| Waterford School District
ELL Department English Language Learners: Learn a new language and get a new soul. ~Czech Proverb |
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Student Spotlight: Marina Schendel
Meet Marina Schendel, a 6th grade student at Mason Middle School. Marina is an English language learner that came from Russia 4 years ago. She says, “Middle school is pretty cool. I like reading lab. It helps you pronounce words and understand them better.” Because Marina began speaking English at a younger age, she has very little accent but she says she works on homework every night, sometimes up to 3 hours. “I’m horrible in English,” she laughs, “I’m still translating in my head but I’m getting better. I think one day I will be able to think in English, too, but for now I’m doing 2 times the work. I do it in Russian in my head, and then I have to do it in again in English.”
Marina’s English language arts teacher, Courtney John, says that she encourages Marina to see beyond her mistakes and focus on her good ideas and the message of her writing. “When correcting errors, we try to focus on one area at a time. We will set a goal for improvement, like a spelling pattern or a verb tense, and we focus on that until she’s got it.”
Math class can be especially hard sometimes, Marina says. “There are big words. I usually just ignore it and if it really matters I will ask the teacher what it means.” When asked how she knows if it’s an important word Marina says, “If I notice people repeating it a lot then I know it must be the important word. Then I ask. Otherwise I just let it go.”
Adjusting to American culture hasn’t always been easy for Marina. “Americans smile all the time. They also seem to worry a lot about things that don’t matter. It seems like they are always trying to be perfect. It’s just how it seems to me.”
Outside of school, Marina continues to work as a translator for young Russian students coming to the United States. She also spends time selling flowers and bouquets made of wire and beads. She is exploring other creative outlets and thinks one day she might enjoy being an interior designer.
What is one thing Marina says teachers can do? “Speak slower…just slow down and relax.”