What's the point?

The Prototype · Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2005 10:32 pm

Alright I work at AMES (Adult Migrant English Service) in the library, now I am there and I see these teachers teaching these people english, but when they are done they talk their own languages, they do this all over the building, and no one is making them stop and talk English.

There are so many not wanting to learn English, why are they still bothering? If you aren't there to learn and made be there, aren't you better off somewhere else?

I am not taking away from those there who are learning english there are so many there learning English, and talking English, but are being held back to people who aren't even trying to learn.

The worst part is, last week a few got certificates for completing their English course, and still cannot understand a word of the language, and these are the ones in the advanced classes that supposedly already know a whole heap of English.

Am I the only one that sees this to be a total waste of everyones time? It's frustrating trying to tutor people who aren't even trying,/

zoia · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:06 am

personaly i wouldnt let them in the country in the 1st place, so yeah i understand

HAL · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 7:10 am

Are we still talking about WIN?

The Prototype · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:22 am

RudeBoy · Joined: 28 Nov 2005

The Prototype · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:34 pm

As far as I am concerned they don't need to learn it, but my problem is tehy are in a school that are trying to teach them the language, only a few bother trying to learn and talk english.

Here's an example, one woman wanted to use the phone, she picked up the handset and pushed it into my face, she didn't say a word, just made a grunting sound and I thought she wanted me to dial the number, so I go to do it and she starts doing it.

I told her it was ringing and I finished what I was there to do, so I figured she wanted me to tell her if she had gotten the number correct.

My job is to try and help them when they ask for something, if they don't tell me, I cannot do anything, thus me getting annoyed that my time is being wasted by someone who obviously doesn't need me to do anything for them.

Paul, I know how you feel about these people, but if you heard the stories about these people in their own country, you'll understand, one guy from Eithiopia was shot 4 times before coming here.

Don't get me wrong, I have found this jov very rewarding, when you help one of them, they are so greatful, we got thanked by the teachers the otbher day we had a morning tea, and was asked back next year.

David · I dare you to try Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda

The Prototype · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:56 pm

The guy that was mentioned also lost his leg, there are some that are here but still have family trapped over there. We have a large number of Sudanese people there, a lot have been checking up a lot about the happenings over there.

Apparently, Ethiopia on the verge of a war, or something major happening, there have been a group of guys checking the Amharic website for news on what is going on.

The younger people that are there seem more interested in learning, their parents seem to just not want to learn, and let the young ones do all the speaking for them.

I'm not saying they shouldn't be in Australia, what I am saying is that if they are going to be enrolled in the school they should be making an effort to learn, because I feel they are making it hard for those who are trying to learn.

There are a few that hang around the library and won't goto class, even after they are told to leave the library and attend their class. A week into my time there some woman was removed from the her class and told not to show up again until next year because she wouldn;t goto class.

And then this one Chinese lady was given a certificate of completing her class, when she cannot speak, nor understand english, the reason I know she cannot understand English because I was helping with a class she was in, and she has no idea of what to do with this task.

It seems like a waste.

RudeBoy · Joined: 28 Nov 2005

I hate to break it to you, but I'm a university lecturer and I get frustrated every day of the week with students who turn up for class but make no effort to learn or even participate. My point is that this slack attitude is not exclusive to newly arrived migrants.

The Prototype · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:03 pm

Believe me I know, I am just saying that if they are going to teach English, they should force the students to speak english at all times while there, I mean they are already made be there, why not force them talk english in full there?

eddies bank balance · evolving-unlimited-intellect Joined: 27 May 2004

Eventually, when they become fluent with english, they will speak it in conversation; a baby learns to crawl before it can walk.

Imagine we immigrate to China and we must learn their lingo and converse in Chinese at all times, would you not revert back to english, it can be mentally draining, start with small steps.

David · I dare you to try Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda

learning chinese would be bloody hard
at least with French and German there are a lot of similarities with English

The Prototype · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:58 pm

I have learnt a bit of German, I have found Amharic to be hard as hell to learn...

HAL · Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 7:01 pm

Cool. I have a lot of friends on the Internet.

Big T · Joined: 18 Oct 2003 Location: Torino, Italy

Sorry Rudeboy, I must have been in your class! Uni, pub, cones, hmmm which one should I choose. Uni a distant 3rd.

There are many Sudanese moving to Toowoomba which has caused a bit of a stir with the big hat wearing tobaccy chewing bundy swilling half bred illiterate rednecks that tend to be in regional Queensland but they are the most beautiful looking people, I almost stop my car in awe of how well they are presented and how peaceful they look. I think the integration of these types of cultures can only benefit our country.