Abstract: In this particular writing, I had to sum up how language and literacy have changed me. I started off by talking a little bit about myself; my background, a little bit about my family, and my journey to the USA. Later on, I started to describe my first day of school in the US and how the experience was to give a little sense of how the process of learning English was for me. I ended the essay by writing about how language and literacy have changed me and have influenced me to become the person that I am today.

Hi, my name is Argho Paul. I was born and raised in a small country known as
Bangladesh. I was not very much of a scholar in Bangladesh or I should say I hated the education
system of my country. While my father was living in the USA and sending money for my
educational purposes, I was a kid who always slacked off of his work and responsibilities which
caused me to even lose my mother’s support which led me to not even try for any academic
successes and instead keep being a kid who would spend most of his days out with friends. After
finishing 4th grade with just passing scores, I decided to take a gap year because my family and I
had to go through many processes in order to get the visa to go to the United States and live with
my father. My family and I moved to the United States when I was eleven years old with very
little knowledge of the English language. I started school in the 6th grade knowing the very basics of
English that I learned back in my country. My parents always had a high expectation from me
because I was their first child to study in a foreign country where opportunities are abundant with
the right mindset. The first day of school was very difficult as one may imagine, huge classrooms
with a smart board that I have never seen before, no friends and no English. I literally started
tearing up until one of my classmates approached me who happened to be from my home
country as well. He had asked me “Ki hoice, tumi kanso keno?” which translates to “What
happened, why are you crying”, I did not know what to tell him because I was quite embarrassed
but I knew at that moment I just made my first school friend. To be honest, it was a cheerful
moment for me. I did not understand the materials that were being taught in school which caused
me to lose my self-motivation and it was very difficult for me to get back on track.

As an English language learner, it was hard for me to do well in school and other
academic areas which led to many unpleasantness between my family and I. In most of the tests
and exams, I received a very low score and it caused my GPA to drop tremendously. At the end
of each school year, students were required to take the State Exam, I also got very low scores on
these exams. Sometimes I just felt like school just wasn’t for me and I was not smart enough to
be here. I was always being compared to others, it was very hard for me to find self-motivation.
The class I was placed in was considered an ESL class where only newcomer students were
placed in. We did have a decent number of students that were fluent in English however, at the
end of 7th grade, they were placed in advanced classes and this is when I asked myself why they
did not put me in those classes? It made me feel like I was not smart enough and I could not be
better than them but I took this as motivation to work harder each and every day. As I moved on
to 8th grade, with the help and support I got from my teachers, I started focusing and working
hard towards my goals and I saw improvements in my academic performances. I received many
rewards and opportunities for achieving something greater. At the end of each Marking Period,
students who had an average above 90 received a medal of honor and a certificate. I always felt
happy and proud of myself for receiving these awards. With my academic achievements that I
received in 8th grade, I applied for many private tutorials to find extra opportunities for learning.
This story has become a significant part of my life now because I learned just so much from it
about life that I can use in my future paths as it brings challenges and opportunities along the
way. Moving to the US and learning English were the most significant things that I have
accomplished because it brought me closer to my success step by step, it made me the person

I am today and I know for a fact that If I keep working hard, I will most certainly become the
person that I desire to be.