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I l l y r i a Wednesday, May 27, 1992
LEARNING MORE THAN ENGLISH AT A BRONX SCHOOL
By Joseph Finora
It’s almost 9 a.m. on a rainy Saturday morning when Nikolle Palaj and his two
teenage daughters rush through the front door of Junior High School 135 in the Bronx. All three carry books under their arms as they hurry down the hall to class.
Another student, a young man in his twenties, comes in a few seconds later. He has the anx- ious look of someone who fears he might be late for an impor- tant appointment.
The young man follows the others into the room and takes his seat as the teacher, Ms. Prena Shkreli, begins the day’s English lesson.
Attendance in the Albanian class is light today — only 17 students — because First Holy Communion is being adminis- tered at a local church.
“Church functions are the only things that take precedence over class,” Principal Frank Paliotta said later .
Usually about 25 newly arrived Albanians attend the two-hour classes each Saturday at JHS 135, where they learn everything from the English alphabet to how to fill out a job application. Similar classes are also held for West Indians and Hispanics at 135, but the Albanians make up the largest group.
“We teach more than just English. W e cover job hunting skills, including the basic words one would need during an inter - view,” says Pat Rukaj, the
school’s Albanian-American guidance counselor who also assists in the Saturday morning sessions, where even visa prob - lems are discussed openly .
“It’s more than just teaching language, we try to help them find jobs, which are crucial,” Paliotta said. Being the son of an Italian immigrant has made him very sensitive to the prob- lems faced by newcomers. He has contacted numerous local businesses in the hope of find- ing “better” positions for the Saturday students.
“The first generation to come to America always has to pay its dues for the future genera- tions. They take the jobs nobody else wants. Hopefully, we can learn from the experi- ences of the 1920s, 30s and 40s,” says the young principal. “With a little education, that may not be necessary .”
Saturday’ s class begins with a conversation in basic English. Ms. Shkreli writes a question in English on the board and asks a student to read it to the class. Communicating in Albanian is deliberately kept to a minimum, but she does help students in their native language when they begin to struggle. The student, a young woman in her 20s, hes - itates at first then reads it slow - ly but correctly. The lesson continues with more questions the students not only read but also try to answer. One man gets a big laugh when he tells the class he is not married, but engaged, to his wife. A few minutes later , the class corrects Ms. Shkreli when she misspells
Albanian students attending Saturday class read question on board.
a word. English-as-second-language
techniques are utilized in the course. It focuses on word recognition and uses only English texts. Both teachers and students feel it’s been very ef fective.
“I feel more comfortable with English since I’ve been taking classes here,” says Mrs. Edibe Bardhi, an elementary school teacher from Prishtine who came to New Y ork in February.
Speaking in Albanian, she remarks that her only regret is that she did not start sooner . “I missed the first three classes but the basic phrases and the num- bers have been very helpful. I recommend it for parents who want to help their children.”
Palaj came to the Bronx two years ago from Kline, Kosova. “With the teachers’ help, English is much clearer,” he says. “It’s much better than learning it on the street.” Palaj, also attends the English-as-a- second-language courses during the week even though they are primarily for the school chil- dren.
His daughter Linda is 13 and a
student at 135. She hopes to attend college and study eco- nomics in a few years.
The level of English attained by the students varies as much as the age range. Most of the students are in their 20 s, but there are a few teenagers, a 57- year-old grandmother and young parents who bring their
children with them. The group is evenly split between men and women.
IHS 135 caught the city’s attention last fall during the “painting attacks,” later labeled a hoax. One of the victims was a student there. Soon after the alleged incidents, Paliotta worked to set up the Saturday morning sessions as a way of helping newly arrived immi- grants adjust to life in America. Part of that adjustment involves
learning to live side-by-side with a wide variety of cultural and ethnic groups.
“Like all new immigrant groups, the Albanians have a tendency to isolate them- selves,” says Paliotta. “W ith a little financial help from School District 11, we were able to involve the Albanians, as well as the Latinos and Caribbean immigrant groups.”
The cost of the program is minimal, with Saturday pay for the teachers being the greatest expense. There is no char ge for the students. They do not have to live within the district to attend class and they can enroll at any time. After the first hour there is a break, with donuts and coffee provided by the school, and this is where the various students get to know each other .
“This course has been like heaven for me,” says another young man. “I’ve been able to getajobandbuyacar.”
IHS 135 is located at 2441 Wallace Ave., in the Br onx. 212-653-1237. There are no classes this Saturday because of the Memorial Day holiday .
Job-hunting skills also taught
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