For the world traveler, visiting a country where language is foreign can be a short-term nuisance. For those moving to a new country, the obstacle of a language barrier becomes part of everyday life.

Several students in Butler County are overcoming those obstacles through English as a second language courses offered by Butler County Community College.

The college offers two three-hour courses each week: one on the main campus in Butler Township and one at the Cranberry College Center in Cranberry Township.

A two-year resident of Butler, formerly of the Ukraine, Lyudmyla Martin has been enrolled in the Thursday morning class in Butler Township for a year.

Upon her arrival in the United States, she remembers it was difficult to speak in English and tiring to try to interpret each sentence in her head.

"Now I have dreams in English," she said, adding she just needed time to learn.

Though Martin was already employed when she came to class, Deb McAllister, the grant director of BC3's adult literacy program, said many students come to the program in hopes of gaining or improving their employment. Others are parents, hoping to speak English at home with their children.

While the class and materials are free, the registration process can be a challenge, said McAllister. In cases where a student comes alone and understands little to no English, a calendar and clock are used to demonstrate when classes will be held.

"It's very scary for them too," she added.

Once registered, students are required to take a standardized test to assess their current skills. Students with some knowledge of English are often able to complete the whole test, while those with no English experience are only required to complete a portion.

The assessment gives instructors an idea of each student's needs and which students need more individualized attention.

"The main challenge is getting the word out," said McAllister, adding it is difficult to attract students who may not read well in English.

Currently, McAllister said, there about 12 students registered in each class, though the attendance can vary from week to week.

Though BC3 has posted signs and advertised the class, she said that many new students hear of the course through word of mouth.

"My guess would be that the students have a great influence on that," said McAllister. "It's their openness and willingness to invite other people."

In Butler, instructor Shirley Schafer meets with a group of about nine students each Thursday. Seated in a circle, the group begins the class with conversation and jokes while waiting for classmates to wander in.As they chat, the students pause to check pronunciation and use a makeshift sign language to act out words they don't remember.At some points, the students turn to classmates who speak the same native language to check the meaning of an English word in their own vocabulary. While Schafer and other classmates wait for the verdict, a simple definition erupts into lively conversation, understood by few."When they get together, they want to talk (in their native language)," said Schafer, adding that for some classmates it is the only opportunity they have to speak their own language.After about 45 minutes of conversation, the class settles in and begins to review homework.One Thursday in November, the homework involved vegetables and fruits. Using picture dictionaries, the students identified each vegetable and described how and when the vegetables are used.In one exercise, in which students were asked to describe how they use vegetables in cooking, the conversation turned to culinary and agricultural differences between each student's native land.Though the workbooks provide a guide for the class, much of the conversation strays from the assigned pages."A lot of the meat of the class comes from student interests," said McAllister.After a break, the class reconvenes to discuss upcoming holidays, famous birthdays and other events in American culture.Schafer assigns pairs of students to use the Internet to research the holidays and historic events. As she assigns pairs, she takes care to pair students whose native languages are not the same."I have a hard time getting them to intermingle, because then they have to speak English," she said.

For students unable to make it to the weekly classes, the college trains volunteers to provide English tutoring.According to McAllister, tutoring training sessions are held every semester to prepare volunteers to work with students in one-on-one or group settings.In the group sessions, held on Wednesday mornings in Butler and Thursday afternoons in Cranberry Township, pairs of experienced tutors lead a discussion group in much the same style as the classes. Deb Scelza, a volunteer involved in both group sessions, said though she tries to lead the group like an instructor, she also adapts to the pace of the class.At the Cranberry Township campus, where one student was less experienced than others in English, the pair of tutors split, allowing more advanced students to converse using learned vocabulary, while flash cards and visual aids were used in individualized instruction for the others.Though the sizes of both the classes and group sessions vary from semester to semester, Scelza said both large and small class sizes have advantages.In a small class, more individualized tutoring is available, while in large classes discussion groups are often formed.Maia Zaremski, who moved to Cranberry Township from Bulgaria in 1993, has attended the class for three years. She now attends with her mother, who has not been in the United States as long.Though Zaremski tries to help her mother outside the group sessions, she admits her 8-year-old son provides much of the tutoring at home.

Though to McAllister the classroom setting provides a better opportunity to speak English, one-on-one tutoring providesan opportunity forthose unable to make it to classes.The tutors, who attend two Saturday training sessions before being assigned to a student, are able to meet with students at times and off-campus locations more convenient for their assigned students.Although these students do not benefit from group discussion, McAllister said they often meet throughout the summer, when the on-campus classes are not in session.

For Olima Yeager of Butler, formerly of Tajikistan, the Thursday morning class has not only helped her improve her English, but has led her to continue her practice of English by taking a reading class also offered at BC3.Yeager, a former judge in her native country, hopes to pursue a career in the American judicial system as her English improves.Due to the social nature of the ESL instruction, McAllister said many students become very attached to their teachers.Yeager, linking arms with Schafer and laughing, remembers crying at the completion of the previous semester. "I just love it here," she said.Though her English is understandable, Yeager is still eager to learn more."I try, but I can't (explain) what I am thinking in English," she said.Though the classes and group sessions run during the regular BC3 semesters, students can enroll at anytime. Once enrolled, students often stay for several semesters, some as long as three years, remembered McAllister.Whether the results are employment, further education, friendship or just a little more understanding, the sessions are satisfying for students, instructors and tutors."Believe you me, I'm learning a lot of things from them," said Schafer.