps in WU's ESL program, which doesn't offer beginning-level ESL classes.

"We've got a very specific academic-oriented program, and the students are expected to function at a high level. If they do take (ESL) classes (at WU), then it is for a very brief time before they're released into the regular curriculum," Trachtoza said, adding that she often refers students to the ELS Language Center for additional help if they fail to test into WU's ESL program.

This year, WU has seen an abnormally high enrollment of international students coming from the center, said Trachtoza.

First-year Master of Business Administration student Amornsate Charoenpong is one of five students who enrolled in WU this fall after taking courses at the ELS Language Center. Charoenpong started English classes there when he first came to St. Louis from Bangkok, Thailand, in spring 2007.

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