New ESL Definition

New ESL Definition

My motto…“To many people, ESL is learning English as a second language; to me, ESL is learning English as in my second life.”

When I was an elementary student in Hong Kong, I didn't like to study. There were three possible reasons.

1) Compared with studying, I preferred playing and chatting with friends.

2) I had some ADHD symptoms but people around me were not educated on the ADHD topic. Some of my English teachers thought that I was a troublemaker.

3)The education system in Hong Kong tied the grade of students with the level of subjects together. I was pretty good at the Chinese language but the English language wasn't my thing. With each new grade, I found it harder and harder to keep up. (With the American education system, I had a proper challenge where I excelled in math, and it was easier to catch up if I fell behind in English. )

My family immigrated from Hong Kong to the US when I was in high school. I got a new chance to start over a Christ centered life with new friends, and a new environment. I started to rebuild my English foundation with a positive mindset – ”I’m able to learn English '' instead of the self limited belief “I can’t learn English ”.

My learning of English continued after my academic life ended. Throughout my career as an outreach worker and in sales, I need to engage the clients with our product or service. I felt like my English needed some improvement because sometimes I had to present to a large group of people, or even to speak in a television interview. I wanted to make sure to deliver the message clearly in English. I found the local library resource for the Project Literacy English tutor. With my tutor, Nora, I’m able to improve my business writing and clear speech in an American accent.

Moving forward, I want to set people up for success and to achieve their goals. I’m learning multiple skills like counseling and coaching to better serve the clients. My next goal is to spend a greater portion of time in the life coaching position because I meet a lot of people who feel stuck in their current situation. I want to support them with a pair of ears, curious questions, and a compassionate heart.I know in every transition, that will carry a lot of different aspects of concerns, fears, or problems. During these difficult times, I would like to use life coaching skills to support people who needed help like I did.

I want to encourage people to try things that they might not have been good at in the past or were told so by other people.

You might find a new life experience there…or you will surely know you are not good at that.

At the end, I want to share a quote that I really like:

Serenity Prayer

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

courage to change the things I can,

and wisdom to know the difference.”