Aprendiz
10:
(sexo
feminino – 7o período de Letras)
I started studying English at CCAA in Oliveira when I was eleven years
old and from that time on I never stopped. My parents decided to enroll me at a
private English school because I have been showing my interest in learning
English since I was five years old, when I started reading in my native
language. I used to get my cousin’s English book and try to read and
understand what was on it. My mother knew a little about English, so she used to
teach me the meaning and the pronunciation of some words. When she didn’t know
a word, I used to get angry and frustrated, but this was not an obstacle that
kept me from reading, I mean, trying to read that kind of book.
I
loved my English classes at CCAA. The stories and the dialogues really drew my
attention. I grew up at the same time with the characters and the lesson’s
themes and situations were interesting and according to my age.
At
the same time I started studying at CCAA, English was introduced to me at
school. I studied at a public school and I hated my English classes there.
Fortunately, I could afford a private English course because, otherwise, all my
interest in English would go way with the classes I had in that school.
I
was always a good student and all my grades were very good, specially in
English, the subject I liked most. It would take me six years and a half to
graduate at CCAA and I set my mind that I would not stop until I achieved this
goal.
Some
years before getting my certificate, the CCAA’s principal invited me to teach
English for beginners. I accept and my wage would be used to pay my English
course. This experience as an English teacher helped me a lot to develop my
English skills, specially speaking. I was, I mean, I am very shy and during the
classes I attended, I didn’t use to speak a lot. Being an English teacher
obliged me to speak and this helped me to overcome my shyness, at least during
the classes I am teaching.
Besides
teaching at CCAA, I taught children at a public school using CCAA’s material.
When I moved to São João del-Rei to take the Letras course, I continued to
teach English as a monitor at UFSJ. I also taught at Number One and I, in my
opinion, these experiences not only allowed me to teach, but also learn a lot.
Taking
the Letras course made me find out another area of my interest: Literatures in
English Language. To tell the truth, I had never tried to read literary books in
English because, actually, I dind’t used to like reading. The first contact I
had with English Literature was scary. I had to read a short story and as soon
as I started reading, I noticed that there were many words that I didn’t know.
I got a little frustrated and asked myself: “How come seven years studying
English and I am not able to read a mere short story?”
Fortunately, I had Magda as a Literature teacher,
that explained me that I didn’t have to know the meaning of every word
to read a text and that I could guess the meaning of
the words I dind’t know through the context they were being used. Magda
not only improved my reading in English, but also awakened my interest in
Literature. The classes taught completely in English at the university and the
works I was supposed to hand in in English also helped me a lot to develop my
listening and writing skills.