Session Two with RF

3 November: Today was another surprise. I didn't have WS today, but A showed up instead. He is more capable than WS, but less capable than RF. However, RF seems to dominate, so this will have to be dealt with for future sessions. Again, a really nice guy. However, RF told me the WS had a brilliant idea of changing their work visas to student visas. I don't know what that will entail, but I was surprised and pleased that this was WS's idea! Since A has not seen the campus before, RF, Jaida and I toured him around. I didn't think there was a coffee shop open on campus on Saturdays but found out that there was! This was very agreeable to RF - as coffee is his thing. We talked more about what specifically will be worked on. RF has a significant concern about his sense of past tense. A wants to work on vocabulary, pronunciation and intonation and RF is also concerned about verb tenses in general, vocabulary and grammar. He has a degree in engineering in Chile and I think the sense of academic language that he has experienced in his native language is what he misses being able to convey in his second language. He is very excited that I know some Spanish - although less than the English he knows - but between the both of us, we will navigate this. I am feeling a little overwhelmed, as I wasn't expecting not seeing WS and meeting A. If they want help, I will help them. Fortunately, even though I graduate in December, I am still taking TESL courses to complete my minor, so we will be able to work together over an extended period of time. Whether I teach ESL in the public schools, I can always help ELLs in other ways. My major is Communication Arts and Literature, so that is where my first tendency is. I also let them know that next weekend is pretty much out for me. This situation seems to be going very slow, due to the different participants - but we will find a way to manage.