by Joanna Cook
The 2nd English Immersion Camp was held the last week of June 2015 in Lemoa, Guatemala for students taking English at the John Wesley School. Why a language immersion camp? Since the regular English classes in rural Guatemala at are few and far between, an immersion camp can provide a real boost for increased progress in speaking English.
The English Immersion Camp is truly about relationships – and contributing in an area we know really well: speaking English! It’s about connecting with the students and increasing their confidence in speaking English, which is always a big step for any foreign language learner. This year was especially neat in that several teachers from the John Wesley School in Santa Cruz del Quiché took an active part in the camp, experience helping with the snacks and meals, assisting with the organization of the camp, joining the small group activities, and working on their English, too.
Our group of 20 volunteers came from across Colorado: Greeley, Fort Collins, Loveland, Conifer, Colorado Springs and the greater Denver area. The team ranged in age from teens to 80s, so we were a very diverse group that worked very well together.
Around 56 students from John Wesley School arrived around 9:00 AM each morning on a bus from Santa Cruz del Quiché. They moved into their four teams with a different color arm band and name tag for each team. The English learning came both through formal English classes and informally through sports, games, and performance classes held the last session of the day. The formal English classes covered vocabulary and grammar related to four different topics: daily activities, town places & people, shopping, and outdoor activities. The four lead teachers presented the material and all the assistant teachers worked in small groups of 4-5 students using drills, exercises, games, etc. to reinforce the material. This small group work was a critical part of the learning because it provided more individual attention and allowed trust and friendships to develop. The performance groups acted out a skit, performed a country line dance, played music on recorders, and sang a couple group songs. Each day ended around 3:00 PM with a circle activity before they got on their bus.
Friday, the last day of camp, was important because family members joined us for lunch and a program. The program consisted of the four performance groups, with explanations given in Spanish so that family members could understand and enjoy it. At the end of the program each student received an achievement certificate, a bi-lingual book and a camp bookmark. They were really excited on Friday and enjoyed performing for their families. Many of the children came with their bi-lingual book and asked the volunteers to sign it.
Busy days, lots of learning, lots of fun, and great interaction with the children! It was so encouraging to see the increased confidence in speaking English. It was a demonstration of how learning can be fun – and because of the fun, more learning occurs!
Although the English Immersion Camp was the focus of the trip, other important things happened. Many volunteers got to visit with their sponsored students and families. Meeting face-to-face and talking (through a translator) you really have a sense of getting closer to your student. Those hugs sure say a lot as well! One afternoon we also got to visit the John Wesley School (shown around by the students) and another afternoon we visited a home construction site that was in progress and met the family that will be living there.
Experiencing the culture is another important part of a Pura Vida trip. Interacting with merchants, staying in a lovely hotel, visiting the huge market in Chichicastenango, attending a worship service at a local church, visiting a Macadamia Farm on the way to Antigua, and visiting sites in Antigua. The week went so quickly and Sunday morning we headed to the Guatemala City airport for our return home, full of joy and love for these wonderful children who provided a life-changing experience for all of us – the learning was a two-way street!