08/24/2026
The CESL Team had the privilege of anchoring a workshop titled “Your English is Fine” at the recently concluded New International Students’ Orientation!
The workshop addressed “Second Language Anxiety” which is usually tied to using a language you are still developing. The CESL team further explained various instances of the Anxiety Cycle which includes:
- Over Rehearsal
- The Silent Question(not asking a question because you’re nervous about your English)
- Mental Exhaustion(feeling so tired from communicating in English all day)
- Understanding More than You Can Say(you’re frustrated because you understand more than you can express)
Some actionable tips to address this language anxiety includes:
- Build Confidence by Participation(join a student organization, attend campus events, ask after class, go to office hours)
- Get support from the various resources available to you on campus.
- Build Community(Find your people and things you are interested in and build a community around it)
- Practice! Practice! Practice!
We wish all OU students a great Fall semester ahead!!
BOOMER SOONER!!