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Dropping into a new language

Rani (left, with her learner Leah) volunteers with our Auckland West centre. Rani wrote this piece under in response to her “Language Learning Experience” with English Language Partners.

The ‘experience’ is an essential part of our ESOL Home Tutor training course, and Rani’s was in Burmese. LLE  gives a great idea of what it’s like to be totally immersed in a language you don’t understand – if even just for an hour or so!

Volunteers find this an amazing language encounter. It’s exciting, confusing and fun – all brain parts firing at once!

Like to volunteer with us? For more:  www.englishlanguage.org.nz/volunteer.

Rani’s acronym

Listening like I’ve never heard before
Letting go of my tongue
Language Learning ExperienceEnduring/Enjoying

Language Learning Experience

Completely thrown in the deep end of being overwhelmed by a new language – with all its tones, tongue-twisters and toots.

A restless rollercoaster of confusion and frustration to challenge and fun.

Wondering why my memory isn’t working when I need it now with these waves of words.

Surely this is sinking in as I’m repeating myself and rolling in silliness.

Usually love learning languages at a long, relaxed spa-like pace- not in a frothy waterslide.

Like the dawn of a new day on the horizon, I see my floating flotsam of foreigners (lost and lonely learners) in a different light.

The tutor has been rescued from her sea of assumptions and presumptions.
She is calm and serene- ready to sail with her students.

grace

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