Aisha
14-year-old of Somali descent, lives in Ottawa
Assignment 1 Example — Aisha
About Aisha: Aisha is a 14-year-old girl of Somali descent who lives in Ottawa. She's focused, driven, and deeply connected to her cultural heritage.
Aisha identified a problem in her local community related to language education. Here's what she wrote:
"My parents suggested and thought it would be a good idea for my siblings and I to have a better grasp of our mother tongue. I can completely understand Somali and still speak it fluently — especially with my mother, whose English is her second language.
When I went with my dad to register for the International Language course towards the end of the summer, Somali as a language was only being offered virtually/synchronously (at the elementary level, 8th grade for me). There were other languages being offered in in-person classes, for both morning and afternoon on Saturdays.
I find this to be quite odd. If I was trying to learn a new language, I would want to be able to interact with my peers who are also learning that same language — especially since languages are embedded within one's heritage and culture. I would find it difficult to interact with peers in a virtual environment, and for me this is a problem. Not everyone excels in an online/virtual environment, and it can be limiting when we are trying to learn or improve language skills where interaction is absolutely necessary.
I'm not quite sure why this is so. Maybe it's because there is a lack of space. If there is staff to teach it virtually, then that staff can also teach in person. My solution would be to offer the class in-person or as a hybrid format so that students who feel comfortable in a virtual environment can excel within that, while others can participate in-person. This is something I would definitely like to pursue and propose to the International Languages Office."
Notice how Aisha:
- Identified a specific community (Somali-Canadian families in Ottawa interested in heritage language education)
- Described a clear problem (Somali language classes only offered online, while other languages are offered in-person)
- Proposed an initial solution idea (offer hybrid or in-person format)
How will you approach your own assignment?