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For a four-year old, entering pre-kindergarten can be both exciting and intimidating. These emotions are compounded when a new student enters a school where everyone speaks a different language— including the teacher. For English as a Second Language (ESL) students in Kathy Owitz’s pre-kindergarten class at Sophie Finn Elementary School, the transition from staying home to the rigors of a school routine was made just a bit easier this year, thanks to some Kingston High School (KHS) volunteers.
Kingston High School ESL students have been working with the elementary students, under the supervision of KHS English as a Second Language teacher Barbara Wood, a coordinator of the program. The KHS students have been mentoring the young children by walking from the Kingston High School campus to the nearby elementary school and reading with students, doing crafts, and chatting with them in their native language.
“This helps build success and confidence in the young students that will translate into the rest of their educational career and life,” says Ms. Wood.
A tenth grade Kingston High School student who moved to the area from El Salvador last year, says he understands the situation of the young students. “The first year in a new country, it’s really hard— the teachers talk to you and you don’t know what they are saying.” Working with the students has been rewarding, the student says. “The students are able to express what they feel more easily to us,” he says. “They might not feel comfortable talking to the teacher, but they talk to us.”
Teacher Kathy Owitz says that the students have also assisted in communicating with Spanish-speaking parents, and have helped ease students into the routine of classroom activities such as fire drills. Out of the 16 students in her class this year, seven speak English as a second language. “It has really helped having the older students here,” Ms. Owitz says.
In addition to the classroom and social skills fostered by the High School students, they have been able to tell Ms. Owitz whether their native-Spanish is being spoken clearly, allowing her to apply for the necessary early intervention speech therapies, if appropriate.
“The High School students also benefit from this mentor relationship,” says Ms. Wood, who hopes to add on to the program by expanding it to work specifically with literacy later in the year.
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