American Leaders

Continuing our exploration of U.S. culture and history, our teacher asked us to choose a few more personalities from the ESL reading book Leaders of the Americas (Pickett, 1995) and to summarize in our own words the life of some of the most memorable leaders in the history of the United States. Here are our picks:

EUGENE: " Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was born in Milan, Ohio and a famous inventor with over 1000 patents, but he went to school for only 3 months... When he was 7, he built a chemestry lab in his basement. At 12, he got a job selling newspapers to get money for chemicals. In 1869, he went to New York City, where he was given $40,000 for his stock ticker, a special telegraph that prints stock prices. Edison used the money to open his first lab and shop in Newark, New Jersey. In 1876, he moved to Menlo Park, New Jersey, then to West Orange two years later. Thomas Edison was married twice and had 3 children. Here are some of his inventions: the phonograph (a talking machine), the electric light, the motion-picture camera and the storage battery. Edison died in his home in West Orange on October 18, 1931 at the age of 84. He was the greatest inventor in the history of the United States."

Black History Month

To recall and celebrate the positive contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. The first celebration occured February 12, 1926. For many years, the second week of February was set aside for this celebration to coincide with the birthdays of Black abolitionist/editor Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. In 1976, as part of the nation's bicentennial, the week was expanded into Black History Month. [history.com]

Here is a short video about the Black History Month experience:

Black History Month School Project

We've decided to help NICOLE (see picture), another ESL teacher in our school, with her Black History Month project. She is going to cover the hallways with a giant timeline illustrating dozens of African American icons and other personalities, from the time of slavery until today. Students from the school are asked to research and write short texts illustrating the merits of each personalities. We chose a few names in NICOLE's list, then ROSA, MING LI, LARISA, EUGENE, and MOSTAFA worked on the biographies.

Eugene: Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (born January 15, 1929) was one of the main leaders of the American civil rights movement. King was a Baptist minister, fulfilling one of the few leadership roles available to black men at the time. He became a civil rights activist in his 1920's. His efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his famous "I Have a Dream" speech in front of 250,000 supporters. In 1964, King received the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent means. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Martin Luther King Day was established as a national holiday in the United States in 1986.

Ming Li: Marian Anderson

She was a famous low-pitched singer. She started to show her talent at the age of six. She had a very pretty voice. In 1939, Anderson was to sing to an integrated audience in Constitution Hall, but was refused permission by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). But in 1943, Anderson sang at Constitution Hall again as part of a benefit for the American Red Cross at the invitation of the DAR. On January 7, 1955, Anderson broke the color barrier by becoming the first African American to perform with the New York Metropolitan Opera. Thanks to her intelligence, wisdom and benevolence, she was officially designated delegate to the United Nations in 1958, and later became a "goodwill ambassador" of the U.S. In 1972, she was awarded the UN peace prize.

Rosa: Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis (born 1961) was a track and field athlete who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 golds, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were golds, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and then retired. Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump events frequently from 1981 to the early 1990s, was named Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News in 1982, 1983 and 1984, and set world records in the 100 m, 4 x 100 m and 4 x 200 m relays. His 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years is one of the sport’s longest undefeated streaks. He was voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and "Olympian of the Century" by the American sports magazine Sports Illustrated.

Larisa: Sydney Poitier

Sir Sidney Poitier, (born 1927), is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy-winning American actor, film director, and author. He broke through as a star in acclaimed performances in American films and plays, which, by consciously defying racial stereotyping, gave a new dramatic credibility for black actors to mainstream film audiences in the Western world. In 1963, Poitier became the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. Poitier has directed a number of popular movies such was chosen in 2002 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to receive the Honorary Award, designated "To Sidney Poitier in recognition of his remarkable accomplishments as an artist and as a human being."

Mostafa: Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou (born 1928) in St. Louis, Missouri, is an American poet, memoirist, actress and an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement. Angelou is known for her series of six autobiographies, starting with I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, (1969) which was nominated for a National Book Award and called her magnum opus. Her volume of poetry, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die (1971) was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Angelou recited her poem, "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's inauguration in 1993.She has been highly honored for her body of work, including being awarded over 30 honorary degrees.

Introducing The ESL 339 Music Player!

We've made up a short list of American singers and bands we like to listen to, and our teacher used a free website called FINETUNE.COM to create a customized music player that can be embedded in our blog! Now you can read our blog while you enjoy our favorite tunes. The player is located on the top left of our blog. Just use the controls to plys, stop, pause or skip songs.

Video: My First Impressions of the U.S.

In this video, we asked some of our students to give us a short account of the first impressions they had when they arrived in the United States.

MING LI: "That was 11 years ago. I remember that morning, I looked at the sky. I liked the clean and pure blue sky. I felt [that] the sky was so clean, deep, and far. I took a deep breath, and enjoyed the fresh air."

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KHAMID: "When I arrived in the United States, I was shocked because I didn't know anybody, and the language was different than in Russia, and... it was a good thing I was with my family. I thought that there was too much traffic and noise in the big city. And I thought [that] the United States [was] a clean country, but when I came to New York City, it was just... garbage all over, and it was really dirty."

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ROSA: "It was a beautiful spring time when I arrived in Philadelphia. Wherever I went, there were lots of flowers and trees, and in the fall, the trees were very beautiful. Actually, I love this city because I can enjoy nice seasons."

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MARIO: "When I arrived in the United States, I was surprised by the weather. It was a hot summer in 2004. I was frightened by the traffic. But the most amazing thing, I think it was... I saw the streets, the beauties, cars, and it was like a movie that I had watched in my country. It was a good experience for me. Thanks America!"

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STEPHEN: "When I arrived in the U.S., I was surprised by the weather. The air was fresh and clean. I was also surprised that everybody went home early. Many people were very kind. It was a good experience for me."

