ALAI wraps up summer camp for English language learners

Advanced Language & Academic Institute, a tutorial resource center on Saipan, will wrap up today its first ever English summer camp for second language learners.

Nina Rivera, ALAI program coordinator, said that the four-week camp, attended mostly by Korean students, will conclude with golf and go-kart activities at Mariana Resort & Spa.

Rivera said the students’ parents sign up their children for the camp through the recommendations of other parents who have previously availed of ALAI’s services.

The camp, which began on July 19, allowed its 35 participants—fourth to eighth graders grouped according to their level of English proficiency—to learn about English grammar, phonics, vocabulary, reading, and writing in a more enjoyable setting.

“We kind of put the whole study time into it but also made the classes more fun and in an easier and more relaxed atmosphere,” Rivera told Saipan Tribune.

While there were intensive classroom lessons in the morning, Rivera said they used entertaining educational activities in the afternoon to ensure enhanced learning. These activities, spearheaded by ALAI’s 15 teaching staff, included a visit to the American Memorial Park World War II Museum; movie screening of Capt. America; a visit to the police, fire and correctional facilities; hiking to Bird Island and Forbidden Island; and a trip to Mañagaha where the group held its sendoff party for participants who went back to Korea.

Campers also played board games such as Scrabble and Boggle and did other games such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, and Family Feud using words or lessons from their morning classes.

“They were having fun without knowing that they were still really learning,” said Rivera.

At the beginning of the camp, Rivera said the students were given an Idea Proficiency Test, which assessed their English skills on reading, writing, and speaking. Individual profiles were also made for each student.

“After four weeks in the camp, we did the test again, so we were actually able to scale their improvement,” she said.

Rewarding

Rivera noted that over 80 percent of students improved and moved to a level higher than when they first started.

ALAI teacher Terra Allen said the students were able to communicate in English more efficiently as shown by improved listening comprehension and ability to form complete sentences.

“Their level of language has definitely increased. I think they’re a lot more comfortable speaking it all the time,” she said.

Allen, who teaches Reading, Phonics, Grammar, and Writing, said observing the students and how they progressed during the camp was very rewarding. “Watching them move to a level of being able to communicate with me, it was amazing.”

Conversations Class instructor Rachel Morris said her focus was to make her students confident in using the language. “I think that if they’re not confident in speaking English, then they’ll have it in their head but they won’t be able to get it out and speak it. If you could build confidence, then they would try and help them to become better in English,” she said.

According to Morris, the students achieved confidence through various games and activities they employed. Tons of encouragement helped too.

“When they started coming out of their shell, it just felt really good because you were helping them become more confident. I think they feel better about themselves, too. They accomplished something through camp and they got better,” she added.

Twelve-year-old Kevin Ham from Seoul couldn’t help but agree. “I learned a lot. I am now more confident to speak English. I want to come back with friends and learn English together.”

Tommy Kim, 14, said the games and activities helped them learn how to use the language. His favorite was the trip to Saipan World Resort’s Wave Jungle water park where the water was “very deep.” “Thank you for teaching us English,” added Kim.