By ANDREA LAYCOCK
andrea@newsroom.byu.edu
BYU students now have another way to sharpen their foreign language skills through the Study Buddy program, a service offered by BYU's English Language Center.
The program matches international students with English-speaking BYU students, allowing each student to learn about the other's culture and language.
'The idea is to take international students and pair them with students studying the other's native language,' said Symonie Udall, an instructor at the ELC. 'Students spend half the time speaking in English and the other half in their native language.'
Last year over 200 students were placed with students speaking 14 different languages.
'We share each other's culture,' said Ryo Konno, 29, an ELC student from Japan. 'My study buddy taught me a lot about American culture -- like table manners -- and I taught her how to use chopsticks.'
Michael Crookston, 27, an Asian Studies major from Provo, has participated in the Study Buddy program for one year. He said he decided to become a study buddy to improve his Japanese and to make a new friend.
'The Study Buddy program really helped with my assignments and working one-on-one with someone who allowed me to ask questions and have difficult concepts explained to me in another way,' Crookston said.
Students who usually get involved in the program are students studying a foreign language or returned missionaries wanting to maintain their language skills.
Catherine Ganiere, a junior from California, majoring in marketing, said that she was interested in the Study Buddy program because it provided an opportunity to help someone and improve her French skills at the same time.
Study Buddy partners can learn a lot from each other, but the success of the pair often depends on the dynamics of the students.
'I've seen students who go on vacation with their study buddies, but I've also seen personality clashes. It all depends on each students' personality and motivation,' said Garth Johnson, an instructor at the ELC.
Elliot Sumiyoshi, 24, an ELC student from Japan, said that for the program to be successful, students need to have a lot of patience with each other.
'We are not professional teachers and don't always know the best methods to teach certain principles,' Sumiyoshi said.
Vladimir Nagalin, 23, an ELC student from Russia, said that the Study Buddy program was helpful in improving his grammar.
'I've greatly improved in my grammar tests, and my teachers are curious how I've made such improvements,' Nagalin said
Students interested in joining the Study Buddy program to enhance their foreign language skills, help an international student or make a new friend can attend the orientation meeting on Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. in 3290 ELWC.