Left to right: Gina Evers, Writing Center director; Suzan Al Nesheiwat of Poughkeepsie, N.Y.; Claudia Coroban of Hyde Park, N.Y.; and Kadiatou Sidibe ’13 of Beacon, N.Y.
Three Mount Saint Mary College students, all who learned to speak English after coming to the U.S., discussed their trials and triumphs in the American education system on March 16.
Speaking at “Writing Across Borders” were:
- Suzan Al Nesheiwat of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Arabic speaker, nursing
- Claudia Coroban of Hyde Park, N.Y., Romanian speaker, education
- Kadiatou Sidibe ’13 of Beacon, N.Y., French speaker, human services
Nesheiwat came to the United States from Jordan. She said one of the most difficult aspects of learning to write in English was something most Americans take for granted: in English, writing is done form left to right. But Arabic, writing is done from right to left.
“When I came here, I would speak to my teacher in Arabic,” she said. “But we worked hard and they helped me learn English.
Coroban noted that her “biggest challenge with English was the spelling. With my first language, you write exactly how you hear a word.” She gave the word “berry” as an example: in Romanian, Coroban would have spelled it “beri.”
For Sidibe, a 2013 Mount grad, her difficulties with the English language led to feelings of self-doubt. However, with some help from patient, caring teachers, she was able to overcome many of her challenges.
“You find out that you can learn, that you are not stupid,” she said. “And it is a good feeling.”
The event was sponsored by the college’s Writing Center.
The Writing Center offers a variety of helpful presentations for students throughout the year. The center’s tutors assist Mount students in all stages of the writing process, including brainstorming and organizing ideas; structuring sentences, paragraphs, and essays; incorporating research; using appropriate systems of citation; and improving grammar and style.
“When writers leave the center, we want them to feel confident in their ability and know what the next steps are for their continued improvement,” explained Gina Evers, Writing Center director.