Author: Zinaida Zolotnik

• Introduction

A.Sweaty palms, stuttering, and shame. Such experiences were common in my English class.

B. Learning from the beginning and hesitation.

• Learning English is a challenging aspect, especially for international students.

A.From personal experiences, learning new alphabets and greetings made me feel stupid.

B. Observing others in my class gave me some level of hope and highlighted the primary challenges that English learners go through.

• I was ashamed to make mistakes when speaking, leading to hesitation, and stuttering.

A. Remembering my experiences, I would hesitate to talk to others, having fear of shame.

B. However, personal experiences with friends were encouraging and played a vital role in increasing my confidence.

• I struggled with poor vocabulary, although I could fluently speak less complex words.

A. Learning is a life-long challenge that often requires persistence and encouragement from families and friends.

B. Reading newspapers, blogs, and watching movies helped develop proficiency in English.

• Conclusion

A. Despite a person’s level of proficiency, learning a new language can be challenging for most individuals.

B. Self-awareness and the readiness to ask for help are crucial when learning a new language.

Educational Narrative

An educational narrative is writing with the primary purpose of bringing back into memory the learning context. It is distinct from a narrative such as an imaginary narrative, encompassing mysteries, fairy tales, historical narratives, and horror stories.

My first class in college in my country was about communication skills, and it transformed my college life forever. Our first assigned topic was to discuss presentation skills, and the lectures informed us that everyone would have to present their piece. At that particular moment, I was nervous about college and standing in front of fellow students to present my work. My presentation was short but students and the lecturer applauded me. It was a memorable experience in my life.

A week later, my classmates voted me their class representative, a leadership position I had never held before. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time. What this whole process taught me is to be opened minded to new challenges. The assignment and the class instilled in me critical thinking skills, the courage to discover new paths, and my self-confidence improved significantly. Giving me the chance to stand in front of classmates, the communication skills class taught me the significance of education and its benefits.