2023 Raquel Sinai Newcomer Scholarship Award Winning Essay

By Sarah Silva

The first advice that I would give to new student from another country would be is face it the better way possible, you will got it and you have been through worst, do not act like me, do not think that you will never feel on you place and sometimes is good to get out of our comfort zone. The other advice is for the exact purpose of learning to take time and try to immerse yourself in the culture. Also be prepared for discrimination, try your best to get good grade and join clubs at your school or university, it will help a lot and if you are struggling with the language, look for extra classes that could help you and join on conversation sites and do not be afraid of native English speakers, they will understand and will get that you are bilingual or speak multiple languages.

The ESL teachers will help you a lot, they are so kind and always try to put you in a good mood. New foreign students, do not be afraid of public speaking as I was or to do a presentation, I know that this scares us a lot, but we are bigger than our fears, and after you pass through the process never act mean or make a new student feel down by your attitudes. Third advice is always have a goal and a budget in mind, this will make your life easier because you know what you are looking forward to, this actually demonstrates that you are applied and a person who plans the future and knows what you want to be and want to do. To sum up everything that has been stated, do not change yourself and be kind to everyone, you will get it and look back and see that you made it.

Announcements

Scholarships and Awards for you and your students – Start the applications now! There are 4th and 8th grade awards, high school, higher ed, and teacher ed scholarships, and the Judie Haynes grant for teachers – due date March 15th.
The new Barbara Tedesco award for a bilingual or ESL teacher and collaborating educator is due Feb. 15th! Apply here.

Members are invited to join NJTESOL/NJBE’s Professional Committees. The Advocacy Committee is meeting on Thursday, February 15 at 5:00 and the Countering Anti-Black Racism Committee is meeting on Wednesday, February 21 at 7:00. Please email executive-director@njtesol-njbe.org by February 8 for the Zoom link if you are interested in attending either committee meeting or both!

You are invited to join us for our third session of the NJTESOL/NJBE 2023-2024 PLC Series: Teaching Bilingual Students Bilingually Following an Assets-Based Approach to Biliteracy and Content Achievement Saturday, March 9, 2024, at 10:00 Register here.

Nominate the member of the month!
NJTESOL/NJBE has so many amazing teachers throughout our state that it would be fitting to highlight some of them. Nominees could be colleagues who are available to answer questions about ELLs or the Bilingual Education code; educators who support students and their families beyond the classroom with projects, college applications, and extracurricular activities; someone who joins committees in support of ELLS or to implement positive change for the community. The nominee must be a member of NJTESOL/NJBE. Nomination Link

2024 Spring Conference – Systems of Support for Multilingual Learners
You can attend in person at the Hyatt, New Brunswick May 29, 30, & 31
OR watch the Video Library Workshops June 3 – Sept. 2.
Register before space runs out!

Here’s what it was like for me to transition from ESL to mainstream classes

By Karen Otavalo

Karen Otavalo, now a high school student, describes her debilitating fear of speaking up in mainstream classes in sixth grade when she was learning English. She was comfortable in her ESL classes, but suffered extreme anxiety in group discussions and even in conversations outside of those classes. This anxiety affected not only her academics, but also her mental well-being. She socialized only with her fellow MLs.

She expressed her feelings in this way.

During those initial months of transition, words eluded me. When they did surface, that all-too-familiar fear rippled through me. Speech used to be one of the things I was strongest at, and seeing myself fail at something so essential — not only to get my ideas across but also to be taken seriously — was disheartening. It didn’t help that despite hours of practice sometimes it seemed like I wasn’t getting better.

Eventually, with support from her teachers, she was able to speak in class even though she felt afraid. She found that she had to be patient with herself in her progress in learning English. To others in her situation, she recommends that speaking in class in spite of fear will make it easier the next time.

Here is the full story with links to studies that support her experience.

February’s NJTESOL/NJBE Member of the Month Kelly McLaughlin
and
2 Billion People Celebrate Lunar New Year. Your Class Can, Too

2023 Raquel Sinai Newcomer Scholarship Award Winning Essay

Announcements

Here’s what it was like for me to transition from ESL to mainstream classes

ARTICLES: WINTER 2024