International Language Institute

            The spring semester of 2011 will bring about some exciting changes for Texas A&M International University's International Language Institute. Lisa Flores, visiting assistant professor will be the new director for the ILI. New opportunities will be provided to the TAMIU student body, as well as members of the community who wish to broaden their language skills and knowledge of other cultures.

            Lisa Flores explained, "ILI has a great deal of history. The ILI was originally under special programs when TAMIU was located at the LCC campus and under the direction of Conchita Hickey. At that particular time, the institute's purpose was to provide English as a second language in an academic setting."

Although the institute's original purpose was to teach English as a second language, it branched out beyond TAMIU and into the community. Flores stated, "Over the years the ILI has worked with businesses, maquiladoras, and forwarding agencies and provided English on sight for employees. That's something we're going to be bringing back in January."

As time has progressed, an emphasis was placed on the need for adding other language courses, such as Madrid, Japanese, French, Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese.

Flores emphasized, "The distinction that will be different now is that ILI will be under the department of Language and Literature." 

This will allow for language courses to be offered for both credit and noncredit purposes.

"If TAMIU students are really interested in learning a language but their load is really full, and they don't want a grade in the class they can sign up as a noncredit student," Flores stated

New requirements under the College of Arts and Science will entail more credits in language for students. "This has also been influential," commented Flores as far as sparking an interest in taking language courses beyond the introductory level ones.

When asked to comment on her vision of the future for the ILI, Flores responded, "A dynamic program where we have a lot of different activities happening so there can be conversation for the students, and they can engage in applying their learning outside the classroom."

Flores added, "I would like to connect with other universities and language courses so that our students here can interact with other students who are learning a language that they are or native speakers."

Flores excitedly stated, "ILI will be quite visible as we move into promoting both ESL and other languages. It is an entire approach that promotes the understanding of language and culture."

For more information contact the office of International Language Institute, located on the 3^rd floor of Pelegrino Hall, at 956-326-2136 or contact Lisa Flores at 956 326 2624 or lflores@tamiu.edu

(Mariela Rodriguez may be reached at mariela_rod@dusty.tamiu.edu)