Fall 2024 (Volume 34, Issue 2) Language Accessible Version
“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, what are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
STUDENT VOICES
Below is a story written by a VEP student about her experience as an immigrant. To submit a student-written story, essay or poem for future editions of the newsletter, email volunteer.english@volunteerenglish.org.
Learning to Love My Accent
by Alejandra B.
I came to this beautiful country from Uruguay in 2021 because my husband found a job opportunity that allowed him to get a better position than he had in Uruguay. My husband is used to speaking English, as he has been doing so for years due to his work. When I arrived, the only English I knew was what I had studied in my country more than 20 years ago. Not only had I forgotten a lot, but the English we learn in our country is very different, both grammatically and conversationally, from the English spoken here in the United States. When I arrived, I felt like I could barely say hello properly, and I would get very nervous when someone spoke to me, to the point where I had trouble understanding much of what they were saying.
A month after arriving, I started looking into where I could learn and practice English, as I wasn’t willing to isolate myself only with people who could speak Spanish. That’s when I found VEP and their one-on-one tutor system. I had to wait about four months to be assigned a tutor because they wanted to find the right person for the type of English I wanted to practice and understand. That’s when I met Jean. She has not only been tirelessly teaching me both academic and everyday English, but she has also helped me build the confidence needed to communicate, learn to pronounce well, and even love my accent. Jean has been teaching me to develop my communication skills in another language.
It’s always been hard for me to realize how much I’ve improved in English because we constantly deal with situations where, depending on the accent, we may not understand everything or want to say something that doesn’t come out the way we want. This makes it hard to see that we have indeed progressed.
In 2022, I thought about joining the Let’s Talk Philly conversation groups, which are very good and help with exchanging ideas with people who are in the same situation and dealing with English that can sometimes be hard to understand or express. After the conversation cycles ended, I built a good relationship with the facilitators and the group coordinators. Since I have coordinated groups in my own country, I have the skill to connect well with people, and I was surprised when they offered me the chance to give a talk on Psychology and Immigration.
I went through enormous nerves and stress, as I had never given a talk in a language that wasn’t my own, but there I was able to realize just how much I had improved and all that I was capable of with the English I had learned with Jean.
This year, Let’s Talk Philly offered me the opportunity to be a facilitator for one of [their groups]. I’m still not sure if I will do it, but what all of this has shown me is that we can improve if we set our minds to it and find the right people to empower, encourage, teach, and support us on this challenging path of becoming bilingual.
I have nothing but words of gratitude for VEP for giving me the opportunity to join and for assigning me a tutor, and to Jean for everything she has been doing for me since 2022.
VEP offers weekly conversation groups both virtually and in person, in partnership with community organizations throughout Chester County.
These groups are open to any individual seeking to gain confidence in their English speaking skills, which enables us to reach into the community even if they are not our students.
TUTOR SPOTLIGHT
Acculturation vs. Assimilation
Tutor Patricia Mapps, VMD, talks about navigating new and native cultures as students adapt to life in America.
Dr. Patricia Mapps with Rachel Van Tassel, Program Director
Shortly before I began tutoring, I began studying Chinese with a private tutor, which gave me first-hand experience learning a second language as an adult. I wasn’t fluent but had become familiar with the differences and similarities between English and Chinese grammar, something that seemed useful in teaching English, especially to native Chinese speakers.
Of course, once I had my first student, I learned that VEP is much more than teaching English. It’s not just imparting information about grammar, vocabulary, or how to read and write. A large part of our job is helping our students understand the many symbolic elements of their new culture, such as important holidays. But also such abstract things like the meaning of work in America, the importance of democracy, the role of religion, the importance of rites of passage like graduations and anniversaries and all the ways we observe these aspects of our culture. By working with immigrants, we broaden our own world while aiding someone’s transition to life in America.
My experience reminded me of some things I learned when studying anthropology: the ideas of Acculturation and Assimilation. Acculturation means adapting to the traditions and customs of one’s new home country, a process that can occur in degrees over time without giving up one’s native identity. Assimilation refers to the desire to abandon one’s own traditions so they are lost as one is absorbed by the new culture. When new people come here they make choices about how the new culture will shape their lives. It seems to me, first generation immigrants often favor acculturation but their school-aged children, especially if they are born here, are seeking assimilation.
