Viewpoints MVLA ADULT SCHOOL ESL STUDENT MAGAZINE SPRING 2023
Acknowledgments First, to the students who have shared their work in this magazine: We celebrate YOU, your hard work and your progress in learning English. Through all the challenges of the past several years, our students have shown amazing willingness to change and grow. Second, we would like to shine a spotlight on ALL of the hard-working adult students who are studying to improve their English language skills. This magazine represents just a fraction of them. Next, THANK YOU to the ESL instructors in our program for their dedication to our students and their help in gathering these writing samples: Dennis Bacigalupi, Florence BeGole, Helen Choy, Sandy Cutshall, Sarah Dwight-Gilroy, Sara Dykes, Aysen Gokcen, Michelle Hardcastle, Ruth Kirby, Sarah Krajewski, Anila Mittal, and Susan Silver. Finally, a special thanks goes to MVLA Adult School Director Julie Vo and Assistant Director Jonathan Fu for your support for the ESL program—its goals and objectives, our staff members, and especially our students. Magazine layout by Sandy Cutshall
Introduction This magazine features writing samples from students in the English as a Second Language (ESL) Program at Mountain View Los Altos (MVLA) Adult School in Mountain View, California. All of the levels we teach are represented: Beginning Literacy, Beginning Low and High; Intermediate Low and High; Advanced and SeniorFocused. ESL teachers in our program submitted representative samples of students’ writing and artwork. Some of what you see here are in-class assignments; some examples are out-of-class projects or essays. You will see writing that has been through a significant revision process beside other less polished examples of class work and general writing practice. While not every minor error is corrected, overall, these compositions demonstrate the writing progress of the English learners in our program. We hope you enjoy it!
Rafael is a student in the Beginning High ESL morning class
Saira is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class Enner is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class
Jeonghee is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low ESL class in the afternoon
Mary Carmen is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class
immigrant looking into America Olena is in the Beginning High ESL evening class
Irvin and Elvin are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL class in the evening
This poster was created by students in the Beginning Low ESL morning class This beaded jewelry was created by Fereshteh, a student in the Advanced ESL class in the morning Charles and Xiu Lan are students in the Beginning ESL Senior class
Will is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
. Affordable Housing Finding affordable housing is the most difficult for extremely low-income renters. They can’t afford new housing because the cost of housing is too expensive and rents are too high. These renters have household incomes of less than 30% of the national average and they spend more than 50% of their income on housing. Besides, there are not enough affordable housing units that low-income renters can afford. What is the solution? Housing subsidies from the government can help to build new affordable housing. They can also provide rental assistance. Besides, city administration can revitalize buildings, to build modular construction and multifamily housing. It makes the cost of housing cheaper for low-income renters. These solutions will save taxpayer dollars and create stability. They will reduce the number of homeless people and generate thousands of jobs. Low-income renters will get better health insurance, their children will study in better schools. Affordable housing is a big problem in the USA, especially in CA where the cost of housing is too expensive. Voters can vote for the political candidates that support housing subsidies to solve this problem. Only through the joint work of voters, residents and government can we change the lives of low-income renters. Elena is a student in the Advanced ESL morning class
L.M. is a student in the Beginning High /Intermediate Low ESL afternoon class L.L.Z. is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low ESL afternoon class
Will is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
Erika and Hernando are students in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class Walkiria is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class
Maria is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low ESL class in the afternoon
Cynthia is a student in the Beginning High/Intermediate Low ESL afternoon class
Johanna, Viktor and Christine are students in the Intermediate High class in the evening
Jose is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class Chun Xue is a Beginning Literacy ESL student in the morning class
An Important Place from My Childhood Xiangjiang River, which is wide, deep and sometimes rapid, is in my hometown. The water flows fast; it is the longest river in my hometown. There are many ships, boats and ferries that travel along the river everyday. When I was a child, in the Blanca is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class hot summer, I always swam in the river which was dangerous. Because I had to figure out how to avoid the whirlpools under the calm surface and waves stirred up by the passing ships. These experiences exercised my ability to solve problems in times of danger and difficulty, and made me brave and strong. I really miss the river which has accompanied me throughout my childhood and adolescence. Y.Z. is a student in the Jaime is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class Advanced ESL morning class
Fernando is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class Crocheted roses and lilies by Martha, a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
Jose is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL morning class Shi Bin is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL morning class Yesica is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL morning class
Guojin is a student in the Intermediate High ESL morning class