Eugene & Larisa: Interviews

EUGENE: Hi, Larisa!
LARISA: What's up, comrade? (giggles)
EUGENE: I would like to ask you a few questions for our blog on the Internet.
LARISAL: Oh, go ahead.
EUGNENE: I think that everybody's wondering about your age. So, you are...
LARISA: Oh, you know, I'm a little over 21 years old (laughs).
EUGENE: I heard that you came from Russia...
LARISA: Yes, I come from the South of Russia, from Volgograd, and I am very proud to be Russian.
EUGENE: Good for you. How long have you been in the U.S.?
LARISA: For two and a half years.
EUGENE: Do you like it here?
LARISA: Well, I enjoy being in America, but there are too many people speaking a foreign language here!
EUGENE: What do you mean?
LARISA: English, everybody speaks English here.
EUGENE: Well, it’s the U.S.
LARISA: I know, I’m just kidding. It’s a nice country and I don’t have any problems with the language.
EUGENE: Tell me something about your hobbies.
LARISA: What I like most is to travel around the country to see new places and to meet different kinds of people. I enjoy drinking Russian beer and going to clubs.

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LARISA: What’s up Eugene?
EUGENE: The sky is up! (giggles)
LARISA: I thought you finished school at 16 in Belarus? What are you doing here? It’s not as fun to be here in school as it is back home.
EUGENE: What do you mean?
LARISA: No beer, no fun.
EUGENE: Yes, it’s true, but I need to study English because it’s very important when you live in the U.S. And I can’t drink beer because I’m only 20 years old. I need to wait for another year (smiles).
LARISA: Anyway, how long have you been here?
EUGENE: Oh, so long! Almost a year. Can you imagine?
LARISA: Yes, it’s almost half of your life (laughs). Where do you come from?
EUGENE: I come from the biggest potato-country in the world – Belarus!!
LARISA: And tell me, what are you doing for a living?
EUGENE: I work for the largest technical company of the region as a mechanic.
LARISA: Tell me how you spend your free time.
EUGENE: I like camping, chatting with my friends on the Internet, that kind of thing.
LARISA: Thank you for your time, Eugene.
EUGENE: Thank YOU.

Meet Dinara, Samit, Khamid, and Niyaz

SAMIT: Hi guys! My name is SAMIT, and I’m from Russia. I speak two languages: Russian and Turkish.

NIYAZ: Hi, my name is NIYAZ. How are you doing, guys? I’m from Russia, too, and I speak two languages like you.

KHAMID: What's up, guys? I'm Khamid, and I'm from Russia just like you, but I'm Turkish. I'm 21 years old and I'm trying to figure out "why the world is so cold". When I arrived in the U.S. I was shocked because I didn't know anybody and the language was different than in Russia. But now, I have many friends and my life in the U.S. is becoming better and better. I am taking ESL classes in Philadelphia. I also work during the week. My hobby is sports, and my favorite sport is soccer. I just want to wish you guys good luck here in the U.S.

SAMIT: Hi beautiful girl. How about you?

DINARA: Hi friends. My name is DINARA, and I’m from Russia as well! What are you doing in the U.S.?

NIYAZ: We're working together and we go to school at night to learn English. We are very busy, and we don’t have time to go out and do a lot of things. How about you, Dinara?

DINARA: I’m a student in Philadelphia and I’m taking an ESL course like you guys. I’m not working right now, but I’m trying to find a job. How long have you been in the U.S.?

SAMIT & NIYAZ: We’ve lived in the U.S. for almost 3 years. And you?

DINARA: I’ve been living here for 4 years. Thank you for the nice conversation, guys.

SAMIT & NIYAZ: You’re welcome.

Meet Stephen, Mario, and Ming Li

Hi! I'm STEPHEN. I come from Korea, and I speak Korean, Spanish, and English. I have been here for 2 years. I work 6 days a week, and I study English in the evening in Philadelphia. I love listening to music and playing soccer. Right now, I work as a deliveryman.

Hello, I'm MARIO and I come from Brazil. I speak Portuguese and English. I've been in the United States for almost 4 years, and I want to be an engineer in the future. But, right now I'm taking English classes in the evening. I like cooking sweet food, swimming, and riding a bicycle. I work as a mechanic.

Hi everybody! I am MING LI and I’m from China. I speak Chinese and English. I used to be an elementary school teacher and a graphic designer. I have been in the U.S. for 11 years. I have a happy family, with a husband and a son. I like to traveling, cooking, and painting. Now, I do some graphic design at home, and I study English. I like Philadelphia.

Meet Rosa & Mostafa

Hi! I'm ROSA and I'm from South Korea. I'm very happy to study English with you guys. I speak Korean and Spanish, and I like to swim, write letters, and talk with my friends. I love Philadelphia.

Hello, I'm MOSTAFA. I come from Morocco, and I speak Arabic, French, and English. I have been here for almost two years. I work 6 days a week, and now I'm taking English classes in the evening. I like to play soccer and to listen to music.

Meet Our Teacher!

Hello,
My name is DAVID, and I'm originally from Brussels, Belgium. I teach English as a Second Language and French here in Philadelphia, and I love traveling, languages, sports, and graphic design. We're having a lot of fun creating this blog and I hope you'll enjoy reading it.

Welcome to Our Blog!

Welcome everybody to our blog! We are a fun group of ESL (English as a second language) students in Philadelphia, Pa. We come from various parts of the world and we speak a lot of different languages. We are writing this blog as part of a class project with our teacher DAVID. So, let us take you for a trip around the world, as we share, in English, our various experiences and cultures, and as we give our impressions of our new lives in the United States.