For example, most of my students speak Chinese at home because they want their kids to know their native language. Many Chinese parents, in addition to speaking it at home, send their kids to Chinese “Sunday” school to learn to read and write their native language. Often kids aren’t too interested, they are more concerned with becoming completely assimilated with the culture of their peers in school. For example, once while at a student’s home, I noticed that when she spoke to her high school son in Chinese, he responded in English. I told him, “Raymond, you’re missing an opportunity to perfect a skill that could be valuable when applying for college or later in your career.” But at that time in his life, he wanted to assimilate and not be different than his friends.
These abstract concepts of acculturation and assimilation underlie the everyday situations that face our students, such as deciding a child’s activities at school, dealing with health-related issues, finding a job, resolving a problem with a retail store, or navigating the complicated process of applying to college, just to name a few.
Success in handling these issues requires language skills but also an understanding of the culture – what worked in my home country may not work so well here. Another of my students had a problem with some things she purchased from a large chain store. In her own country, the preferred approach would be to write a letter to the president of the company complaining about the way she was treated. I explained how I would handle this kind of problem and went with her to talk to the manager to get the problem resolved. In that case, it wasn’t just her ability to speak English, it was knowing how to get something done in a different culture.
Cultural knowledge is acquired by social interaction, but that’s difficult when one lacks confidence in his or her ability to speak and understand English. So little by little, one gains skills and confidence through interactive encounters with those who know the way. When we help someone improve their English skills and learn about life in America, we are also strengthening our community and our country. For me, all these challenges make volunteering as a tutor a really rewarding and fun experience.
TUTOR SPOTLIGHT
The Pied Piper of English
Donna Dello Buono, retired Senior Program Coordinator, reflects on the remarkable life of tutor Anthony Theil.
Originally an accountant in Philadelphia, Anthony Theil just up and flew to Japan one day and, on the street there, was offered a job to tutor English for a Japanese business, which he did for some years. Then he returned to Northeast Philadelphia and tutored for the Sisters of St. Joseph, working side by side with other ministries to teach English. After his move to Phoenixville, he wanted to continue tutoring but closer to home, and that eventually led him to VEP. After attending the VEP-required Tutor Training Workshop, Anthony uniquely presented his own Mission Statement, which included an expectation of the years he planned to tutor and approximately how many students he wanted to teach. He was quite an unparallelled individual.
He became the ‘Pied Piper of English’ in Phoenixville, a symbol of hope to all he tutored. Anthony worked with multiple students, 6 or more individually, during any given time period. There had been a large influx of Brazilians in the area, so they all turned out to be Brazilian. Being a small community, they knew each other, and they collectively and individually had a deep respect and love for him. He was considered family. When I commented on how well each was progressing, he said, “THEY teach me! I’m nothing without them.” Anthony had been to Brazil and loved Brazilian music, so it wasn’t uncommon for him to begin and end a lesson with Brazilian songs.
A colorful person, Anthony traveled often to Europe, but always alone. When asked why he chose to go solo, he responded, “How else would you be able to walk side-by-side with a shepherd and his sheep on the hills of a small village?” He felt more like a local that way, and he always wanted to feel like a local, wherever he was. I recall him making, canceling and remaking multiple travel reservations during the Pandemic. No matter how hard it was, he managed to get in 2 or 3 great trips during the on-and-off periods of safety. His experiences became his lessons.
I knew Anthony as his VEP Program Coordinator from the beginning. He was able to light up a room and, even when he became ill, he paced himself and did whatever he could to carry out his teaching duties; until, one day, he couldn’t…but he still threw a party for all of us! We recently lost Anthony with no fanfare, which is how he wanted it. News spread quickly among his VEP students, and we all, myself included, will terribly miss this force to be reckoned with.
Rest in Peace, Dear Anthony!
Anthony, Donna and his beloved students at his home in Phoenixville.
BECAUSE OF YOU
VEP receives 100% of our operational funding through philanthropy and grants. We receive no state or federal funding, so that we may, without reservation, safely and confidentially serve the individuals who most urgently need English language and cultural services. Our immigrant neighbors bring forth a host of talent, skills, and traditions that increase cultural awareness and help us, as Americans, build social justice that will last for years to come.
Our students have described the urgency to speak and understand English in order to provide for their families and to feel safe. They are part of the 9.8% (or 52,000) foreign born residents in Chester County, 22,000 of whom consider themselves Limited English Proficient (LEP) speakers (US Census, 2020). For these individuals, tasks such as making a phone call, talking with a neighbor, interviewing for a job, speaking with their child’s teacher, or calling 911 for emergency help are hindered by their ability to speak or understand English.
