Students from 32 countries ranging from Colombia and India to Poland, South Korea and Uzbekistan will show off their native costumes, dances, foods and artifacts at the annual International Student Festival of the Computer Systems Institute on Saturday, November 20, at the Chateau Ritz in Niles. The festival is part of the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at CSI’s five Chicagoland campuses.
The event not only celebrates diversity and builds community among students of different cultural backgrounds, but also give students an opportunity to explain their native traditions to attendees in their newly acquired English. The festival attracts hundreds of students as well as friends and family.
CSI offers beginner, intermediate and advanced English language programs, with placements based on each student’s current skill level. Each program includes ten hours of instruction and eight hours of labs per week, utilizing a CSI-exclusive blended learning methodology that combines computer-assisted classroom learning, classroom instruction and unusual project-based learning.
“Our International Student Festival is a natural outgrowth of our ESL program. It lets students share their cultural pride while also practicing their English as they talk about their traditions with students from other countries,” said Olga Gusak, Director of ESL Studies. “Whether it’s serving pierogi or doing a Georgian dance, it’s a way to celebrate and maintain your national identity as well as promoting cross-cultural understanding.”
CSI has campuses in Chicago, Skokie, Lombard, Gurnee and Wheeling. In addition to the ESL program, the school offers one-year training programs for information technology, healthcare and business administration careers.