Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Fresh start in America
New language, home for Ethiopian girl adopted by Hub City couple
BY Elissa Dickey, edickey@aberdeennews.com
Published on Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Molly Rovang watches as English as a Second Language instructor Tracy Norman grades her spelling test. (American News Photo by Anita Meyer)
Molly Rovang turned down three families before the right one came along.
"She's got a strong faith," said her mom, Bliss Rovang of Aberdeen. "...She always would tell them, 'My family is in the U.S. I have to wait for them.'”
Bliss and her husband, Ron, adopted Molly, 10, from Ethiopia last year. At first, Molly - who signs all her schoolwork in her Ethiopian name, Mahlet (pronounced Ma-ha-LEET) - knew very little English.
But you wouldn't know that today, thanks in big part to the Aberdeen Public School District's English as a Second Language program.
The program - which started last year in C.C.
"She's got a strong faith," said her mom, Bliss Rovang of Aberdeen. "...She always would tell them, 'My family is in the U.S. I have to wait for them.'”
Bliss and her husband, Ron, adopted Molly, 10, from Ethiopia last year. At first, Molly - who signs all her schoolwork in her Ethiopian name, Mahlet (pronounced Ma-ha-LEET) - knew very little English.
But you wouldn't know that today, thanks in big part to the Aberdeen Public School District's English as a Second Language program.
The program - which started last year in C.C.
Lee Elementary and moved this year to the District
Service Center - aims to help English language learners
develop language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking
and listening) while maintaining academics at grade level.
The 15 elementary students involved in the English as a
Second Language program are enrolled in their home
elementary school and bused daily to and from the district
service center. One middle school student and two high
school students are receiving direct English as a Second
Language services - meaning the services are part of the
students' daily schedule, said Assistant Superintendent
Becky Guffin. Another two students are being monitored
in the classroom, Guffin said.
At the District Service Center, grades K-5 start together
each morning with instructor Tracy Norman, but then
kindergartners go to a different classroom. The group joins
again at the end of class.
Many languages
The students' native tongues include Chinese, Hmong,
Russian and Spanish. And Molly's native language is
Amharic. She started with the English as a Second
Language program officially this fall, Bliss Rovang said.
"Her English is really, really good compared to
what it was," Rovang said. "...She really adores Tracy."
On Monday, Molly, a fifth-grader at C.C. Lee, acted as
On Monday, Molly, a fifth-grader at C.C. Lee, acted as
Norman's helper, passing out the markers for a game of
bingo. But it wasn't a typical bingo game: The squares
contained pictures of common objects, such as foods.
Other language teaching tools that are used along with the
curriculum include computer programs, flashcards
and one-on-one reading with the teacher. Also, most Fridays, the
students read to District Service Center staff members in a
"reading buddy" program, Guffin said. Building the students'
trust is also an important component, Norman said.
'Very capable' students
Norman said English as a Second Language instructors don't
want the students to lose their native language. But it's easy
for some of the students to fall behind in learning English
over the summer and long breaks if they don't speak it at
home, she said. It's just one of the differences between the
English as a Second Language classroom and other
classrooms, she said, and it's why summer school is offered.
"They're all very capable students," Norman said. "It's just
that English gets in the way."
Norman, who has been an educator for more than 30 years,
said as a language instructor, she gets more opportunities to
work with students one on one. She knows their needs
better. Having a small group helps.
"I've really enjoyed it. I've learned a lot," she said. "I really
have gotten attached to my kids and my families." Molly is
quite attached to school, her mom said - she hates to miss a
day.
Ethiopian family
Molly was born north of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa.
Her birth parents are both deceased. She never knew her
father; her mom died when she was about 7. She lived with
her grandmother until the woman wasn't able to care for
Molly anymore. Molly had been in an orphanage in Addis
Ababa for about 11/2 to two years before the Rovangs
adopted her. When they flew home, it was Molly's first
airplane ride - a 22-hour flight. "She slept the entire time,"
Bliss Rovang said, except when her mom woke her up to
see the lights of Rome at night.
It was hard for Molly right away leaving behind her home
country and everything she knew. At first, her mom had to
sleep with her, and Molly would cry every night before
falling asleep. "I couldn't imagine putting myself in her shoes
for one second," Bliss Rovang said. "Just visiting another
country is scary enough." Now, she has transitioned well,
her mom said. And she has had several firsts: Snow and
extreme cold are new to her.
Loves spicy food
Also, "It took a long time for her to get used to the food,"
her mom said. Ethiopian food is very spicy, she said, and
Molly loves spicy foods. She also ate a lot of pasta with red
sauce at the orphanage, and spaghetti is still her favorite.
The Rovangs want Molly to hold onto her language. She
keeps in touch with some of her Ethiopian friends from the
orphanage who were adopted into families in other U.S.
cities.
This summer, Rovang is taking her daughters to China on a
mission trip, where they will visit the former orphanage of
the Rovangs' younger daughter, Hannah, 5. Hannah was
adopted when she was 10 months old, so when she goes to
school, she won't need to use the English as a Second
Language program, her mom said.
Bliss Rovang said her daughters adore each other. Molly is a
great kid, she said. Not that there was ever any doubt that
Molly would fit in with her family.
The Rovangs at first were going to try to adopt an infant
The Rovangs at first were going to try to adopt an infant
from Ethiopia, Bliss Rovang said. But then they saw Molly's
face on the list of waiting children. "We decided she was
supposed to be our daughter.
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