Photo By Maj. Michael Wallace | One of the students tries on some equipment during a breakfast at Camp Bondsteel.... read more read more
Subscribe
CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo—Taking time out from regular duties and interacting with local high school student is a beneficial and mutual change for members of the Multinational Battle Group-East (MNBG-E) at Camp Bondsteel.
Assisting in teaching English as a second language to 25 juniors from local high schools, KFOR-18 members have taken it upon themselves to help the students from the municipality of Ferizaj/Urosevac, Kosovo, in preparing them to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam that is approaching for them later this year.
MNBG-E commander, Col. Charles Hensley believes it is important for members in his command to be involved with the surrounding community and people of Kosovo. “Our KFOR-18 members are giving opportunities to the youth of Kosovo so that they can have many other opportunities available to them and contribute to society,” Hensley said.
“Helping the youth of Kosovo in their educational activities helps everyone in Kosovo. This gives them the opportunity to be accepted in higher learning (colleges) which gives them a chance at better jobs, better income, and being a powerful instrument in improving the economy and lifestyles in Kosovo,” said Hensley.
The students enjoy the KFOR-18 instructors. Diellza and Dyresa Mani, sisters in the same high school junior class who both want to be medical doctors, say that the enthusiastic instructors teach in a way that makes them want to learn more—not just about English—but about the United States, also.
“The United States sounds like a wonderful place where there are so many opportunities,” said Diellza. “I would like to study in America and meet all the interesting people. Our teachers make us want to learn more.”
“We’ve learned so much from our teaching staff, “said Dyresa. “The (United States) is so fascinating because there are so many ways to say the same thing, with so many words that sound the same, but have different meanings—and because the country is so large, there are so many dialects to hear and experience. I want to experience America, too.”
Besnik Syljemani agreed. “Knowing how the language works is paramount,” said Syljemani, who learned much of his English from movies. “For example, take the English homophones of ‘witch’ and ‘which’ and ‘to’, ‘two’ and ‘too’. These are just a couple of examples where the words sound the same, but you have to have a deeper understanding of the language to be able to effectively communicate.”
Fellow student Florentina Tahiri added, “There is a difference in ‘understanding’ the language, and truly being proficient in it. It’s all those nuances to each language that we try to learn when we study, so we can better understand everyone.”
“But learning more is not just for our professional careers,” added Tahiri. “There are other opportunities for us if we learn more, such as visiting other new places.”
Fellow student, Urata Arifi agrees with Tahiri. “This course opens a whole new world for us,” says Arifi, who wants—like the others—to travel and see the world and study in the United States. “With our studies, we will be able to effectively visit with all sorts of people and communicate socially.”
The instructors understand the challenges with the English language and they set up exercises for the students throughout the classes. One day, the students will be challenged to give a presentation about certain words that may sound the same but have different meanings, or phrases that are in the American vernacular that make no sense translated to Albanian. On another day, they may be given an exercise where random ‘statements’ such as, ‘Elton John is the best singer ever’ and have the students team up and give speeches in supporting the claim, or arguing against it. Sometimes, they have to write essays, give speeches, interpret what they heard someone say and many other demonstrations on how well they understand English.
The whole class must speak English the whole time and the students will constantly use dictionaries, thesauruses and other reference material to insure they use the proper words. This is part of learning so they can take the TOEFL test, which is a timed test that comprises reading, listening, speaking and writing sections, where the student must demonstrate a high level of understanding the English language. The test must be passed to be able to study in the United States.
“These students have a strong drive in their education,” said Capt. Allen Jones, a Judge Advocate officer serving as a Legal Assistant and Claims Attorney. “They understand that the future of Kosovo rests upon them and they want to contribute to a better Kosovo and a better world—and through their education, they can contribute greatly to a better way of life for them, their families and the people of Kosovo.
Sgt. Leif Anderson, a Blackhawk helicopter crew chief hasn’t taught classes like this before, but he uses his skills learned as a former deputy sheriff to pose questions to the students. “I strive for accuracy,” says Anderson. “It’s important that the students know and understand why certain words in English are pronounced and used the way they are so they can better communicate in the world.”
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Joshua Simmers, who is a pilot, agrees that teaching the absolute correct way is paramount. “Many English speakers are not aware of their bad grammar habits,” he says. “So teachers to the newly-exposed English speakers must be aware of any bad habits and help each other police themselves in verbiage usage so there will not be any wrong information taught.”
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Barbara Swisher, who is an information services technician for the computer systems at Camp Bondsteel understands that a foreign language puts many people outside their ‘comfort zone’. She learned to speak Russian in her earlier years in the Army. “The students need to be able to use English comfortably when they discourse in the language,” she says. “So we put a lot of intensive work into new and fresh ways of having the students listen, speak and write English and what is perceived from the recipient of the message given.”
But it’s not just the students learning in the classroom, it’s the instructors as well. The instructors say that they learn a lot about daily life and the people’s viewpoints of the world as they interrelate with the students.
“With the members of KFOR-18 assisting,” says civilian contractor, Naim Bajrami who is a linguist for Northrop Grumman. “The students not only learn the language, but learn about the United States from many different viewpoints. I’ve learned that the youth here have dreams and goals like much of the youth worldwide, but it is much more difficult to attain these just because these kids are in Kosovo,” he said.
“Their drive to learn drives us to teach,” the other instructors say. “It is a distinct pleasure and privilege assisting these young scholars as they improve themselves, and as they improve, so do we. We are better persons because we’ve met these students, and the world will be a better place because of them.”
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 04.19.2014 04:48 |
| Story ID: | 126712 |
| Location: | CAMP BONDSTEEL, ZZ |
| Web Views: | 200 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Mentors for youth at home and in Kosovo, by MAJ Michael Wallace, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT