{"id":25853,"date":"2015-10-19T09:07:19","date_gmt":"2015-10-19T13:07:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/?p=25853"},"modified":"2015-10-26T08:58:01","modified_gmt":"2015-10-26T12:58:01","slug":"searching-for-the-bermuda-triangle-english-as-a-second-language-in-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blogs.studentlife.utoronto.ca\/lifeatuoft\/2015\/10\/19\/searching-for-the-bermuda-triangle-english-as-a-second-language-in-university\/","title":{"rendered":"Searching for the Bermuda Triangle: English as a Second Language in University"},"content":{"rendered":"Shrouded in a thick layer of mist, where compasses cease to work and where you see not land or sky, but an ocean of uniform grey, the pursuit to the Bermuda Triangle is a frightening one. Going to a new university, far from home, where the majority of people and courses use a language that isn\u2019t your native tongue might feel a lot like this dizzying journey.\r\n\r\nIn addition to my experience transitioning from a French immersion school to an English one in middle school, I conferred with a few of my friends whose native language isn\u2019t English and have compiled a list of tips to cope with the sudden transition in languages. Here are a few ideas that came up:\r\n\r\nRead any English material you can get your hands on.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nReading a lot will help you familiarize yourself with the written language; in addition to practising your comprehension skills, you will learn a lot of vocabulary and idioms, too!\r\n\r\nSome free material that can be found around campus includes U of T\u2019s newspaper, The Varsity<\/em>, a popular Toronto newspaper, the\u00a0Toronto Star<\/em>, music magazines, such as Whole Note<\/em>, and, of course, this blog (wink wink).\r\n\r\n
\"Toronto<\/a>
Grabbed these jewels from just inside University College.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nYour college might also print\u00a0its own publications.\r\n\r\n
\"Latest<\/a>
Latest issue of Trinity College\u2019s publication, Salterrae.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nNot only will you get more opportunities to read, but you\u2019ll also get to learn what\u2019s going on at U of T and at your college!\r\n\r\nDon\u2019t be afraid to befriend native English speakers and practice your conversation skills.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nI\u2019ve been told that some non-native speakers are hesitant to speak to native speakers because they\u2019re afraid others will judge them for their accent or for their inability to reply as quickly as a native speaker would. Don\u2019t be<\/em>. Though many students might not understand the extent of language-related difficulties non-native English speakers experience, many do understand the difficulty of learning a second language (read: HIGH-SCHOOL FRENCH<\/em>), so, as one of my companions states, \u201cHave the courage to speak.\u201d Don\u2019t be afraid to make\u00a0mistakes when talking, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for clarification when you don\u2019t understand what others mean, and don\u2019t be afraid to take time to translate the thoughts in your head into words.\r\n\r\n
\"Sidney<\/a>
One of the best places to chat\u2014Sidney Smith Hall. Comfy chairs, coffee, and donuts\u2013HELLO.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n\r\nGo to writing workshops.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nWriting Plus is a series of workshops that helps with everything related to writing\u2014from how to develop a thesis statement to how to write a lab report or literature review. Here's a list of their Fall workshops.<\/a>\u00a0As well,\u00a0here are some workshops for graduate students.<\/a>\r\n\r\nTake advantage of your writing centre.<\/strong>\r\n\r\nHanding in an essay or report to a professor is single-handedly one of the most nerve-wracking events ever. Probably even more nerve-wracking if it\u2019s in the form of a ten-page university paper written in your second language. An excellent place to visit is your college's writing centre<\/a>, and for grad students, the graduate writing centre<\/a>.\u00a0All of them offer individual sessions with writing instructors who provide guidance on your academic writing, from composing a draft to revising the final copy.\r\n\r\nAll in all, don\u2019t be afraid to ask for help, and don\u2019t be afraid to seek out opportunities to improve your English. As a companion of mine\u00a0says, \u201cYour English will get better if you spend more time on it,\u201d or, put more bluntly by another, \u201cNo excuse, just work harder.\u201d All of you are incredibly brave and admirable for taking on this arduous task, and though it may not be an easy journey, it will be a rewarding one. Keep sailing forth in this hazy mist; it will get less misty up ahead, I promise.\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nDo you have any tips on how to make the linguistic transition to an\u00a0all-English university easier?\u00a0Let me know in the comments below or through @lifeatuoft on Twitter!<\/em>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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\nShrouded in a thick layer of mist, where compasses cease to work and where you see not land or sky, but an ocean of uniform grey, the pursuit to the Bermuda Triangle is a frightening one. Going to a new…\n<\/div>
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