# 48 005

Working Hard to Succeed

My name is Edgar. I am a student at the Worcester Adult Learning Center. I started class in April 2004. My English is not very good, but good enough to be put in the ABE class to learn vocabulary, reading, writing and pronunciation. My spelling is very bad.

I work every day from 2:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. I go to school from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Monday through Friday.

Each morning, Kathy, my teacher, starts class with writing. She tells us to enjoy it, but so far, it's very hard. I'm beginning to enjoy it…. we have fun.

We learn phonics every day. Oh my… it's difficult! I get nervous when Kathy and I practice pronunciation. She tells me to relax… Ha!

I need to work hard learning to read, write and speak English. Doing this will help my family and me.

I want to be able to speak well to all people in America, like a child of six years who talks and talks and talks without fear. Kathy helps me a lot with my English.

Today, after seven months, my English is much better. My pronunciation is 80% good. Kathy says 50% so we decided on 65%. People understand me so much better. I'm not so nervous when I speak. This story is the most writing I've ever done in English. Kathy has corrected some spelling and grammar, but I'm very proud to write this.

My life has changed. I want to thank Kathy and the Adult Learning Center.

I will never forget this time in my life. In the future I would like to go to college and teach other people English.