My name is Maryam and I’m currently a 2nd year PhD student in the field of Bilingualism at Bangor University. My research is investigating the reading skills of Arabic-English bilingual children with DLD (Developmental Language Disorder). I am originally from Jordan and speak English and Arabic fluently, I learned German while studying for my bachelor’s degree, and I am currently learning Welsh and Spanish.
Why did you sign up for the project initially and what made you come back for a second year?
When I saw a post about signing up for the MFL project last year, I was super excited! The opportunity to work with school children, motivate them about language(s) AND get paid – it was a dream come true! Visiting the schools and inspiring the learners through the creative resources the MFL team created made this project so fun, I had to come back for a second year. Also, the MFL team are the most supportive, fun and inspiring team to work with. Not only have I come back for a second year with the MFL Mentoring Project, I’ve also joined their Love Reading Project because I love reading and it’s related to my PhD.
What skills have you gained or developed during your time as a mentor?
The skills I have gained have been many, from having to adapt my presentation style to fit with the needs of the students to growing more confident in presenting in front of a group of students. The resources are so creative and they have helped me with being more creative and it has definitely inspired me to continue on my language learning journey.
What have been the highlights for you during your time as
a mentor?
The best highlight from my time as a mentor was in the second semester of the project, it was the last session with the learners, and they all expressed how much they wished the sessions were a permanent thing. They loved every minute of the sessions and did not want them to end – one student was like: “I wish this was a year round thing”.
Do you have any advice or tips for current or future mentors?
My one advice would be to not stress, the teachers are great and will help you if you find yourself struggling with a group of learners, but also rely on the MFL project team because they are here to help you – always ask them if you’re unsure about something, they are great at replying!