Children learn language to meet their needs. “I thirsty,” exclaims the two-year old. A child’s vocabulary allows him to express his basic needs. As he matures, his vocabulary will grow to include a wide range of emotional needs as well. He will learn words to express his frustration, confusion, or fear. In order to do this, he will need the right words and a safe environment in which to speak.
This is true for all people, not just children. In the case of immigrants, it is especially important that the words they learn enable them to express the needs of their present moment. For over a year, our team has been meeting weekly with a group of Hispanic immigrants that are desperate to learn the English language. After having established a relationship of trust, we have moved from simply teaching helpful phrases, common vocabulary words, and basic grammar to getting to know our students and find out their needs and what topics they want to talk about.
Rafael Reyes is the director of the ELL program. Coming to this country as an immigrant has given Reyes a unique ability to connect to the ELL participants as someone who speaks their language and has shared experiences.
“I noticed how passionately our students were discussing certain topics in Spanish, and I know that immigrants often don’t have a platform to speak or dialogue about the issues we face, the persistent struggles, and even life in general. I wanted to give the people an opportunity to speak freely without fearing judgment,” said Reyes. “I wanted them to have a place where they could be vulnerable and where their perspective would be heard. This opportunity doesn’t regularly present itself to immigrants, not at work, not at school; and too often, not at English learning programs that focus on teaching language without an environment of trust and safety in which immigrants are encouraged to express themselves.”
Rafael Reyes has been living in the United States over two decades and speaks English fluently; however, he acknowledges much of what he speaks in English is still translated from his native tongue. As an early English speaker, Reyes wasn't able to communicate everything he wanted to say because of the process of translating everything from Spanish to English. It took so much time, he would self-edit his communication in the process, losing both meaning and intent.
Reyes doesn’t need for his students to tell him they can’t say everything they want to say in English. He already knows. Reyes gives his students the freedom to speak in English and Spanish when they need to communicate real issues. “This,” Reyes says “is freedom.”
“For the new cycle of ELL, we wanted to offer something that would allow our students to speak without feeling the strains of the language barrier. Some of our students are better able to communicate primarily in English but others mix English with Spanish. If a student doesn’t have the language abilities to fully communicate in English, you get a few words but those words can be misunderstood. When they are able to communicate in a way that allows them to tell us what issues they are facing and therefore, what topics they want to discuss or learn, we let those things shape our curriculum. Our students learn English that is related to subjects that they are interested in.”
In an effort to generate themes or topics to discuss, Reyes presented the students with trailers to three movies and had them decide which one they wanted to use for discussion. As they watched the different trailers, they were particularly engaged with one called “A Better Life” as it touched upon the topic of immigrants moving to the United States. One participant, compelled by what she saw, stood up saying, “We should watch this one, this is OUR life!” The rest of the students agreed and were excited to use it as a language-learning tool.
The topics that emerged from the movie resonated with our ELL participants. “What issues did you see in the movie, tell me,” Reyes asked. On a white board, the students compiled a list of issues they recognized in the movie, from legal status to family relations. It was the first time they were putting these difficult concepts into English.
“Everyone spoke after watching the movie, even the students that usually had to be pushed to participate. We combined our Level 1 and Level 2 groups for this discussion so our beginner students would hear from those who speak a little more English. When some of our Level 1 students tried to communicate primarily in English, they became frustrated because they had so much to say and English speaking limited their ability. “I told them to go to Spanish when they couldn’t communicate what they wanted to say in English,” Reyes commented. “When God’s involved, learning language should free the mute.”
“I thought they might not be ready for something as intense as this, and we might risk the trust we were building. But thank God that didn’t happen. Now they are more comfortable talking about real life. After our class, they go home and think and come back with more things to say. If you can give immigrants a platform to think what about matter, the words to communicate in the language of their new country, and a place to talk without fear, that is powerful. It is liberating.” Rafael Reyes and a team of volunteers are participating in the humanizing work of Jesus -- a ministry characterized by helping the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and the mute to speak.
“He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.” Luke 7:34-35
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