My name is Huda Hamad, Emirate girl from a simple family I was the first child my dad didn’t

complete his education, but he is able to read and write my mum was is illiterate she missed
the chance to go to school. But they are always my first supporter in my learning journey. I
speak and write in Arabic and English. The school was the community and the environment
where I develop my first and second language in my house there is no one could help me
with my languages my mum used to sit with me and watch me while I do my homework’s
because this is the only way she can provide me help but she used to encourage me when I
do my homework. When I was in great for this was the first time we had a nanny in our
house during that time during that time my English was pretty well because of the school
but my English get better and better since she came because now I had someone to talk to.

I started my learning journey in KG 2, my personality was very shy and my social

communication with kids was weak because I live in a house that there are no other kids but
me and my four years old brother. My first language was extra good since I was really young
because my mum used to talk to me as if I am an adult and that spelt my Arabic language in
other hand, I didn’t speak any English word at all because there is no one speaking English
surrounding me.

Since I was young, I believe that the reason of my intelligent is hard-working are used to
love reading and I love doing my homework’s I really enjoy them. My mum was a big role of
this habit she uses to encourage me all the time she used to sit next to me and watching me
doing my homework. My mum is illiterate she didn’t have the chance to go to school and I
think this is why my mum was giving our education a very big importance in her life she used
to help me and encourage me and rewarded me every time I did my homework and every
time, I get a high score in my exams.

When I start going to KG, I didn’t know how to react with other kids from my first day to
boys hit me and I didn’t even cry but I was really scared so when I came home, I told my
mum that I don’t want to go to school anymore, and I hate it. The next day my mum let me
stay at home but the third day she came with me and she sit with me she also helps me to
introduce myself to the class and she bring some candies with her and share it with the kids
so that can help me build a good relationship with the kids.

I still remember my teacher Miss Mariam even after about 15 years now. She was really kind
teacher and she always help me speaking up and read. I was really good at Arabic on reading
and writing as well I was one of the top students in my class. My level in English was good
back then they used to teach us the alphabets and how to write them in capital letter and
small letter along with our names and father’s names. There was an exam at the end of each
week I remember I was always getting a high mark on all of my quizzes and exams in both
English and Arabic.

From grade 1 till grade 5 I always one of the top three students at the end of each semester.
As I said before I think the reason why my both languages second and first language are
developing really fast is because of my love for studying specially in my second language I
really loved talking and speaking in English with my teachers and my friends obviously there
is a big difference between the English back then and English nowadays. My mum used to
send me to our neighborhood girl she used to teach me how to read in English and she used
to help me with math as well and my mum was paying for her. On the other hand, I was
helping my little two brothers with their English since I have someone to help me.

From grade 1 to grade 3 my English was really good based on my age my teachers were also
helping me they used to give me a worksheet to finish at home they used to ask me to read
loud at the class. On other hand my Arabic language was good as well on grade 2 and 3 they
used to teach us how to write a story and I really like it I love imagining scenarios and write
it down, my mum was always listening to my stories and helping me with ideas also she pied
me a lot of handwriting books from the bookshop because my handwriting was kind of small
and my teachers told my mum about that when my mum come to my school meetings and
meet my teachers.

During this period, I remember how I really loved English and I really love to talk English with
my teachers unfortunately I don’t have anyone surround me at my house environment that
can talk English with me. But this couldn’t stop my passion on learning English and speaking
English my mum used to look for some summer Institute for a training English, so I don’t to
lose my English.

When I graduate from grade 3 my mum took me to the bookshop and told me I can buy five
English books, back then I was really into music and I remember I liked one directions songs
and so many other artists. I saw a magazine that have my favorite artists pictures so I asked
my mum if I can buy, and she said yes. Then I brought three other stories and one
dictionary. I remember I spend a lot of time reading the magazine over and over I really liked
it. And when I read a word that I don’t understand what it is means I look it up on the
dictionary to understand it.

I also loved to watch kids TV shows and cartoons on CN, Disney Junior and Nickelodeon. My
dad used to pay for these channels we were having fun watching these carton and TVs
shows at the same time these where is the big role to improve my English language.
I was also into music I remember my mum brought me and iPod as a gift when I have the
second place on great four. One day my mum surprise me with a very beautiful pink
notebook with unicorn pencil and colorful pens kit, she told me I can throw down my diary
in English in this notebook. This was my mother’s way to help me.

My first language during this period was very good. I was one of the best students in my
class I always used to participate on the morning assembly with my Arabic and Islamic
teachers.

From grade 6 till high school my English was getting better and better. In grade eight my
mum brought me my first phone having this phone was a very huge helpful way to me are
used to listen to music while showing the lyrics which makes me understand the meaning of
the words even more, also by watching movies on my phone my English gets way better
specially my speaking skill.

On other hand in high school, I kind of struggle and Arabic because it was really hard for me
specially at the last year of my high school, but I always try to keep up with the teacher
asked them for help if I don’t understand specific think on the lesson, I also communicate
with my classmates asking for help. Till this day I don’t know what was the reason that I
struggle with Arabic, but I think I lose my interest on it and also the curriculum was very
hard.

Coming to college was the biggest step of development on my English, speaking reading and
writing I improved so much during these three years of my life. Since my foundation I can
see how much improvement I had on my vocabulary and my grammar each week we have a
test of 40 words we have to understand the meaning of the words and put it on a sentence
this was a huge help for me since I thought, and I have weakness on my grammar.

I had Arabic classes in college I think my Arabic level is the same since high school I don’t
think I have such a noticeable improvement.