The Language Company which is a center used to teach students who may not traditionally be proficient in speaking English, have now added 11 students and four new instructors to the program since its opening in November.

Charles Asche, the director of the language company, said the center is expecting to get a new instructor in March, making their total English instructors to six.

“I think the biggest change is growth,” Asche said.

The center has students represented from many different countries such as China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

In the coming months, five students will be coming from Panama to enroll in the center, Asche said.

Students who are enrolled in the program go through nine levels of intensive English studies and must complete the ninth level before fully being admitted into Eastern.

One through three are beginning levels, four through six are intermediate, and seven through nine are advanced.

Those who are in the program take courses in reading, writing, grammar, speaking and listening; the students who do not have an English speaking level past nine are admitted on a “conditional” basis.

Currently, there are 15 language centers nationally, with many of the programs concentrated to the Midwest and East Coast regions.

Asche said because the center is continuously growing in students and English as a second language instructors, they are expanding the first floor of Thomas Hall in the North Tower to hold more facilities in the coming months.

“Our growth is ultimately good for Eastern’s growth,” Asche said.

Shuo “William” Wong, who came from China four months ago, is one of the students enrolled in the program.

Wong said the hardest aspect for him to grasp within the program is the English vocabulary; he said speaking and listening is easy for him, but not reading and writing.

Jason Talley, an English as a second language instructor, who also teaches Wong, said he has been teaching Wong for three weeks now.

Talley said Wong is one of his hardest working students and tries his best to learn the language.

Talley agreed with Wong and said vocabulary is Wong’s greatest challenge. To assist him, Talley gives Wong five words to practice understanding academics, with the last word being something funny to study.

For one week, Talley gave Wong the funny word “oyster.”

The Language Company will have a grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday in Thomas Hall where students will be able to meet the faculty and students of the center.

Roberto Hodge can be reached at 581-2812 or rlhodge@eiu.edu.