Chapter 8: Teaching Teenagers Who Are Still Learning English

Something that I can relate to in this chapter of Fires in the Bathroom is a comment made by Elaine. She expressed how difficult it is for students who do not speak English properly to make friends outside of ELD classes. This is because they are scared to speak to English students improperly. When they do not speak to English students, they fall back on speaking their own language to each other, which does not allow them to practice their English-speaking skills (Cushman, 146).

This reminds me a lot of the international kids that come to the YMCA Camp of Maine (where I work in the summer). Their parents send them expecting for them to work on speaking English. Most of them do not want to approach the English kids, and cling to kids from their own countries, speaking in their first language. As counselors, we do not allow them to speak their own languages when they are around English kids. We tell them that the reason they came to the US is the learn how to speak English better. Once the kids open up and start speaking English more, the American kids are always open to helping them and do not belittle them for speaking slow, stuttering, etc. I think that this is a very positive experience for international kids, and schools should be like this. Students like Elaine should be encouraged to speak to everyone in order to strengthen their English.