Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the English Immersion Program started this year 2018 on January 15. Today a week ago the students were thrown into the trenches of the evaluation and “placement test” to determine in what position or level they will be. Usually, after these exams are given, the Second French Revolution is dispersed in the English Immersion teaching centers, where the coordinators or the office staff mostly suffer.

These are the reasons why bilingual education becomes apocalyptic in the first two weeks. What to do in those cases?

1. But I came with my boyfriend from far to be in the same course and now they separated us.

See…, we understand what you say; unfortunately, you have an intermediate level of English and your partner has a basic level. If we put you together, then the English teacher will have to slow down the learning process so that it balances with his.

2. I do not like the group that they put me in.

You have a scholarship; and normally you are not asked in the scholarship form in what classroom you would like to be in.

3. I have very good English and they put me in intermediate. I want to be in advanced.

We know that you have a degree in Applied Linguistics and that you can self-assess yourself. However, it is the job of the Staff and the coordinators to establish the results of the placement tests for the students. These results are given after taking an exam that contains vocabulary, grammar and reading. Then you are given an oral examination. You may speak a little more than the intermediate ones, but if you were put in intermediate, it is because the results showed that level; not because you were pointed by a finger: “Put him with the intermediates.”

4. I liked my first teacher. Now they gave me one that I do not understand.

Your anger at having been changed the first week when you already made your “choir” and met your teacher, is well understood. But the rule is the rules. Just like you could adapt the first week, we are sure that you can find the same friendship if you put a positive mind.

Forks. People make mistakes.

But the reasons mentioned above will only bring you conflict and bad experiences. The coordinators, the professors and the office staff are people highly prepared by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, and will be there to help you; but try to embrace the reasons of the results and understand that there is a purpose for which they have put you where they did.

We congratulate you for having taken the great experience of turning your life bilingual. You will not regret it a single bit.