Fredy is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class Blanca is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL evening class Felicitas, Dingan, Zofia and Huimin are students in the Beginning ESL Senior class
Sandra and Tairine are students in the Intermediate Low class in the evening
More Affordable Housing, Less Homelessness Affordable housing is one big problem for families with extremely low income. Another problem is not enough affordable housing units. The rent is too high, and the supply is too low. The solution for this big problem is to help the renters to pay rent, give housing subsidies, and build affordable housing in the excess land in the religious organization. Another solution is lowering the limit on how much landlords can raise rents each year. This is a good idea because affordable housing prevents homelessness. Many people in California are homeless because the rent is too high, and they don't have enough money to pay the rent. if these people have these resources less homeless. When families have a safe and affordable place to live, health and well being improve. It is time to take action. The residents need to write an email to the city council or governor for protection of existing renters and homeowners and build more affordable houses to prevent high rent increases and homelessness. Affordable housing is important to the development of the human being. Y.O. is a student in the Advanced ESL morning class Agata is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class
Vera is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class
Yoko is a student in the Intermediate High ESL morning class Maida is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class Martha is a student in the Beginning Low ESL morning class
C.P. is a student in the Advanced ESL evening class Yesenia is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class Wilson is a student in the Beginning Low ESL evening class
Eri is a student in the Intermediate High ESL morning class
Han Zhi is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL morning class Rhonald is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class Tungaa is a student in the Beginning High/ Intermediate Low ESL afternoon class
Eliana is a student in the Intermediate ESL Senior class Gulsina is a student in the Intermediate ESL Senior class
A.L. is a student in the Beginning High ESL morning class Dilfuza is a student in the Intermediate High ESL evening class
O.M. is a student in the Beginning High ESL morning class Minda is a student in the Intermediate High ESL evening class
Theu is a student in the Beginning ESL Senior class Mauricio is a student in the Intermediate Low ESL evening class DMG is a student in the Beginning High ESL evening class
Ock Jin is a student in the Intermediate High ESL morning class
Erick and Osmar are students in the Beginning Low ESL class in the evening Intermediate Low ESL morning class
Maura is a student in the Beginning Literacy ESL morning class Give People a Place to Call Home Many people have been having a hard time finding a place to live. The statistics show us that there are 220,000 unit shortfall affordable housing. And according to these statistics 25% of the people spend more than 50% of their income paying for housing. One of the reasons for this problem is because of very expensive land, other reasons is that the price of rent is very high and many people can’t pay for this. Other hand, buying housing is expensive and paying the loan is a problem, because the income isn’t compatible with the mortgage. This is a big problem. For those problems we can see many suggestions for solutions. One idea is that the government helps these people with payments. The government could subsidize housing. I believe that the government should build housing and sell to people with low income. And these people can’t sell this housing for a long period of time. There are many solutions for these problems, but if the government doesn't commit, this problem will continue for a long time. I believe that people should be aware of these problems and pay attention to the next election and vote for people who are committed to solve this problem. This is one important way to solve this problem. Because the government needs to help people with low income to have a place to call home. Delma is in the Advanced ESL class in the morning
Liliya is a student in the Tong is a student in the Intermediate ESL Senior class Intermediate ESL Senior class Olena is a student in the Aizhen is a student in the Intermediate ESL Senior class Intermediate ESL Senior class
Xiue is a student in the Beginning ESL Senior class Jiayan is in the Intermediate High/Advanced Low ESL class in the afternoon
Ivan Ernesto is a Beginning High ESL student in the evening class Heartwarming Place When I was a child, I loved to visit my grandparents’ house. They lived in the countryside, and there was a seashore nearby. They raised a lot of fruits, vegetables and animals. My grandmother liked to plant many kinds of flowers, so every season I could see various flowers around the house. In the front yard, she also planted some vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, lettuces etc. There was a big persimmon tree and a jujube tree in the backyard which had lots of persimmons and jujubes every fall. I loved to stay there with my parents so much. The food which my grandmother made was really delicious and delicate. Whenever she prepared the meal, she asked me to pick some vegetables up in the front yard. I liked this kind of chore. And their house was the place where I could meet my cousins and spend time with them during the vacation. We spent the night talking and laughing together. I can not forget these sort of memories at that place. M.K. is an Advanced ESL student in the morning class
Xiao and Natalia are students in the Intermediate Low ESL morning class Ziyu, Guoyuan, and Pei Li are students in the Beginning ESL Senior class
Beginning Low students in the morning and evening classes made valentine cards and Eduardo, a student in the morning, created this special mailbox
Mountain View Los Altos Adult School 333 Moffett Boulevard Mountain View, CA 94043 (650) 940-1333 as.mvla.net
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