Going into a classroom full of attentive students willing to learn a language they are not accustomed to is challenging and nerve wracking. They struggle to pronounce certain words, get hints from sign language the instructor emphasizes in front of the classroom, and ask questions about words they have never heard before. Despite all of these difficulties, students in the Intensive English Program are eager to learn.

The Intensive English Program came about from the English as a Second Language Program. It differs from ESL in the classes offered at Palo Alto.

One of the classes is Adult Education, where students don’t yet have a GED but plan on going to college. Another class is the Non-Intensive Program,

where students take courses that consist of six hours a week, primarily in the evening. Then there is the Intensive English Program, which prepares students for academic classes.

Students enrolled in the Intensive English Program are international students who come from Mexico, Bolivia, Korea, Iran, Peru and Colombia. This fall semester, approximately 48 students are in the program. Sixty students total have been assisted by the Intensive English program. Most of these students hear about the program from friends and family. Others take the initiative to call the campus and ask if there are programs that help students who don’t speak English fluently.

“I heard about the program when I registered at the Welcome/Advising Center,” said Marissa Chapa, who is in the listening class of the Intensive English Program. Chapa is from Mexico and is currently taking the class to get a good job and a certificate in teaching.

The requirements for students to participate in the program are a high school diploma or a GED and citizenship in their home country. Most of the students who join the program have lived in the United States for a couple of years. Students who come from afar are eager to get an education and learn English fluently. They are not intimidated, and they are aware of the challenges they face. Students take courses that meet 20 hours a week, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“This program is a different approach to language, where students learn at their own pace,” said Margarita McAuliffe, who is the Lead Instructor of the Intensive English Program.

The program consists of three sections to prepare students to advance to college-level classes. The first step is the listening course, where students listen to the English language in different forms. Then, there is the reading course, where students do readings from books and other types of printed texts. Lastly, there is the writing course, where students take part in writing the language to become more fluent.

Students are tested every month on listening and reading to let the instructor know how much the students has improved and if they are ready to advance. Students must master 60 percent of the test in order to pass. The final part of the English program is the immersion portion, where students combine listening, reading and writing to test their skills.

Students not only become fluent in the English language, but they also become familiar with the cultures and customs of other foreign students in their courses. Besides learning from one another, field trips are conducted so these students may learn the history of San Antonio. Since the beginning of this program, there have been visits to the Witte Museum, Hemisfair Park, The Tower of the Americas, The Institute of Texan Cultures, Mission San Jose and Mission Espada. The purpose of these field trips is to make these students feel at home since many are so far away from family and friends.

“I would recommend this program to any student looking to become fluent in the English language,” said Mary Mendoza, who is in the listening class of the Intensive English Program. Mendoza is from Mexico and is currently taking the course to learn English and get a job.

The Intensive English program costs the same as regular college-level courses. The only difference is that these students do not buy textbooks. All the learning is done inside the classroom. The only thing they are required to purchase is a dictionary.

For more information or to sign up for the Intensive English Program, go to the Welcome/Advising Center, or contact Margarita McAuliffe in the Social Sciences Building, Room 103B, 921-5126.