| Many of us are new immigrants to Canada and North | | | | People who repeat every single word you say with |
| America. Many others find immigration status | | | | the comment: sorry! They show you that your accent |
| elsewhere. Language is the first challenge that as a | | | | is basically bad and they can not understand you. The |
| new immigrant you want to overcome. If you are an | | | | more you try to be clear in what you try to |
| adult trying to learn English as a second language for | | | | communicate with these types of people, the lower |
| the most you translate your own language to the | | | | you feel. |
| English words. By the time you have a larger | | | | On the other hand there are plenty of people out there |
| vocabulary baggage and you think that you are | | | | who are patient with you and listen to you without any |
| improving in English you are able to correct yourself | | | | judgment or disapproval of your language skills. |
| and be your own teacher when you make mistakes. | | | | We do agree that in an academic setting the written |
| This process of learning and re-learning is a constant | | | | words should be comprehensive and conceptual. Still |
| work that you have to do, if you are interested to | | | | you can not distance from the reality of your language |
| improve your language skills at all. As a new immigrant | | | | being what it is. Ideally as a student you access an |
| or as someone whose mother tongue was not English, | | | | editing soft ware or an editing service that gives you a |
| you are always aware of how people react or listen | | | | chance to do your best performance, yet, not always |
| to your spoken words. You are always aware of your | | | | you have those services close to hands. |
| limited language skills even though you believe you are | | | | Some universities offer the editing services opposite to |
| doing perfectly well. If you are in an academic setting | | | | many others who do not make any efforts to help |
| you will not miss out the comments about your | | | | students with English as second or third language. As a |
| language skills. The more you try to write professional | | | | student for the most part you are humiliated because |
| documents, the more you feel the anxiety of grammar | | | | your English is not perfect, although sometimes you |
| mistakes here and there. | | | | have a better grammar skills compare to students with |
| If you are in a work environment people would not | | | | English as their first language. |
| care much, while at times there is someone who tries | | | | At time you deplore yourself, at times you are upset. |
| to confront you with your language limitations. | | | | Other times you feel hopeless and lonely. You can |
| In the academic settings on the other hand you can | | | | never get away from the fact that you are not an |
| always expect your professor comment on your | | | | English minded person. Now what is the solution? |
| grammar or structure of your paper. | | | | I guess government sponsored editing services would |
| Anxiety begets anxiety particularly when you want to | | | | be of a solutions for students like myself. In general |
| submit a paper that you have worked hard at and you | | | | living in multicultural and diverse world, authorities should |
| consider the work as flawless. | | | | consider offering more language classes and language |
| You feel that there is no another minute you can | | | | support to new immigrants who really do their best to |
| spend on that paper. Once the paper is back you | | | | integrate into their communities. |
| know the familiar comments there and no one word | | | | Strengthening people in their language skills help to |
| of the hard work you did. | | | | strengthen communities. |
| It is unfortunate that you sometimes meet people who | | | | Poran Poregbal |
| try to put you down due to your language barriers. | | | | Vancouver, B.C. |