My name is Ariel, and I am a teacher in the  English Department here at Na'atik.  Our school is a diverse environment where every day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth. In this dynamic setting, I guide learners from the age of four to 40 through their educational endeavors, fostering a culture of exploration and dedication. Together, we navigate the intricacies of language, culture, and personal development. 

All of my students have shown tremendous growth and success this year, and I feel honored to be a part of their journey. Today, I want to highlight two of my students that have not only shown incredible progress, but have also surprised me in the ways they have found to practice English outside the walls of my classroom.

Neymi: 

Many of my students have a deep love for the heart of our school, the Na’atik library. My kindergarten students enjoy the open space that allows them to play active classroom games, slightly older students take advantage of the wealth of picture books that they can flip through while sitting in the beanbags, and I even have a group of pre-teen students that can be found at nearly every one of our board game nights. That being said, some of my students utilize the library as a much more studious space, checking out books for the purpose of practicing and learning new English vocabulary. 

Neymi is a 19 year old student in my Adolescentes 1 class. Hailing from the nearby Maya community of Uh-May, her commitment to her English studies is palpable. Every Monday and Wednesday, like clockwork, she can be found perusing the library shelves, returning old books, and eagerly selecting new ones to delve into. It's a routine she adheres to diligently, recognizing the library not just as a haven for leisure but as a treasure trove of linguistic enrichment.

She is so devoted to the library that she was the first student in the whole school to check out 20 books, completing the challenge on January 31st. Since October of this year, Neymi has checked out nearly 40 books from the Na’atik library, averaging around 1.5 books per week of school. With such high numbers, it could be speculated that there is no way she is reading so many books, but it is evident in her vocabulary and performance that she is using the library materials to practice outside of the classroom.

This became very clear to me one day, when we were celebrating the end of the second term with some board games in class. She and I were playing “Spot it,” a game of fast reflexes and naming different objects in a puzzle. Having only started her English studies in September of this year, I found myself blown away by her vocabulary, being able to name objects such as “clown,” “dolphin,” “key,” and “lock,” none of which had been even mentioned in class before. Reading, especially in a foreign language, has been proven to improve one’s vocabulary better than most other study techniques, which is clearly evidenced by her progress.

In class, Neymi is a dedicated student who always completes her assignments and pushes herself to participate, even when she feels nervous. She is very successful in her English studies, and solidifies her knowledge by helping other students with their work, and explaining concepts to them when they are struggling. Neymi is humble and assists her peers without judgment, instead using those peer-tutoring moments to strengthen her own understanding. I am very impressed by her commitment to learning English both in class and through books. I firmly believe this perseverance in learning will serve her very well, and it has already led her to being very advanced and successful in her class. 

Well done Neymi!

We spoke with Neymi about her perspective on her experiences this year:

How old are you?

19 years old

What have you learned this year?

I have learned a lot of new words and phrases. I enjoyed learning the names of animals in English.

How has the library helped you in your learning?

Reading books has helped me increase my vocabulary.

What are you most proud of learning this year?

At first I could not understand the teacher when she spoke in English, but now I can understand a lot of what she says.

What has been your favorite part of class this year?

I really enjoyed learning through games, as it made it easier to learn words.

Samuel:

Each student has their own reason for wanting to learn English - many seek employment, educational opportunities, or simply attend classes because their parents tell them to. What I didn’t expect was the ways the internet can influence students’ motivation, especially for my pre-teen students. Samuel is a 10 year old student in my Primaria 1 class, who is taking classes because everyone on the Roblox (an internationally popular video game) servers speaks English.

Samuel's story adds a fascinating dimension to the diverse motivations driving students to learn English. Unlike some of his peers who may attend classes out of familial obligation or practical necessity, Samuel's inspiration stems from an unexpected source—the virtual world of online gaming. 

While such a motivation may seem trivial, his exposure to English coupled with his love for video games has driven his curiosity and desire to decipher what his new internet friends might be saying. Frequently, he arrives to class asking for assistance in understanding the messages he receives, such as “what’s up, guys?”. Samuel would not be seen as the typical picture of being studious - he is much more interested in playing games than sitting down and studying - but this drive for social interaction is the very source of his success this year. The online gaming community has given Samuel a space to have fun while voluntarily practicing his English amongst native speakers. Even though he has only been taking classes since September, his dedication to applying what we focus on in class has put him on the fast track to being able to use English to communicate effectively.

This internet practice hub has had a tangible impact in the classroom where I have witnessed him really flourish in the practical application of his linguistic skills. Most recently, a group of university students from the University of Texas (UT) at El Paso visited Na’atik, which gave my students the opportunity to apply their skills in conversations. Samuel’s class joined the UT students in our school’s hub, the library, for an Intercultural Exchange event. For this round robin-style event, one or two of my English students were partnered with two or three UT students. They were instructed to have a short conversation in English, and then in Spanish, before switching the groups and meeting with new students. Being 8-12 years old and still fairly new to English, my students were intimidated by the conversational challenge, but took it in stride.

During the event, I took my time walking around to different tables, making sure my students were comfortable and engaging with the UT students and trying their best to speak both languages and get to know the foreign students. I was very impressed and surprised to hear a short conversation between Samuel and one of the UT students.

“Do you play any sports?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied.

“What sports do you like to play?”
“I play soccer,” he answered.

Now, I understand this might not seem like the world’s most impressive conversation to most people, but there are a few things that really stand out about this brief exchange. First, we haven’t talked about sports or present tense yet in his class (that is part of the curriculum for the second year in their age group). Second, he was able to listen and understand questions that, to my knowledge, he had never been confronted with before, and it didn’t seem to phase him at all. He was able to combine some of his classroom knowledge with the practice he has had online to successfully communicate in English. I am very proud and impressed with his progress this year, and I can’t wait to see what he does going forward.

Well done Samuel.

We also did a short interview with Samuel (Some answers have been translated):

How old are you?

10

How are you feeling about talking to us today?

A little nervous!

Why are you learning English?

I need to go to school, and to join events in other countries.

How has the internet (specifically Roblox) impacted your desire to learn English?

I really enjoy playing games like Roblox online, but most of the other players only speak English. I couldn’t understand them and I couldn’t talk to them. That's why I wanted to come here and learn to read and write better, so that I could make friends and have more fun.

What have you learned this year?

I have learned to say greetings and how to identify and describe objects. My favorite word is “hi!”

What are you most proud of learning this year?

I am proud to have improved my vocabulary and also my pronunciation in English, it is much harder than pronouncing words in Spanish!

What has been your favorite part of class this year?

I have really enjoyed learning how to combine the words I have learned to complete phrases and full sentences. It is hard but fun.

How do you plan to keep improving your English?

I want to keep learning at Na’atik and to one day study in the United States as well!

To read more about our local education program, and how immersion experiences, online classes and donations help us to give local students access to opportunities that will help them create their own futures, check out our Impact page.  The Na’atik Library and Intercultural Activities Hub is funded 100% through generous donations.   We also have an Amazon Wishlist for supporters in Mexico and the US, with a list of books, games and educational resources which our students would love to have access to.

The opportunity to interact with our local students during events like this is a fantastic addition to our MaS language immersion program, which already offers unparalleled cultural and linguistic immersion. To inquire about reserving you immersion experience and making this the year you master Spanish or Yucatec Maya, contact the team on MaS@naatikmexico.org