The English language struggles for international people

By Val Mandujano 

Dec. 6, 2023 

Holland College first conversation club to help students practice their English 

Fabian Barrera got a great score on the English test he needed to get into the Dental Assisting program at Holland College.

But it wasn’t enough for him to adapt to the language when he arrived from Mexico.

For Barrera it has been hard to understand his classmates because of the speed and the contractions they use when they talk.

“There are times when I don't understand them. I keep thinking about what they told me and after a while it’s when I get what they said.”

Fabian Barrera attended the Conversation Club to feel more confident when speaking, and also has met new people who are going through the same experience.  VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO 

After talking to his learning manager, Barrera went to the library and discovered it has started a new Conversational English group this fall to practice.

When learning English, non-native speakers are usually taught more about grammatical structures rather than conversational phrases.

“People tell me 'How come you are here, and you need to improve your English? You should already have a level,’” he said. “I just tell them ‘I have it but, more theoretical than practical.'”

Despite that, for international students, some problems arise when living abroad with English as a second language.

There are options to practice, but in small cities like Charlottetown, in Prince Edward Island, the options to speak in ‘the wild’ are hard to find.

Conversation clubs are always a good option to meet new people, practice fluidity and learn new words and slang.

Leslie Holt, library resource manager at the College, came up with the idea of starting the club.

Over the past two years, students came to her asking about any space to practice their English in natural conversations.

At the Club, Barrera has learned Canadian slang and a more informal way of speaking.

“I have learned more casual things, things you don't usually learn when you are taught English,” he said.

The Conversation Club started September 14.

Holt conducts the sessions.

Students meet in the library and discuss different topics that students choose at random from a bucket.

“I feel like I’m a helper. It makes me feel good to help others and knowing they are getting the information they need,” she said.

The first English conversation club at Holland College started on September 14, to help students practice their English to understand better native speakers. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO 

According to an article called “A Linguistic Odyssey: How Many People Speak English” from Promova, an English vocabulary learning app, “approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide speak it as their second or additional language.”

English is immersed in countries that don’t even count it as an official language.

There are courses to learn English offered in different institutions, it is taught at schools and at universities there is a chance for students to study it abroad.

For students like Barrera, the club can be helpful for international students who find it easier to learn by speaking.

“I like that the College provides this type of help for students like me, who feel they need to practice more,” he said.

Students who attend the club also appreciate getting to know new people.

“It is always nice to know new cultures. You can form certain bonds that can strengthen over time,” he said.

Other students like Hiley Montijo, a Bioscience Technology student, enjoyed the experience of her first session at the club.

“It's very cool, because you can make friends, or they can give you a tip that you didn't know.” she said.

For Montijo, she hopes the club can help her improve her fluency and learn more vocabulary.

“It's always hard for me when it comes to technical English, and at the club, talking more about everyday things helps me relax,” she said.

Montijo found the club after seeing a flyer posted in the library.

People chose a topic from a bucket to be discussed every second Thursday at the new English conversation club at Holland College. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO 

She would like the club to have weekly meetings.

“Practicing helps you more, if it was every week, I think it would be better,” Montijo said.

In Charlottetown, neither UPEI nor the Public Library offers this option to newcomers.

“So, I have been looking for other places to practice, but I haven't found any,” she said.

On average, half-dozen students have attended the bi-weekly sessions.

“More promotion would be better for more students to join, even if they are afraid to ask for help to improve their speaking skills,” said Barrera.

English classes at the college

At the college, there are also classes for language instruction.

They are called Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada (LINC).

Lorraine Beck, language instructor of the program, has been teaching English for almost 20 years.

This year, she’s focusing on pronunciation.

“In order to feel part of the community, learning the language is so important,” said Beck. “It helps them to feel much more that they belong when they are able to communicate and develop friendships and get jobs.”

She helps people on the course improve their diction and fluidity.

“You can have a head full of vocabulary but if it doesn’t sound right then people are constantly asking you to repeat what you said or said it again or say it in a different way.”

For her, it is an individual thing to improve faster and learn more ways to practice outside the lessons.

The LINC program at Holland College is for Permanent residents. It helps them improve their language with classes during the week. HOLLAND COLLEGE WEBSITE

Beck’s classes at the LINC program are during the week from nine to 1 p.m.

“Students, they come to this class … but if that’s the only English the whole week that’s not enough,” she said. “You really really need to create friendships and get to know people who will talk English with you so you can practice.”

There are some recommendations like getting involved in the community, going to clubs or churches or listening to music if you want to get better pronunciation.

“A lot of people when they are learning English, the first thing you’re able to accomplish is to understand the language, but unless you actually use it, it takes forever to become confident,” said Beck.

But these courses are just for permanent residents new to Canada.

So, what about students outside the college, people with work permits?

Recently, another new conversation club opened in downtown Charlottetown.

It is for everybody, even Islanders, who are looking to socialize, have a good time and practice English, of course.

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New English conversation club at a Charlottetown church unites immigrants

A big black board was left on the front door of the church.

Written in italics, with pink and yellow chalk: ‘English & French conversation club’.

It was 4 p.m., Oct. 28, and the doors were wide open at the First Baptist Church downtown Charlottetown.

In a room inside, two old green couches and 20 chairs were arranged in a circle.

Gustavo Gonzalez, the creator of the club, was sitting among them.

