Confidence is an Essential Part of Any Presentation...

"Confidence is an essential part of any presentation: but confidence to present your ideas in a language you are still learning is difficult to come by. When I decided to bring my students to the Divisional Science Fair, I had a feeling that my EAL student Sofia would be one of the people going. She is very interested in science and research and has an understanding of the world that can only come from a different perspective. The fact that her family moved to Canada from the Ukraine less than 2 years ago is an asset, as she comes with unique cultural perspectives and ways of interacting with her ideas. However, it is not always possible to get these ideas out: especially in the moment.

Sofia has worked consistently to improve her English and I wanted to make sure that she had every opportunity to succeed with confidence in her presentation. Jacqueline and Arif were essential parts in ensuring this happened and were enthusiastic about the chance to accommodate a student. Sofia had an opportunity to meet with her translator, Stefan, in the morning and go over her presentation. She did not need much help translating specific words, but the confidence he gave her through encouragement and shared experience is something I could not offer. Stefan was available throughout the presentation as well, for those moments when nerves kick in and words fail us. By the end of the day, Stefan said he was amazed with how well they did and Sofia confidently said that she thought that next year she would not even need a translator, because she had gained so much confidence. When it comes to the ability to perform, sometimes it is the little things that make a world of difference: knowing a resource is there if you need it or getting a similar perspective to check your work."

Thank you to everyone who made this experience possible for every student: your work is truly appreciated.