Our model of free, one-to-one English language tutoring to adult immigrants and refugees is supported by civic-minded tutors, volunteers, local and regional foundations, rotaries, congregations and service groups for financial and in-kind support in order to provide program services to an average of 300 adult English language learners (ELL) annually.
Through a mini-grant made possible by PCHF (Phoenixville Community Health Foundation) and created by Bozekan Productions, VEP captured the hopes of students, the rewards of our tutors and our impact on Chester County. Thank you to the following: Jane P., Hong N., Alex I., Mark D., Gus S., Maria A., Teri B., Alfredo A., Mauricio G., Paul W., and Commissioner Josh Maxwell.
Annual Giving
Every donation that VEP receives is essential in meeting our communities’ expectations. The weeks and months ahead will be uncertain for many. Will you help us prepare for the changing needs of our students? Each time you give, you are telling us that the work we do is important. We look forward to this opportunity to invite your contributions through one-time or monthly giving. Visit our donate page for more details. Thank you for your pledge of support!
Funder News
VEP is grateful for grants received from the following community organizations.
Marge Rutter, VEP tutor, onsite through a partnership with the Chester County Economic Development Council this past summer.
VEP’s Katie Doyle Parsell and Terri Potrako accepting a grant from Chester County Bar Foundation Past-President Michelle Bernardo-Rudy and Executive Director Greg Nardi.
EVENTS
9th Annual Tutor Summit
This past August, new and seasoned tutors, board members and staff gathered at the Henrietta Hankin Library in Chester Springs to participate in a professional workshop led by topic hosts Jackie Kim, Dr. Meg Niiler, Nancy Satinsky, Barbara Casey, Aaron Rubin, Dr. Kevin Nerz and Dr. Samantha Weiss. These guided conversations included TPR (Total Physical Response), ideas for gamification, keeping adult students motivated, cultural guidance, Montessori method for adults, ESL writing, and kinesthetic learning. The highlight of the day was an interactive Korean language experience led by Jackie Kim and Maddie Geiger.
An Evening Around the World Gala
Friends and supporters gathered this past October at Penn Oaks Country Club in West Chester for our annual fundraising gala. The evening featured a four-course paired wine dinner emceed by CBS News Philadelphia reporter Marcella Baietto as well as inspirational stories from VEP Student Ambassador Anastasiia Lunova and world-renowned cellist and West Chester University professor Dr. Ovidiu Marinescu. Special thanks to our guests and the following sponsors & supporters who contributed to the evening’s success: CCRES, Countryside Consulting, CTDI, Dr. Norman & Marla Fienman, David A. Garrison, Bill Lalicker, Lutz & Travers, Theresa L. Marran, Penn Oaks Country Club, Jim Potrako, Reformation Lutheran Church, Valerie A. Rozek, and WSFS.
Global Gathering
Continuing a four-decade tradition, tutors and students gathered this November for an afternoon celebrating unity, diversity and friendship with an international potluck buffet. Our thanks to the Central Presbyterian Church in Downingtown for sharing their space.
Food has an extraordinary ability to transcend cultural boundaries, break down barriers, and bring people together. It is a universal language that speaks to our basic human need for nourishment, but it also holds the power to foster understanding, create connections, and bridge differences.
–The Social Gastronomy Movement
GET INVOLVED
Tutor Training
VEP’s virtual Tutor Training Workshops continue to fully prepare volunteer tutors to teach English to our 100+ person waiting list of non-native speakers who live or work in Chester County. We are experiencing higher demand to serve students in Phoenixville, West Chester and Coatesville, specifically for evenings and weekends.
- Interested in learning more about tutoring? Join us at a Virtual Information Session on Thursday, January 9th at 6 pm. Email volunteer.english@volunteerenglish.org for the zoom link or more information.
- Ready to become a tutor? Registration is now live for our next Tutor Training Workshop, which will be held over three mornings on Tuesday January 21st), Thursday January 23rd & Monday January 27th. To register, visit volunteerenglish.org. Please note that while workshops are virtual, a hard-copy Tutor Training Guide will need to be picked up at the VEP office in West Chester the week before training starts. Pick-up dates will be provided after registration.