I Want To Improve My English Skills!

Armenians start learning English when they are 10 years old, but unfortunately many of them speak only a few words of English.

At Smiley Club the children are suppose to get English lessons, but these lessons are not always very effective. There are too many children in too many age groups. We therefore decided to invite the teenagers who used to participate in Smiley Club activities to the Red Cross office for English lessons. After the lessons the children are invited to help the “jewellery group” to make necklaces and other accessories.

Rita, one of girls working in the Youth Department made a small test to check the children’s skills. Their level varies a lot, but they all have one thing in common. They know the alphabet, and they read very well. However, there are two mayor problems; when asked to explain what they were reading about they can’t, because they just know how to read the words but the words has no meaning to them. Second, they are not able to speak any English. When asked easy questions they are not able to respond.

Although the teenagers’ skills are not very impressive, their will and desire to learn English is striking. Most of the people who speak English in Armenia have had private lessons, but the children that we work with can not afford that. So our free English lessons are a great opportunity for them. Hopefully can our lessons give them the extra push they need to step in to the world of English.