Choosing
an Intensive ESL Program
Location, Location, Location
As the old saying
goes, there are three important things to consider when
you want to buy a house: 1. Location, 2. Location, 3. Location.
Searching for an intensive language program is not really
that different; location is also an important consideration.
However,
in buying a house the issue of location is simple; namely,
buy a house in the best neighborhood that you can afford.
In selecting an intensive language program, the issue of
location is much more complex because the critical factors
depend on your personal needs and preferences. For example,
are you choosing the language program based on where you
want to pursue a course of study afterward? Do you want
the excitement of a big city or are you longing for the
peace and quiet of rural location? Do you want warm weather
year round or do you prefer four distinct seasons? Are you
a skier or a surfer? Although there are a few locations
that offer almost everything within a few hours’ drive,
in most cases you need to make some basic decisions about
where you want to study
There are two
additional questions that you should ask yourself: 1) What
is there to do within walking distance of the intensive
language program? and 2) What nearby attractions are there
that can be reached by public transportation or by taxi
within 30-minutes or less? Many students assume that if
they choose a language program that is located on a university
campus, there will be lots of activities. in some cases,
that is true; most campuses offer a variety of sports and
recreational facilities, social activities, and a wide range
of lectures and cultural events such as musical and theatrical
performances. In addition, some language programs integrate
sightseeing tours and excursions into the curriculum and
also arrange opportunities to meet American students, individuals,
and families.
However, it is
interesting to note that, in the U.S., many university campuses
are located far away from the city center and are somewhat
isolated from shopping centers, sightseeing opportunities,
and entertainment. To complicate this sense of isolation,
public transportation may be limited and, thus, make it
difficult for students to experience life outside the university
environment. Ironically, many international students come
from large cities where there is not only a lot to see and
do, but also where there is a well developed and inexpensive
public transportation system. In many of the world’s
major cities, young people can venture out safely, even
at night, and find lots of interesting things to do. By
contrast, students who are enrolled in intensive language
programs in the U.S. often find that they are bored and
do not have enough to do in their spare time, despite the
fact that they are happy with the language program.
In the last two
years, those of us at UCLA Extension’s American Language
Center have been struck by the advantages of being located
not only next to one of the great universities of the world
but also of being in a thriving, student-oriented business
district where one can go everywhere on foot, and, in just
a short bus- or taxi-ride, where one can experience some
marvelous sights, shopping, and entertainment. For many
years, the American Language Center (ALC) Intensive English
Language (ESL) Programs were located in downtown Los Angeles,
a long distance from the UCLA campus and a long distance
from the areas where many of our students wanted to live
and visit. Two years ago, we moved to Westwood Village adjacent
to the UCLA campus.
At first, we
were delighted to be so close to the campus; however, we
were still concerned that our program was not located directly
on the campus. We were three blocks and about fifteen minutes’
walk from the main part of campus. Gradually, however, we
have come to appreciate this special combination of a thriving
business community and one of the most beautiful university
campuses in the U.S. Our students now have the opportunity
to experience the excitement of a lively, but manageable,
urban area and all the benefits of a large research university.
Many first-time
visitors find Los Angeles a huge, sprawling city without
a center and quickly are convinced that you can’t live
here without a car In reality, L.A. is a collection of neighborhoods
and small towns that merge together to form one large city
Granted, to cover the vast expanses of the city, one does
need a car because the public transportation system does
not meet the needs of most residents; however, there are
many L.A. communities where one can have a rich and varied
experience without a car Such communities include Santa
Monica, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, and
Westwood Village. Interestingly, all of these areas are
close enough that one can go from one to another easily
by bus or taxi.
Counter to the
L.A. stereotype, Westwood Village is a community where people
walk almost everywhere. It is well-known as an entertainment
center and boasts nine first-run movie theaters, most of
which show more than one film at a time. If a film has just
been released, you can be almost certain that it is showing
in Westwood. In addition, many premieres, or first-time
viewing of these new films, take place in Westwood, with
spotlights, producers, directors, and movie stars!
Before or after
the film, you can have your choice of dining, from Vietnamese
noodles to Japanese Sushi from Iranian saffron rice to Italian
pasta, from cheap American fast food to expensive continental
cuisine. You can grab a bite on the run or you can dine
for hours in fine surroundings.
You also can
shop for casual sportswear, books, music, videos, cameras,
sports equipment, and jewelry The “basics” can
be found also in a large discount drugstore, shoe repair
shops, a grocery store, barber shops, hair salons, and,
last but not least, excellent coffee shops. Every Thursday
afternoon, there is a colorful farmers’ market where
you can buy fresh vegetables, fruit, bread, and flowers,
and you will hear more languages being spoken than you can
imagine.
In
addition to all these resources and the proximity of the
university campus, Westwood offers a major art museum and
fine live theater However, if you want a change of scenery
you can hop on one of the many buses in Westwood and in
30 minutes or less find yourself at the beach in Santa Monica,
shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, checking out the
clubs on the Sunset Strip, or enjoying the regular collection
and special exhibits at L.A.’s spectacular Getty Museum.
If you want to do something a little different, you can
see BelAir and Beverly Hills homes of the rich and famous
or walk across Wilshire to the tiny cemetery where you can
find the graves of Marilyn Monroe, Natalie Wood, and Truman
Capote.
In short, we
have come to see how valuable it is for our students to
study English in a bustling environment which
combines all the benefits of a great university and a unique
business and entertainment district. Both provide tremendous
insights into American culture and opportunities for language
acquisition.
Thus, when you
are looking for an intensive ESL program, we recommend that
you consider more than just the program and the university
Ask what there is to do within walking distance and where
else you can go for sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment.
A number of U.S. universities are located next to interesting
student-oriented business districts that offer both shopping
and a variety of entertainment. Some of these include Georgetown
University, the University of Minnesota, Arizona State University
in Tempe, and the University of Washington in Seattle.
We suggest that
you look carefully at each location that interests you.
Yes, the university may be well-known; yes, the beaches
may be attractive and the weather warm and sunny but what
will you do when your classes are finished? Will you find
as much to do as you are used to doing at home? Will there
be interesting and fun-filled ways tan you can enhance your
understanding of the language and culture? There is more
to consider in choosing an ESL program than simply the quality
of instruction or its university affiliation. Consider what
you will do when you are not in class and realize that there
is much that you can learn from the right location.
By:
William H. Gaskill, Ph.D., Director,
UCLA Extension’s American Language Center