Others started to arrive.

Some sat on the couch, others chose a chair.

As soon as they sat down, Nancy Alcudia, Gonzalez’ wife, approached them with a notepad.

People wrote down their names, and later she came back with a sticky handwritten name tag for them to put on their chest.

Eleven people were looking at a wide TV screen with a slide presentation, waiting for the conversation to start.

“I always inform the participants with anticipation the topics we are going to aboard so they can study and talk in each session,” said Conzalez.

Gustavo Gonzalez wanted to create a community of international people to support each other. He and his wife, Nancy Alcudia, started a conversation club on Oct. 21 at the First Baptist Church downtown Charlottetown, for people to practice English and French and have a place to express themselves. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO

The club opened on Oct. 21.

Gonzalez and his wife started the club after seeing language being one of the main struggles for international people.

“It is difficult to understand everyone. Everyone has a different accent, different nationalities," said Alcudia.

They wanted the club to be a space for immigrants to support each other and practice the language.

“I'm an international student. I´m also an immigrant as well, so I perfectly know what the needs of international people are,” said Gonzalez.

After arriving to P.E.I in August, the Mexican couple decided to create a Latin community and opened a WhatsApp group.

Today, more than 70 people had joined.

Not only Latin people but all immigrants or islanders are welcome.

They organized varied activities like picnics, outdoor cinema, sports competitions and celebrated this past Thanksgiving with a big dinner.

Back at the session, the slides showed the words ‘Welcome to the Conversation Club’ written on bold big letters.

Gonzalez stood up and changed to the next slide.

The topic of the session was childhood experiences and memories.

After sharing his childhood memories as an example, Gonzalez sat down and chose a boy sitting at the front to share his story.

People were smiling and chatting like close friends.

The conversation club has had two sessions.

Ten to 20 people attended.

Gonzalez aim is to provide them a safe place to talk and practice their English.

“While they are here at the conversation club each Saturday, they have the opportunity to express themselves with freedom,” he said.

People shared their childhood memories and experiences on the last session on Oct. 28 at the French and English Conversation club at the First Baptist Church in downtown Charlottetown. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO 

Jimmy Wen met Gonzalez at church.

He suggested Wen to attend the club, which also offers French practice before the English sessions.

“He recommended this to me. Right now, I’m focusing on French learning … but today I decided to stay longer to see how the whole thing is like,” said Wen.

For Wen, the club lets people learn more lingo and speak more fluently.

“I like the way Gustavo delivered the session to us. It let us discuss different topics, everyone has a chance to speak.”

Gonzalez creates slides with questions about the topics and related images for the sessions to be easier and more dynamic.

As a language teacher, he wants everyone to feel comfortable speaking.

“One thing I love about this is that not are all just different ages, they are all different nationalities,” he said. “On the first session I was amazed to see young people and adults expressing themselves in English.”

For Alcudia, who also taught languages back in Mexico, it has been an opportunity to help and let people to learn from each other.

“I could say that the majority of those who are here in this club, including me, is difficult to be able to function in the maximum splendor,” she said. “But we can always learn between each other.”

At the end of the session, Gonzalez stood up and thanked everyone.

Alcudia took her phone out.

Everybody gathered around hugging each other.

All were smiling.

Some scattered, some stayed chatting and some went home.

Gonzalez and Alcudia started to return the old chairs back on their places.

The session was over.

“People tell us “Why do you invest a lot of time, effort, in people you don't even know? … But I think it's worth it. Our convictions are very strong. Our principles, our values are there,” said Gonzalez.

For Alcudia, this has been an important phase in their lives, and she would like to continue helping people.

“What I have learned throughout these months is that nothing is complicated, you complicate your own existence. Everything is possible with effort. You have to say, ‘Yes, I accept the challenge’ and I go with everything you have.”

Gustavo Gonzalez and his wife, Nancy Alcudia, arrived at P.E.I in August 2023. They started with a small community of Latin people with the aim of helping and supporting each other. VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO

The Christian couple is planning to open a Bible study group at Holland College in the next weeks and celebrate a big dinner for Christmas with the community.

This club has helped people in the community to feel welcome, have a space to share their thoughts, experiences and enjoy a good time.

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Others in the city

For some like Wentao Zhang from China shared on Facebook that one of the biggest struggles he has experienced while studying at UPEI, is “Island” speak.

“I feel that the most difficult part is not to make people understand what you want to say but to use the correct wording and phrases,” he said. “It’s also hard to find opportunities to practice because it’s not easy to make friends with native speakers.”

And an English as Second Language (EAL) teacher, Gurpreet Brar experienced something similar with his students.

“From teaching EAL in the schools I know that a lot of my students had trouble with idioms/slang,” he shared.

According to an article called “A Linguistic Odyssey: How Many People Speak English” from Promova, an English vocabulary learning app, “approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide speak it as their second or additional language.” VAL MANDUJANO PHOTO

But in the last months, besides the club at the college and the club downtown, recently more options have arisen.

The Latin Association of P.E.I recently hosted a language exchange at a restaurant in Charlottetown and a new small club was opened in Stratford.

With all these new options, international people might finally have a chance to improve their language abilities and feel they are finally part of the community.

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THE SHORT DOCUMENTARY | Conversation Clubs - Some help when living with a new language