Age: 28
Country of Origin: Thailand, Ubonratchathani
Native Language: Thai
Background Information
In Ubonratchathani, Thailand
Suhmi is twenty-eight years old and was born and raised in Thailand in the city of Ubonratchathani. He has 3 siblings― two brothers and one sister― who live in different regions of Thailand. Sumhi is the oldest and has always been the one in charge of his family. His parents divorced when he just turned thirteen years old and soon after was responsible for taking care of his mother and his brothers and sister. Starting at the age of fifteen years old, Sumhi has worked a series of part-time jobs and occasionally helped his uncle with his sports and wear shop. He would provide for his family financially and emotionally. His mother was a homemaker but after her divorce she worked part-time cleaning houses and waitressing in restaurants. She worked mainly during the day and occasionally a few nights. Sumhi at returning from work in the late afternoons would care for his siblings while his mother was at work. They lived in a small apartment in a mid-class neighborhood. He told me that he new very well most of his neighbors and established a close friendship with them. He lived in a close-knit community that valued pride, unity, and friendship. He said that his neighbors were always there for him and his family in time of difficulty. He considers his neighbors as his own family and highly respects them.
While providing for his family, Suhmi was also enrolled in school. He graduated high school and soon attended “Mahidol University” for 5 years majoring in biology and pharmacy. After his pharmaceutical studies in Thailand, Sumhi was hired in one of the largest American pharmaceutical company. He worked 4 years as a sales representative but he wanted to advance in his career by becoming a manager. In order to become a manager, he needed to be fluent in English.
In the United States
Family and School situation
Sumhi moved five months ago to the United States to improve his English language skills. His mother remarried to an American citizen from Tampa. Sumhi, his mother, and stepfather live in a house in a mid-class community. Suhmi speaks Thai with his mother, and some English with his stepfather. Sumhi decided to enroll at the University of South Florida as a student in the English Language Institute Program (also known as ELI). The ELI is a well established program at the University. Its main focus is to help English language learners to better their communicative and literacy skills by offering them a plethora of English classes, and to help them enroll in a degree seeking program. Sumhi is a full-time student taking 5 classes in a block schedule: a Listening and Speaking class, a Culture class, a Grammar class, a Writing class, and a TOEFL class. He was placed in level 3 classes at the Speech Emergence Stage.
Teachers
His teachers have said that Suhmi is an excellent student scoring in the upper 90s on each test. He is a hard working and a conscientious student. He is also very bright and is well-mannered. He participates actively in class and volunteers often to help his peers. He is friendly, reserved, and shy around people he doesn’t know.
One of their concerns is that they have not seen Suhmi interact with English speaking students. He mainly befriends people of his own origin or people who have (or have had) similar experiences.
Others
Writing Sample: This is an original composition written in class in a time-restrained session during his Writing (Level III) college class.
Analysis of the Writing Sample and
Recommendations for future achievement in English/literacy
Suhmi was allowed to use his laptop computer to write his composition. He was also able to use the online dictionary as well as other valuable resources found on the internet.
By reading his composition, one notices some grammatical and syntactical errors. Suhmi had difficulty with subject-verb agreement rules. He wrote: I have a good mother who have an influence on me. He also had difficulty with prepositions and cognates, and his sentences were often literally translated from his native language. He wrote: “My mother
took part in this my success.” However, he used the past tense correctly (would, worked, and helped) and his ideas were well sequenced and structured. He also had a good knowledge of word links (first of all, secondly, lastly, in summary).
To better help Sumhi’s writing skills, I would suggest that he would be introduced to the Directed-Listening-Reading- Thinking Activity. This activity would help him improve his listening and comprehension skills as well as his productive skills. By asking questions, the teacher would be able to assess Sumhi’s comprehension as well as help him enunciate his answers. The DRL-TA would also help him make predictions and thus develop higher thinking skills.
Suhmi also had difficulty with word pronunciation. A phonemic awareness activity would help him differentiate the sounds of words and help him gain confidence with the language.
I would also suggest that he uses audio programs and listens to books on tape. These activities will help him imporve his listening skills as well as his pronunciation.
Language Analysis
Vocabulary
L2- Suhmi seems to understand appropriate words for his level, but he did not understand the word “difficult”.
Type and Length of Sentences
L2- Suhmi uses descriptive sentences in writing. However some sentences are syntactically incorrect.
Stages of Negation on questions of past tense
L2- Sumhi uses the past tense correctly.
Pronunciation
L2-Sumhi has a strong accent but it does not interfere with understanding him.
Cultural/Pragmatic Appropriateness
L2- Suhmi seems to have no problem relating and understanding his peers.
BICS & CALP
L2-BICS: Suhmi seems to have no problem with BICS. CALP: Suhmi seems to be at the same level with his peers in CALP.
Prescriptive Aspects of English, Grammar, and Punctuation
L2- Suhmi knows how to use commas and periods, as well as word links. He is able to write expressively and uses conjunctions well. He has difficulty with prepositions and some cognates.
Reading Sample: Sumhi read the first page of one of Ernest Hemingway’s masterpiece The Old Man and the Sea. Listen to the reading sample.
Language Learning Interview (T: Teacher S: Student)
T: What has helped you most in learning English?
S: I think for me my teachers, classmates, and my stepfather.
T: Was it difficult for you to learn English?
S: What do you mean?
T: Was it hard for you to learn English?
S: Yes, I don’t have the opportunity to use English too much because in Thailand when I go to anywhere I don’t use English to talk with people.
T: How long have you been studying English?
S: About 5 years in total. First in elementary school I learned English 2 years. I learned the present tense and simple vocabulary words. I also learned English is high school in North East of Thailand, in Ubonratchathani.
T: Do you speak English at home?
S: Yes, I speak at home with my stepfather Tom. I’ve only been in the US 4 months.
T: Is it easier to speak English with your family and friends compared with your teachers?
S: Yes it is easier because my stepfather understand my pronunciation better that of my classmates…euh, no, my teachers. It’s hard to speak with my teachers because I can’t understand my teachers because they speak fast.
T: How often do you read in English?
S: In this mean time, I read 1 hour per day. I read my assignment that the teacher want me to read. The textbooks are helpful but sometimes I can’t understand especially culture. I sometimes can’t get the main ideas.
T: What words do you think help you read your textbooks?
S: I look at the title, the pictures, the bold texts. Then I read in details. This is enough to understand.
T: What can your English teachers do to help you better your comprehension skills?
S: Sometimes, the teacher has to talk slow to have me understand more. Teachers should use more powerpoints, pictures, and music.
T: What are your goals in the near future?
S: After I finish next year, I need to take the TOEFL and the GMAT to study an MBA at USF if the university accepts me.
