This Fall 2020 semester has been very different from other semesters here in the English Language Academy, but thanks to our new interns, we have been able to continue serving students even during these uncertain times. Many of our teachers aren’t able to teach our students in person due to health concerns, but our interns assist the teachers in our classrooms as the teachers teach virtually. Our interns assist with questions the students may have, issuing worksheets and handouts, test proctoring, and assisting students in understanding the material.
So, we have our interns to thank for helping us reconfigure our Intensive English Program so that we can keep our students and teachers as safe and healthy while also allowing our students to have the in-person full immersive experience.
This week, we want to introduce you to our other in-class facilitator Jaume Aguilo Ramos. We introduced you to Jaume earlier this semester because he also volunteers as our Student Activities Coordinator. This week, we wanted to get to know him a little bit better. Check out our interview with him.
What is your name, and what are you studying?
My name is Jaume, and I am doing a master’s degree in TESOL and applied linguistics.
How did you learn about the English Language Academy?
I looked online for English courses in the Milwaukee area. I liked what I saw on the ELA’s website and decided to enroll in their program in the summer of 2019.
What do you do as an intern here in the English Language Academy?
I work as a facilitator. It’s similar to a teacher’s assistant, only the actual teacher is connected to the class virtually. My job is to make the teacher-student interaction as easy as possible. My tasks also involve making copies, proctoring tests, and helping students when online communication is not working.
How have you worked with ELA in the past?
I have volunteered as a conversation leader for both the graduate and undergraduate level conversation group. I am now the Student Activities coordinator for the ELA department: I design, organize and, sometimes, host events for international students. I also collaborate with other departments to expand the available activities for the international community at UWM. In addition, I volunteer as a tutor for students who need extra help with their studies.
How will your experiences here help you in the future?
My dream is to work as an English teacher in Japan. I believe working as an intern here in the ELA department, along with all the volunteer work I do, will allow me to gain experience and acquire leadership and teaching skills that will play a decisive role in my future.
What is the biggest challenge you have faced working as an intern?
I think the biggest challenge is to work amid a pandemic. There are a lot of problems that can foil the normal development of a class. Technology problems are commonplace.
What do you love the most about working with ELA?
I am surrounded by extremely experienced teachers from whom I can learn. It’s the perfect environment to acquire teaching experience! In addition, the ELA has a very friendly and supportive environment in which it is very easy to thrive.
We love having Jaume work with us, and having experiences as an international student here in the United States as well mean that he is able to assist our students in their cultural adjustment as well as their English-language improvement. If you are a international student at UWM and are interested learning more about the kinds of activities Jaume plans, email him at
jaume@uwm.edu. We’d love to have you join us!