Patient and Caring Language Tutoring - A Learner’s Experience
The Access2English (A2E) program at Archway Community Services works with volunteers to provide English tutoring to those seeking to improve their English skills. Yolanda Wang wrote to express her appreciation for her volunteer tutor, Diane. Here is her beautiful expression of appreciation:
I came from northern China and moved to Canada twelve years ago. For a long time, I was studying English in different classes, including writing courses at UFV and other language programs. I was always trying, but I still didn’t feel confident speaking. Sometimes, when I talked, my classmates would just smile politely, and someone once said, “I can’t really understand what you’re saying.” That moment stayed with me.
Things slowly changed when I started learning with Diane Martens.
She was the first teacher who really helped me feel that my English could improve in a clear and practical way. In her one-and-a-half-hour lessons, she didn’t just teach in a general way. She worked on listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and also used online materials to guide me step by step. Everything felt structured, but also very patient. Before each class, she spent a lot of time preparing carefully. After class, she didn’t just move on—she would record my pronunciation mistakes and send them to me. I could listen to them while driving or waiting for my kids. It made learning feel like something I could carry into my daily life, not just something in the classroom. What helped me most was that she noticed the patterns in my pronunciation. She even found research and online materials about common pronunciation habits for East Asian learners, and prepared recordings and passages for me to review so I could improve my pronunciation more accurately. That gave me a clear direction instead of feeling lost, and I could finally see what I needed to work on, little by little.
Looking back, I think what changed everything was not only the lessons, but the way she taught—with patience, attention, and real care for my progress. With her help, I started to feel more understood, and I also started to understand myself better in English. I am truly grateful to Diane Martens. I also feel very lucky to have met her, and through her I saw a real example of Canada as an inclusive and welcoming multicultural country. Her elegant and thoughtful presence also influenced me in subtle ways, and it has helped me greatly in integrating into local culture and interacting with colleagues.
In my work, I still sometimes face challenges about my English pronunciation or the way I express my sentences. But I no longer feel insecure like I used to. Now I respond calmly and confidently, saying that English is my second language, and I am continuing to improve.
In my heart, she is like a beautiful dogwood—confident, calm, quiet, yet strong and resilient.
Sincerely,
Yolanda Wang
