My Timeline

• Up to age nine I was born in Baghdad, Iraq

• Spoke Arabic

• Completed the third grade there

• Learned speaking, writing, and reading through school & family

•  Came into the U.S. not knowing a single letter of the English language

• I spent my first few month with my cousins who spoke English fluently

• There were a few years younger, but always spoke English, so I picked up some words and phrases

•  Always would be watching cartoons which helped me pick up more things

• 4-5^th grade I was surrounded by people who spoke both English and Arabic

• They helped me out with some of my assignment and answered any questions I had

• I started listening music, it motivated me

• I would print out lyrics and just sing along

• With the lyrics, I caught on more words

• I started becoming literate through looking at pictures and re-writing words and sentences over and over again

• By then I knew a little bit, but not enough to understand what my teacher is fully saying

• I had a tutor up to the end of fifth grade

• By the time I got to the 6^th grade, I had picked up enough to communicate well with others and be in regular classes

• My family was the biggest impact on be becoming literate

• I have a cousin who would always sit and teach me a few things every now and then

• Throughout the years, I was laughed at and made fun of because I wasn’t fully literate, but that’s what made me determined to be literate

• I’d always ask questions, whether it was to my teacher or a family member

• I would stay and talk to my teacher

• With a little bit of time, I learned quick

• I was being motivated by my family, and what pushed me harder were the people who made fun of the way I was literate

• At home, two languages were being spoken

• When I’m with friends, my language differs than when I am with family

• When I’m with family, I mix both languages together

• In high school I had the best teachers who helped become even more literate

•  Learned to become literate through many things: Books, family, music lyrics, television, friends etc.