“Quiero aprender Ingles,” “Voglio imparare l’Inglese,” “Gusto ko matuto ng Ingles,” “Eu quero aprender Ingles.”
There are so many ways to say “I want to learn English.”
About 70 percent of the students at Southwestern College are not at college level in reading or writing. More than half are English as a Second Language students. English learners are everywhere in almost every class.
Learning English as a second language should not stop students from reaching for their dreams and goals. Students learning English should not feel demeaned. On the contrary, they should be proud of where they come from, because only in this way will they know toward the direction they want to go.
Lack of fluency in English does not have a direct correlation with overall intellectual capacities. Yet sometimes students who are learning English face discrimination from their classmates or even their instructors. They are treated poorly as if they have a mental disability, making them feel embarrassed about coming to school. Some abandon school or worse, their dreams.
Having English as a second language does not limit one’s intellectual potential. Never give up on life and achieving everything that you want to do. Never allow anyone to demean or humiliate you or make you feel like “you are not part of the team” just because you are learning a new language. Being bilingual is a great gift.
Where you come from is important, where you are going more so. Do not take the counsel of naysayers. Seek out the dedicated professors, brilliant students and school staff that make the difference. They are out there.
