Gabrimely Acevedo Rosa

     A meaningful moment in my language was when I was little in elementary school in the third grade. I was put in an ESL class which means English second language. Being in an ESL class made me feel self-conscious about myself because I was constantly being pulled out of my classes. I was put with a small number of kids that also were a part of the same ESL class. Sometimes the teachers will only pull me out of the class by myself so I can get extra help because I had trouble with speaking, writing, and reading. I always felt different because students weren’t like me. My classmates used to make fun of me because I couldn’t read well out loud,  I used to stumble on words that I couldn’t pronounce, and I would get mad at myself and give up. I was never a shy student even though I didn’t know how to read, write, and speak well. Growing up struggling with reading, writing and speaking was hard for me, and still to this day I have some challenges. 

    I started being pulled out of class in the third grade for extra help. I never really understood why I was getting pulled out, I know that it was to help me but since I was really young I didn’t see how this was benefiting me. One day the teacher pulled me out by myself and it was to practice spelling. I was extremely nervous for this day because I was given a few words that I have to memorize how to spell and I remember memorizing and practicing the words how to see them, how to spell them, and how to use them in content. The teacher came to the classroom and pulled me out. I was extremely nervous, my heart was racing and I was not feeling confident at all. When we got to the room we did a few breathing exercises that she taught me how to do it every time I was nervous about something. This exercise really helped need to calm down and relax my breathing. After we finished the exercises we sat down. I felt confident in what I was about to do but when we started I Completely forgot everything that I studied for I forgot the words. How do you spell them? I just got extremely nervous and overwhelmed with different emotions. I will remember me breaking down. I said I give up. I’m so confused I thought I didn’t know how to speak English I don’t know what I’m doing. I broke down. I remember me at eight years old just giving up. 

     If you had to take an ESL class you have to take the ESL test. This test will test you on your reading, writing, and listening. If you’re an ESL student, are you still taking the test you will continue taking the test constantly until you pass it? When you pass it you don’t have to take it, you don’t have to take the ESL test ever again. My first time taking this test was in the third grade at the end of the year near the state exams. Remember me getting so nervous that I got sick to my stomach and I couldn’t finish the test and my mom had to pick me up from school. I had to make up the test on a different day. When I took the test on another day my teachers did everything in their power to make me feel comfortable and I really appreciate it. My teacher said that because I got through all my anxiety. As I got older I didn’t get as much test anxiety because I learned how to manage anxiety but, I still get really nervous when I have to take a test. The teachers have done everything in their power to help me become better students. For example, they have taught me how to control my breathing, and when  I’m nervous about something, how to close my eyes and relax, how to take my time on things, etc.

     I stopped taking the ESL test in the 8th grade. I finally felt accomplished. I finally passed the ESL test but I still had a lot of work to do so I was given conditions for my learning. I get accommodations for my learning. I get extra time on tests, get tests read aloud to me, a Spanish to English dictionary and I am allowed to take the test in a separate room with fewer people.  I always felt uncomfortable because not a lot of students get accommodations but, I’ve realized that having accommodations really helped me be a better student and learn more efficiently. Having accommodations is good because I can get help with certain things but, when it comes to having your test read to you, you have to go at a certain pace no matter whether it is fast or slow. Getting help benefits me in being a better learner because I am eventually going to try to do certain things on my own. My English now is so much better I still have difficulty pronouncing words and spelling certain words also my grammar I’m still trying to work on my grammar I think grammar has been the most difficult part for me to try to understand but I can see my improvement a lot from the third grade all the way to Senior year. My experience with Language is still difficult because I grew up speaking Spanish I come from a Spanish-speaking Home and neighborhood and yes I have improved a lot on my English but I don’t want to lose my Spanish I just have to figure out a way to balance it out.