Monday, December 19, 2005

Orange Co Library - Sharing the need to read: Bakersfield transplant is booked as a literacy tutor for READ/Orange County

Sharing the need to read: Bakersfield transplant is booked as a literacy tutor for READ/Orange County
Orange County Register: Dec. 16. 2005 by Laura Rico

Local resident Laura Bryan was recently certified as a volunteer literacy tutor for READ/Orange County after completing a 23-hour training course. She currently tutors adult non-native English speakers to become, in the words of the organization "better parents, workers, and community members by gaining English language and literacy skills."

Bryan is currently working towards a master's degree in teaching English as a second language and teaches English to non-native speakers at two local community colleges. A recent arrival to south Orange County, the former Bakersfield resident is enjoying the cultural and employment opportunities that the region has to offer.

Q: Why did you get involved with READ/Orange County?
A. I heard about it through one of my professors at Alliant International in Irvine. I was looking for a way to get involved with the community, I just recently moved her from Bakersfield. I went onto their web site, found out more about them and then went to an information meeting.

Q. What are you studying at Alliant?
A. I am working on my master's degree to teach English as a second language. I have about a year left until I earn my degree.

Q. What did your training at READ/Orange County consist of?
A. I attended training for three Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. We worked on group activities and strategies on how to help people learn how to read.

Q. Why was it important for you to get involved as a literacy tutor?
A. I feel that in my life I have been so blessed with education. I have had a lot of opportunities and I have also had a lot of experiences that have shown me that other people have not had those same opportunities. I want to help people work towards their own goals.

Q. Who are you tutoring right now?
A. I have been working with a woman for about a month. English is her second language. She is originally from China. We practice speaking English and reading English. She is really excited and is really a nice woman. It is fun to work with her, she is so appreciative and eager to learn.

Q. Have you learned anything from her?
A. We were talking about Thanksgiving traditions and I asked her about her cultural things in China. She was telling me about the Chinese New Year and the different foods they make, like dumplings. It was difficult for her to describe, but she was trying hard.

Q. Coming from Bakersfield, what are some of the main differences you notice between life in the Central Valley and Orange County?
A. There are a lot more job opportunities down here, it was a lot easier for me to find a job. There are more cultural opportunities down here, I can go to plays or to museums.

Q. What do you do for a living?
A. I teach English as a second language at two different schools, Newton International College and Kaplan at Irvine Valley College. At Newton, most of the students are from Korea or Japan. They are mostly older adults just trying to learn English and help their kids at school. Kaplan students want to go into the university or go back to their countries and do something with English there. A lot of them are from Asia, but I have a student from Turkey, one from Germany and another from the United Arab Emirates.

Q. How has it been to meet people from all over the world?
A. So far it has been really interesting. Some of the students just attend classes for a few months, so I am always meeting new people and getting new perspectives on their lives and their culture.

Q. What do you think your students gain from learning English?
A. It gives them self-confidence. Sometimes they don't need English, they have friends who speak their language and they can get around fine. But they feel more confident when they can do things themselves. It gives them more independence and the confidence of knowing they can learn a new language.

Q. Do you speak any foreign languages?
A. I speak Spanish, and my students teach me a few phrases in Japanese of Korean.

Q. Have you always wanted to teach English? A. I have always wanted to teach, but it took me a little while to figure out what I wanted to teach. I lived in Venezuela and Mexico and taught English there. That's how I got interested in teaching English. When I got back I started taking classes.

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