Everyone Studies Other Languages

Imagine the frustration of being surrounded by all English speakers and not being able to  understand a single word.  At AHS, one in four students has limited English speaking ability, yet the school has a ninety percent passing rate for the English SOL tests. The ESOL  (English for Students of Other Languages) Department provides the opportunity for these students to improve their language skills.
Georgi Tomisato who teaches ESOL Level A2 and ESOL English 9 transitional has a very diverse group of students. The languages they speak range from Spanish and Korean to Vietnamese, Chinese and Urdu. So how can students who come from all over the world, where the only thing they have in common is their need to acquire the English language, all learn in the same class? It’s difficult and requires a lot of patience, but Tomisato and other ESOL teachers have many years of experience. Tomisato has taught at AHS for eight years and eleven years at Edison High School for both of their ESOL departments. The ESOL teachers have to cater to the different needs of each individual and create an environment in which the students feel comfortable and eager to learn.
There are always obstacles that they face, but in time they are able to overcome them. “I have one girl, she hasn’t understood a single word I’ve said since day one, not yet and so sometimes they’re so close to tears. I mean it’s just that overwhelming. She’ll probably have to repeat the year and do this level again next year, but then she’ll be at the head of the class and she’ll feel much better. But it takes a long time,” said Tomisato. Learning a new language usually takes seven to eight years, but the ESOL students are encouraged to have finished learning the language in half that time.
The levels of ESOL begin with A2, which is for students who are just starting the language, followed by A3, then to the more advanced classes of B1 and B2. “In order to get to the next level they have to test at the county level so we [the ESOL teachers] don’t determine that,” said Tomisato. Students are able to skip levels if they display an immense amount of progress by the end of the year.
 The ultimate goal is to have the ESOL students graduate when they have accomplished learning English and become mainstreamed with the rest of the student population. Many factors affect this goal for the student. For example, it will be easier for a student to grasp English if they have had an exceptional education in their country or if they have already picked up a little of the language. The speaking, writing, and reading parts are not the only challenges these students face. They have to conquer their fears of speaking in English and adjust to a whole new culture as well.
Junior Elizabeth Gallo was born and raised in Peru. She has only lived in the Unitesd States for eight months. She was lucky to have been able to study English in Peru for two months before she came to the U.S. and is doing exceptionally well in Tomisato’s A2 English class. “For me the hard part in English is the grammar because when I try to translate my Spanish words it’s different. For example when I have a sentence ‘pink shirt’ in English then in Spanish it is ‘shirt pink’ or camisa rosada,” said Gallo. She watches English television shows like Friends to help her. She understands that learning English will take a lot of practice, but she remains motivated.
 “If you don’t talk English it’s like you don’t have mouth,” said Gallo.
Gallo is like many of the ESOL students. She misses her country, but is trying her hardest to adjust to a new lifestyle. The struggles they face everyday are unimaginable.
“You have to be very sensitive to the fact that they’re overwhelmed. I mean when they first come they’re totally lost,” said Tomisato.
ESOL teachers like Tomisato try to make this experience as easy as they can for their students. They use specific techniques in their teaching to facilitate the learning process. It is important that the students are able to sit next to someone who speaks the same language as them, so that they can communicate if one doesn’t understand the directions in English. Tomisato states, “In this level if they couldn’t speak in their language they would have nothing to say.”
The way an ESOL class is set up is no different than a regular class. They still follow an agenda, get homework everyday and review it during class time. Of course, some students are going to learn faster than others. It is important for teachers to reinforce material through repetition. For example, when the students were given a vocabulary worksheet with words like cupcake, carrot and mitten, the entire class repeated the pronunciation of the words numerous times.
“That’s why we have to do a lot of if we say something we have to write it. If we give them an [oral] assignment, then we have to give it to them on a piece of paper because they can’t keep everything in their heads,” said Tomisato.
Another technique that helps the ESOL students is acting. Recently, students were assigned a project to create a production of their favorite television show.  A cardboard box made to look like a television provided the students with a visual. They practiced their English while talking about something they had knowledge about. This opportunity gave the ESOL students a chance to build their confidence through public speaking, while practicing the use of new vocabulary and complete sentences.    
As the ESOL students encounter new challenges every day, it is important that they receive the support they need and are able to work together. The outlook for these ESOL students looks promising. The ESOL program gives these students a chance for success.