SPOTLIGHT on EVENT:

THEATER VISIT "WEST SIDE STORY"
September 10, 2008


English&More students and teachers attended this musical during our Fall I semester as a way to not only support the arts and connect to the community, but also to encourage our students to practice their English skills inside and outside the classroom . 

The student work below has not been edited or corrected. It is the students' original work. The students' abilities range from beginning to advanced level English skills. Even though there may be some mistakes the students' ideas can still be understood and the students should be proud that they can express their thoughts in another language.

Remember that our students are developing their writing skills in English and this is a work in progress just like the process of learning English itself.

Read our students' descriptions and comments below on the theatrical presentation of WEST SIDE STORY:

"I attended a presentation of West Side Story from the Charleston Stage at the Sottile Theatre. This is a musical performance based on William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. This is a love story between a Puerto Rican woman named Maria and an American man named Tony, Maria is a young lady from Puerto Rico living with her family in New York City, she has a brother who is the leader of a teenage gang calling themselves the “Sharks.” They have a rivalry with another local gang named the “Jets” where the leader is Tony's cousin, they don't like each other and they fight constantly.
One day in a party Maria and Tony meet and immediately fall in love, but this forbidden love was the cause of a big fight between the Sharks and the Jets where Tony dies and Maria suffers the loss of her love.
I enjoyed this musical play, the actors and actresses were very professional and the scenery, the songs, the dances and the band playing were fantastic. I can identify with parts of the story because it reminds me of when my husband and I met except we got married. Also, the story presents some social problems that we still exist today, like the Immigration issue but the most important thing after all is when true love arrives it can live and pass trough any frontier and it doesn't matter the race, color, language or religion what is really important is to give and receive love without judgment."

by Rosalia Cevallos, Ecuador

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"I had planed to go at the Sottile Theatre yesterday with some classmates and my teachers Christine, Kelly and Katie, and we finally met there. The play that we saw is called The West Side Story. It is about the impossible love, like the story of Romeo and Julieth by Shakespeare, but in the American way. It was wonderful, amazing. All the actors sang and danced fabulously and I enjoyed it a lot. Even I'm just learning English, I could understand pretty good the dialogues of the play, that I think is the idea. I had never gone to any play in this country, and now I think that yesterday is not going to be the last."

by Maria Camila Galeano, Colombia

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"Sandra Humberto and I went to dinner before went at theatre in the restaurant spoke about the my class. After we went a theatre we into theatre and saw the fantastic. I like it after the show we went take a photo and we came back at house."
by Jaime Montes, Venezuela
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"When I got home from school, I waited for my aunt, and then we look for the address on google maps. After that we got dress up and we leave to the Sottile Theater. When we arrived, we had to wait for the others classmates, but they were late and the event was going to begin. We got in the theater, looking for our seats, and the event started up.
It was a wonderful experience, because I have never seem something that perfect. The actors were very good, they made a good and interesting scenes. I think they are very professional in theirs career as an actors or actresses. One on the principal actress has an amazing voice. It was fun to assist to that event. I enjoyed so much, and I would like to repeat it again. It is a good chance to share with the class and teachers from school.
When the event has finished, the entire class went outside because Christine wanted to took a picture of us. After that we said goodbye and everybody has gone."
by Dalia Valles, Venezuela

THANKS TO ALL THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS ASSIGNMENT!

SPOTLIGHT on CLASS:
FALL II, 2007

In our Fall II, 2007 semester this General English class had a special holiday assignment, but first here's a little background information about the class...

This intermediate level class taught by Kelly Criscitiello met regularly Monday and Wednesday nights. Most students work very hard during the day, but they somehow found time to study English in the evening. The class has been working on a variety of language skills. They have made great progress with their reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities in English. Students had extensive practice with grammar topics that included the future tense, modal verbs like might and should, comparatives, and superlatives. In addition, students had many opportunities to do role-play and dialogue activities to improve their conversational skills. Students not only learned English skills to help with everyday life situations, but they also learned language skills so that they could share traditions from their own countries. 

Students in the class are from Brazil, Mexico, Russia, and South Korea. The students had a final class project to write about a winter holiday celebrated in their country. Then they shared those customs and traditions with the class. Read a few examples of holiday experiences written by students from Brazil, Mexico, and Russia... 

Holiday traditions from around the world

Brazilians celebrate Christmas and New Year's with much food and drink at family and friends' houses. Some people go to the church or go to celebrate at the clubs and wear white clothes for good luck to celebrate the New Year.

written by Michelle Amador

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On Christmas we get all together to have a big dinner, exchange gifts, break the pinata and drink a lot of beers. We go to sleep around 5AM. Also, on Christmas day we go to see a parade in another city about 1 hour away.

written by Jaime Fernandez

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During the month of December we put lights on the houses and on a tree with ornaments, and other decorations. In Mexico, Christmas is on the 24th day of December. Early in the day people go to buy to prepare some good food for the dinner of Christmas. We enjoy tamales, chicken, turkey, salad, potatoes, fish, cold soup and we drink soda and wine. We gather with family and friends for dinner and also break pinatas and toast at 12AM in the night, but before we go to the church. The people sometimes give presents. We have a party all the night.

written by Berenice Perez

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We have a special day for the protectors of our country on February 23rd in Russia. It's a holiday just for men. All women congratulate all men. Women and girls congratulate their husbands, boyfriends, fathers, grandfathers, brothers, etc. So all women in the country congratulate men. People honor young men who will be future soldiers and old men who were already in the army. People celebrate with family and friends.

written by Andrey Tsypulin

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THANKS TO ALL THE STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS ASSIGNMENT!

To other students...FEEL FREE TO SUBMIT YOUR HOLIDAY EXPERIENCES IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE YOUR CUSTOMS WITH US! Just send us an email at english.charleston@yahoo.com