My Language Development

By gyranix
  • Birth

    Birth
    I was born in New Jersey from Puerto Rican parents who had recently moved to the US and were partially bilingual. The languages poken were both English and Spanish.
  • Period: to

    Birth to early childhood

    Birth to early childhood. I acquired both English and Spanish simultaneously. Development of early bilingualism.
  • Early Childhood

    Early Childhood
    Beginning of the development of early language in English. Simultaneously, learning a few Spanish words as a result of my mother and father's teachings.
  • Move back to Puerto Rico

    Move back to Puerto Rico
    We moved from the US back to Puerto Rico. At the time I spoke only English but I understood Spanish and could use it to carry a short conversation.
  • Beginning of my Formal Education

    Beginning of my Formal Education
    At age 5 I began kindergarten in Antilles Elementary School in Fort Buchanan, which is an all English school. By then having been in Puerto Rico for two years my Spanish had improved considerably from social and hom interaction. But English was still the language I used most often and mastered better.
  • Period: to

    Elementary Education

    I course my elementary education in different schools.
  • Move to Aibonito

    At this point I had been in Antilles until third grade at which point I moved with my mother to the rural town of Aibonito. Here, I studied fourth grade in Academia Menonita Betania which was run by American and had some classes in English, but most in Spanish. By then I still had full dominion of English which was the language I used the most, but I was beginning to use Spanish more to relate to my new neighbors, community and extended family members who spoke Spanish only.
  • Period: to

    Public School Education

    was enrolled in a public school where classes were all in Spanish except English. By this time Spanish was the language I used socially, in school, my community and with my extended family. However, I continued to speak English at home with my mother and siblings where there was a fully bilingual environment mixing the use of both languages.
  • High School Education

    High School Education
    Begin my high school education in a local public high school. All classes in Spanish. English is still spoken frequently at home and seen on mass media, but Spanish is the language most used by this point.
  • Period: to

    HIgh School Education

    Begin my high school education in a local public high school. All classes in Spanish. English is still spoken frequently at home and seen on mass media, but Spanish is the language most used by this point.
  • Begin College UPR

    Begin College UPR
    Having finished high school I am accepted to the Communications program at UPR Rio Piedras. Most classes are in Spanish the texts books however are mostly in English. Both languages are used commonly. Common codeswitching between English and Spanish.
  • Period: to

    College UPR RP

    Having finished high school I am accepted to the Communications program at UPR Rio Piedras. Most classes are in Spanish the texts books however are mostly in English. Both languages are used commonly. Common codeswitching between English and Spanish.
  • Period: to

    ESL Teacher Studies Inter American Barranquitas

    After a period of recess from studies I enroll in Barranquitas to study to be an English teacher. My concentration classes are all in English, so once again I am immerse in a English learning environment. SPanish is the language used everywhere else given that now I am married and speak Spanish in my home.
  • Begin studying ESL teaching in Inter American University Barranquitas

    Begin studying ESL teaching in Inter American University Barranquitas
    After a period of recess from studies I enroll in Barranquitas to study to be an English teacher. My concentration classes are all in English, so once again I am immerse in a English learning environment. SPanish is the language used everywhere else given that now I am married and speak Spanish in my home.
  • Graduate ESL teacher

    Graduate ESL teacher
    My studies are finished. I graduated and now I am an ESL teacher working for the first time in a public school, where I give my class in English. However, it is necessary to codeswitch often in my classroom given that my students do not understand full use of English. Spanish is used elswhere.
  • Period: to

    Teaching ESL

    I am an ESL teacher and use English in my classroom all the time. Using Spanish only to clarify some terms. Spanish is the language used in most other contexts.
  • Teacher at Languages School

    Teacher at Languages School
    I am transferred to a languages school where students are mainly bilingual. My class is given completely in English, codeswitching only to clarify terms that aren't available from Spanish to English.
  • Bilingual Certification course

    Begin to study my bilingual certification where I hope to integrate the use of both languages successfully.