My Third Grade Speech

Third grade soccer is my earliest memory of embarrassment. My remembrance coming from the conversation with one of my teammates asking which grade I was in. The simple response of “third grade” had resulted in a patter of laughter. My mispronunciation of the word “third” turned the grade into a matter of feces. That is when I began to be self-conscious of my speech. I had been in the English as a Second Language program throughout elementary school, and in the fifth grade I realized my biggest errors in the English language were the pronunciations of the “th” and “sh” sounds which slurred into my speech. The former explained my prior difficulty in the third grade. Growing up speaking both French and English has been a double-edge sword, creating …show more content…
I attempted the most arduous of classes to ensure that no one would think of me as incapable. I juggled playing the flute in the school band and cheering at football games through the rough years of middle school- how could I not be liked? I had ventured three times to skip a grade in math, finally succeeding the summer of my ninth grade year. I was trying to prove to myself, as well as the counselor who told me I couldn’t, that I was apt enough, smart enough. I now join numerous Honor Societies and clubs that introduced me to volunteering- to be a support for others. I got a job at 16 to surround myself with people of all backgrounds, helping with my communication and interpersonal skills. Miscommunication continues to be a fear of mine often resorting to Franglish to avoid the humid feeling of embarrassment that comes with mispronunciation. As I grew and emerged myself in situations I would probably not have if I were not trying to prove nor challenge myself, I have gained confidence in myself, and have received support from encouraging friends, devoted teachers, and a loving family who accept me, accent and