News & Events » Celebration: Five Years of the ESOL Writing Class

This book celebrates the completion of the fifth year of the ESOL writing class co-sponsored by University Settlement Society and the Writing Program of The Gallatin School of Individualized Study. Celebration follows the books Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow; Everything Is a Beginning; Writing Our Lives; I Came to America; and Home. Michael Hunter, director of the Family Literacy Program at University Settlement, and this year's student-teachers, undergraduates Max Ross, Kristen Van Autreve and Gina Runfola, were ideal collaborators in this endeavor, and have my heartfelt thanks.

- June Foley, Gallatin Writing Program Director

"A Special and Effective Teaching Method," by Lisa Lee

Our writing class has finished its fifth year. During these several years, our writing strengths have been gradually enhanced; our writing skills have been improving in different ways and degrees. Surely, the success of the writing class is because of the support of Michael Hunter, the director of the Family Literacy Program at University Settlement, the profound teaching of June Foley, and the student-teachers' help.

In particular, I think, our writing class has a special and effective teaching method.

Every week our teacher, June, wants us to read and discuss our articles.

In the very beginning, June or her student-teacher led the discussion. Then, from the fall of 2003, she let every student have a chance to be the leader of the class and be in charge of the reading and discussion procedures. As a result, students soon learned the art of leadership and showed positive concern about the class. Now, even our extremely shy classmate Norman Wong can be the leader.

Discussing our articles together is a very effective way for us to learn some merits of others' writing, get inspiration, and practice speaking in English. Biming Long, one of our top writers, wrote, "Every Thursday we have 'pot luck': we each bring our work to class, share it with one another and learn from one another with the teacher's help." For example, the stories of Yuqing Gu's experiences as a doctor, John Cheng's seaman's experiences and Rosa Rodriguez's true feelings have inspired others to write about their lives and feelings.

Knowing details are good for describing people, things or events, Winnie Leung and Tina Luk added some details to make their essays more vivid and interesting. David Chen, participating in the writing class for five years, is one of the outstanding writers. He is a street vendor, and twice this year he got summonses from inspectors for violations. Because of his longtime writing practice, he could write the judge two statements clearly and fluently, to explain the situations. Finally, David didn't need to pay a fine or get any punishment.

Insisting on writing, reading and discussing, we are improving in speaking and writing in English. Also, as Biming Long writes, "Encouragement and praise from the teachers urges us to speed up, making a great effort." We enjoy our class and are pleased to celebrate its fifth anniversary.