Building Confidence through Social Interaction in the English Language Programs

Learning a new language in an unfamiliar setting can be daunting. It’s not just about understanding the language; being able to communicate and have meaningful conversations takes practice…and a lot of courage. For Jorge Adalberto Sanchez Munoz, the thought of having a conversation with others left him feeling intimidated and self-conscious. An English Language Certificate Program (ELCP) graduate, Jorge pushed the limits of his comfort zone by participating in extracurricular activities that encouraged him to interact and engage in English conversations.

Jorge came to Guelph to study biomedical sciences. He was one of four IFARHU Excelensia scholarship students from Panama who studied in the ELCP between May 2023 and August 2024. Knowing that he didn’t immediately meet the English proficiency requirements for entry to a degree program at the University of Guelph (U of G), Jorge was focused on advancing his English language skills and successfully completed the ELCP at the top of his class.

“Jorge worked extremely hard during the 16 months he studied in the ELCP, and he made huge improvements in his English skills,” says Bill Hodges, English language Programs (ELP) academic coordinator and head teacher. “He was a pleasure to teach, and he brought the richness of his cultural and language heritage to the program.”

When Jorge first came to Canada and met with Bill, he could only understand English by listening. Responding was not easy and he knew he had to work on his conversation skills. “I was like, okay, I understand what he is saying, but I don’t know how to respond,” recalls Jorge. “I didn’t have the confidence for conversations right away, so I knew that was something I had to work on.”

When Jorge first came to Canada and met with Bill, he could only understand English by listening. Responding was not easy and he knew he had to work on his conversation skills. “I was like, okay, I understand what he is saying, but I don’t know how to respond,” recalls Jorge. “I didn’t have the confidence for conversations right away, so I knew that was something I had to work on.”

In Jorge’s experience, the ELCP taught the fundamental English language and grammar skills, and how to properly construct a sentence; however, where he felt he needed the most help, was having a conversation in a social setting. To supplement his classroom studies, Jorge met with U of G conversation peers—U of G student volunteers who help English Language Programs (ELP) students improve their conversation skills in small group meetings—to help improve his English conversation skills. Additionally, he started participating in the ELP social outings and that’s where it all started to make sense for him. “I liked the trips to Niagara Falls and Toronto because I was able to enjoy learning English by interacting with other people who were also learning English,” explains Jorge. “You don’t feel as self-conscious because you’re all learning at the same time.”

Jorge’s confidence has continued to grow and he has met Canadian friends from a variety of cultural backgrounds. He now feels a sense of confidence when interacting with English speaking people and has joined a recreational soccer group that gets together once a week. “They asked me if I play soccer,” recalls Jorge. “I went to play with them last April and there were only five people. Now there are 40 of us. And they help me with my English.”

As for advice to future English language program students, Jorge emphasizes, “Don’t miss the social outings. Practicing in a social setting is where you get your confidence.”

When asked what stood out most for Jorge during his time in the program, he recalls, “The teachers are so good! They are very good at explaining sentence structure and grammar, and they are all so very nice.”

In August 2024, Jorge was elected by his classmates to be a valedictorian. He delivered a heartwarming speech to all staff and students at the ELCP Closing Ceremony on August 16, 2024. He is now in his first year of undergraduate studies in the biomedical sciences program at the University of Guelph.