ESL Classes as Healthy Outlets for Stress
ESL Instructors Can Allow Immigrants to Talk About Frustrations
Jul 6, 2009
Can ESL tutors and teachers help their learners deal with the frustrations of living in America without English-language skills?
This question comes to light following a shooting spree in April, 2009, by a Vietnamese immigrant of Chinese descent at an immigrant and refugee center in Binghamton, N.Y. Many of the people killed or injured by Jiverly Wong (also known as Jiverly Voong), before he turned his weapon on himself, were taking a U.S. citizenship class at the time; Wong himself reportedly had taken English lessons at the center.
According to press reports, acquaintances of Wong said that he had been upset about being humiliated by others because he spoke English poorly. Michael Rubinkam, "Jiverly Voong, NY Gunman, Angry Over Poor English Skills, Job Loss," The Huffington Post, April 4, 2009. (Wong may have had additional, deeper problems that fueled his rampage. Hamilton Nolan, "Binghamton Killer's Polite, Deranged Letter," Gawker, April 7, 2009.)
Stress and Isolation of Non-English-Speaking Immigrants
Although there are no formal studies, there is much anecdotal evidence that non-English speaking immigrants must cope every day with the dark side of American life: unemployment/underemployment, the superiority complex of some English speakers, and social isolation. For those immigrants who are studying English, there is also the seemingly endless struggle to master even the basic constructs of this complex, nuanced language.
That is a lot of pressure, and many immigrants have few, if any, outlets for it.
Elizabeth Wilk has witnessed the impatience and skepticism of English speakers who interact with non-English-speaking immigrants. Wilk has been a tutor of English for speakers of other languages for nearly six years and a tutor trainer for three years, all with Literacy Volunteers in Mercer County, N.J.
In a June 2009 interview with Suite 101, Wilk indicated that learners are often reluctant to initiate discussion of their feelings of frustration that result from mistreatment by intolerant English speakers. “Talking about that kind of topic may be a foreign concept to them because perhaps where they came from no one dares to bring it up,” she suggested.
Some cultures place a premium on the ability of individuals to handle their own problems, alone and without complaint. As Wilk pointed out, this and other aspects of foreign cultures present challenges for tutors and others who assist non-English speaking immigrants. “You’re trying to understand what was their background, what did they come from, and help them to assimilate into American society as much as possible,” Wilk said.
ESL Classes, Tutoring Sessions as Safe Harbors
Wilk believes that it is acceptable for ESL tutors to allow their learners to express their frustrations in the setting of a tutoring session. “First of all, this is America, where one of the cornerstones is free speech,” she emphasized. “Second, our learners need to be able to express their feelings in a comfortable, secure, safe environment; that is what we as tutors are supposed to be developing," Wilk stated. She indicated that tutors should strive to let their learners know that they have someone who listens to them.
An important caveat is that tutors must be cautious about counseling or advising their learners. “We tell our trainees that things will come up and they need to be good listeners but that they should be very careful about giving advice in most situations,” Wilk said. She added, “There are ways to guide a student toward experts who are equipped to give the correct kind of advice.”
Regardless of whether the subject of handling their students' social frustrations is part of their formal training, ESL tutors and teachers should be prepared to encourage their students to bring up how they feel when they encounter intolerance by others. For some students, the ESL session is the only healthy outlet for the stress caused by these frustrating encounters.
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