There’s Poetry in Learning a New Language at Alpha Parent Center

By Riley, ACE Poetry Contest Mascot, Assisted by Adrian Parra Salas, Teacher, ESL for Spanish Speakers at Alpha Parent Center

Learning another language is difficult. Just ask John, my friend who hangs out with me and gives me treats. He is getting much better at understanding dog language, but it’s hard work. He had to learn how to say, “Do you want a pet? Do you want a treat? Do you want a walk? Do you want outside?” And he had to understand the words when I say, “Sit John. Go play John. Good boy John.”

John’s a fast learner, just like many of the parents at the Alpha Parent Center who are learning English. It takes dedication and commitment to learn a new language, and these parents are working it. They come to the Alpha Parent Center, an ACE Learning Center, several times a week to learn English words and how to put those words into sentences so they can communicate and make conversation. Arf! Not easy.

And guess what? They are writing poetry as part of my contest – the ACE Poetry Contest. How cool is that? Alpha parents are writing poetry in English, a new language to them.

But that’s what poetry is all about. It’s hard to write poetry that tells a story and evokes a thoughtful message. It’s especially hard to write poetry in an unfamiliar language. But that’s the poetry of language. It can communicate thoughtful messages to create insightful moments to people around the world.

My friend Mr. Adrian has captured some of these Alpha Parent learning moments in video clips that you can see below. He made lots of clips, so this is just the first of them that he asked me to share with you. Watch them because it shows the poetry of learning language. (I’ll have to see if Mr. Parra can film my friend John as he learns how to give me treats more often.)

Check out this video:  IMG_0013

And this one:  IMG_0065

Don’t forget to treat your self to a poem. And look out – this Thursday, April 27, is Poem in Your Pocket Day.