I am a non-native English speaker studying in the US and learning to become fluent in the language. I moved here in 1998 and enrolled at San Mateo College to further my education. One of the first courses I took was ESL 827 which equipped me with basic writing skills. I find writing and reading are the most challenging classes because I am required to demonstrate my writing skills and  ability to organize my thoughts. I enjoy writing essays when I know direction of my topic.

I begin by collecting the necessary information and organizing my ideas for the exercise.  Next, I create before I write up my first draft. My essays open with a powerful introduction that outlines the content and purpose of the paper. It is in the introduction that I present my thesis statement which informs the reader of the position I will support in the main body. The following paragraphs build on my thesis statement by providing evidence and articulating various arguments in favor of the thesis statement.  I end the paper with a conclusion that recaps the theme I have written about. Before submitting the paper I proofread it to ensure I correct any grammar, spelling or syntax errors.

With every consecutive course, the learning experience becomes more challenging and I have to redouble my efforts to ensure I make the grade. Last semester I enrolled for  ESL 400 and  my professor  told me that for next 15 weeks I would work on a topic that I considered  interesting to me. It was first time I spent the whole semester writing on just one topic. I decided to choose special needs education because I was working with children who have special needs. This exercise gave me a good opportunity to increase my knowledge about this topic. My professor coached me on how to do the write-up, describe the subject matter and, identify the relevant issues about the topic.
           
By the time I finished my project proposal, I had learned how to write clearly and accurately about my topic. As part of the research process I conducted live interviews with a special needs teacher. I drafted the interview questions in such a way the responses I got would address my queries correctly. During the interview, I learned a lot from her experience in this field. I observed that she was a good teacher because her goals were to teach and develop children by strengthening their cognitive skills using various activities. Her efforts elicited smiles from their faces and brought some happiness into their lives. During the interview, I learned how to paraphrase, report speech and quote my interviewee.
               
That essay was an incredible experience in my life because the professor and I share the same interest in special needs education.  After the interview, my professor arranged for the class to go to the library to learn how to research our paper, It was the first time I had visited the college library as  I was not familiar with computers or technology. I began by reading and collecting vital information for my topic.

I learned more about the libraries resources and how to format an essay based on the MLA style guideline. I am now familiar with the online resources, because I could complete my research paper by learning how to use the info track on the computer and locate citations using other resources.
                   
I realized that my weaknesses stemmed from first language interpretation.  I need more practice to improve my grammar and avoid run on sentences and fragments. On the other hand, I know that attending ESL 400 prepared me for the next class which is English 100. Although, the classes are very challenging, with my professors guidance, I am confident that I will overcome my weaknesses and improve my writing and reading skills.