So That the Blind May See

Language Learning for the Newcomer

As an immigrant, one of the most challenging parts of living in a new country was learning how to communicate in the new language. In my learning journey of the language I would often feel like a frustrated toddler trying to be understood. Then, as I continue to acquire the language, every new word would unlock many possibilities of communication. The issue was never that I did not have words to say; it was that the words that I knew did not work in the new land. My linguistic currency had no value. I always said that if l had to explain this process, it would be like having a funnel in my brain: lots of words in my native language were there but when I tried to speak in the new language my communication was very choppy and limited. This brought constant frustration.

The endeavor of language learning doesn’t leave any room for pride. Learning a new language is often humbling and evokes laughter more times than not for those who are ready to fully engage in the challenge!

In a new country, the immigrant does not have the luxury to learn the language as a hobby or to just have a better job, nor do they have the option to “press 2” for the alternative language at their will. Anywhere they go, they will be confronted with new challenges that could range from ordering a “number 1” at fast food place to knowing how to apply for a job or understanding the prescription of a medicine bottle. For the immigrant, these challenges are packed with more than words to be understood, they are also full of cultural cues that need to be deciphered which this is very complex and complicated.

Words help us understand and make sense of the world we live in. And our surrounding, the place we are a part of every single day is a book ready to be read and explored. However, unless you know those words, you won’t be able to make sense of it. This is one of the many reasons why every Tuesday we offer ELL (English Language Learner) classes in the office of a trailer park in Madison. The students that participate in classes show up faithfully each Tuesday evening ready and eager to learn. These students have become more than people we see every week, they have become our friends. They will say that one of the many reasons they have stayed in our classes is because of the environment and the quality of the staff.

We are aware that in order for any learning to occur, we must provide a safe environment in which adults are not treated like children in the process of learning. These adults have lives, families, are hard workers, are committed to learn a new language and have many wonderful things to communicate about life and the world. Unfortunately, the lack of the new language does not allow them to fully express what they think and feel to others who do not speak their language. This is part of the environment we want to create: an environment that promotes learning and the sharing of perspectives.

Our ELL program wouldn’t be what it is without it’s volunteers. These generous individuals invest into this program because they believe in the opportunity that exists for their students. They also understand that there’s a wealth to be gained on both sides of this table - it is Jesus’ ministry that enables these immigrants to be integrated into their new world, which we have the privilege of participating in together.

Our team has witnessed many moments in which our students have not just demonstrated proficiency in the usage of the language they are acquiring; they have had moments of discovery and epiphanies. Those are great moments! When they have them, they would give us the whole context attached to that moment with a personal story so that we could rejoice with them. It is here when we realize that the integration of the immigrant in a new society that operates with different rules, ways of understanding the world, a different language and accents is a very difficult process.

It is a privilege to be a part of the learning process of our students. I enjoy seeing in their faces when a word or a sentence clicks within them – when they found another piece of the puzzle; another key to unlock another door or another layer discovered that gives them the confidence to push through the challenges of the new world. This is a part of how they will discover their world, through a cluster of letters making up words that ultimately make up our reality. The acquisition of the new language brings more than better opportunities to our students; it brings the possibility to be integrated into the new world. This was Jesus’ ministry and education: to allow the blind to see the world for what it is and for those with lack of words to have them in order to name and to fully participate in their environment.