Anonymous wrote:One of my son's classmates was adopted from Eritrea. We don't live in the DC area anymore so no worries about ID here. He was nine when he came to the States and had not gone to school and didn't speak English. He's 14 now.
I think he just learned by immersion, which must have been an insane experience for him, but he's so great now. He didn't know how to read or write at 9 bc lack of schooling at his orphanage. Good for you for taking the time to make things a little more welcoming for your new student.
I had just turned 10 when my family immigrated to an English speaking country
I was ahead of my classmates in math, could read and write fluently my own language.
Kids overcome language challenges quickly, even though it does take a lot of effort.
I was warmly welcomed and didn't experience bullying. It was a culture shock for me.
The biggest challenge became when we moved back and I had to switch language again and was too foreign to fit in.