An ESL student named Tran* arrived in the US from Vietnam less than 9 months ago. She has been working hard to learn English since then — a task made even more difficult now that all of her classes are taught virtually.
Tran is one of more than a million students in the United States learning English as a second language, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Now with many schools relying on remote learning to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in schools, the ability to stay on top of classes has become even more difficult. Luckily, Tran is living in a homestay with a compassionate host family who committed to helping with her ESL studies during this pandemic.
Initially, Tran struggled when her ESL classes went online back in March. It was hard for her to switch to an online learning format and the lack of socializing really affected her. She was used to doing homework with friends, hanging out on campus and getting coffee at the neighborhood cafe. Tran was unsure if she could adapt to the new normal and stay in the USA during the lockdown since she was not going to be able to have the full study abroad experience.
Many of her ESL friends were already booking flights home because they were going to be able to complete their courses from their home country and save on their housing fees. Tran didn’t want to go home and with the blessing of her mom and dad in Vietnam and the support of her host family in the US, she stayed. Looking back now, she is so glad she did.
Tran told IHPS that many of her friends who went home to their country feel like they have lost a lot of their English skills, especially their conversational skills. “It’s difficult for my friends to practice since their families do not speak English at home and many of her friends got jobs but they don’t get to use their English,” she told us.
Tran and her host family here in the US found a groove and learned how to adjust to the online learning format, but it wasn’t easy. “I would help her with her activities, in between doing my own daily work. My children would also chip in to help, and, of course, we all spent time talking at the breakfast and dinner table. It was definitely a group effort and rewarding for my family to see her doing so well,” her host mother said.
Tran also found ways to interact more with her other friends in the US. Her favorite weekend night pastime was watching a movie and playing online charades with her school friends.
Nine months later, Tran feels she made a better choice than her peers who went home to their country. She did mention to IHPS that many of the students plan to come back to continue their ESL studies and would like to live in a host family with the hope of being placed with a family like hers.
Fortunately, the pandemic experience for Tran was positive and successful. IHPS hopes English learners get back into their classroom with their peers for an in-person learning environment, so more success stories like Tran’s can be shared.
*Student’s name has been changed to protect her privacy