ESOL students recognized for essays

When asked how they have changed since coming to America, some students talked about the difficulty of learning English. Others mentioned getting a job and a few talked about the differences in the culture in the country where they lived previously.

Their responses were portions of essays they wrote to participate in the New York State Teachers of English to Students of Other Languages Second Annual Essay Contest.

The seven students, who are all in Kim Angus' ELL classes at Cohoes High School, were given certificates of achievement for their participation in the contest.

Below are excerpts from their essays.

"This is my progress in learning English since I Came to America. At first, I understood a few words in English. In the summer, I began studying phonetics and grammar. Now I understand more in English. By the end of the summer, I could count and write. Studying phonetics helped me."

"For me learning English was difficult. It took me many years to learn English. Now I know Russian and English. It will help me in my future. I have changed since I came to America. I like living in United States and it feels like I have lived here for many years. I visited Moldova twice since I have been gone and I would never want to move back there for good."

"Learning English was fun and excited its like when a baby says its first word and you get happy and excited. It was the same way with me. I was excited to learn new words every day. I was very happy that I could speak a different language especially English."

"Learning English is hard at the beginning, but then it gets easier after about two years. For, example I learned English in about two and a half years. For grownups it is harder to learn English because they don't speak with others in English. My family has been in the U.S. for about five years and my parents hardly understand English."

"As an English learner, I learned how to get good at spelling. I learned how to understand the words and their meanings."

"I wasn't good at English, but now it's much easier for me to speak, communicate, and understand English because I'm learning English and I know when I grow up I want to have a better job to support myself and my family in the future."

"When I came to America I could not speak any English. It was so hard for me because I did not have any friends and I did not know how to speak to my teacher. Two years have passed and I have change a lot. I learned a little bit of English, I bought my own car, and I got a job. I found what I was looking for in America."

The contest, open to all English Language Learners across the state, recognizes students in three categories: grades four through eight, nine through twelve and at the university level.