When Walli, Malek, Moussa, and Lamine – fictitious names to protect their identities – arrived in the Canary Islands, they felt fear and uncertainty, but also a desire to start a new life. The first barrier they encountered, one of many, was the language, which is vastly different from what they spoke in Mali.
After some time, they landed in Puerto de la Cruz, where they currently reside. Although they communicate with each other in their native language, they manage in Spanish, which they are improving daily thanks to classes facilitated by the municipal department of Citizen Participation and the group Aquí estamos migrando, aimed at raising awareness about migration and promoting social inclusion in the community.
The beneficiaries include around twenty young male migrants from Mali, Gambia, and Senegal, aged between 16 and 17, who attend classes two days a week, specifically on Mondays and Wednesdays. These classes take place in the Miguel Díaz Molina Sports Pavilion and are essential for their daily lives and the key to unlocking opportunities for their future: mastering the language.
The project began in January and resumed last week. In the first class of this new term, the students shared what they liked about Tenerife, how they spent the summer, and whether they had taken up new activities or made new friends, even joking about having “a girlfriend” while making efforts to write correctly and paying attention to their teacher, Emma Servando.
The class served as a reconnection after the holidays, allowing them to discuss their experiences and the farewell of a classmate who had obtained asylum.
One of them shared that during the summer he had a girlfriend named Anabella, who is German. They met at the pier and communicated “a bit in Spanish and a bit in German.” Now that she has returned to her country, they keep in touch through social media.
Beyond their origins, they share many interests. From sports, as they all enjoy football, to food. This summer, they tried pizza in all its variations—four cheese, Margherita, and chicken—and could not stop praising it.
They are also united by their values. When asked what they disliked, most confessed “problems and fights,” as they are individuals who avoid any form of conflict.
Many experts note that language is a fundamental requirement for integration, and achieving this is much easier if one masters the linguistic skills of the host country. This can be particularly challenging if the languages do not share the same linguistic family, as is the case with African languages, which exhibit great diversity.
Most of them speak up to three languages because migration within Africa is common. These languages often have similarities and they usually understand each other. Additionally, they are proficient in French, can manage in English, and some even “pigeon” German.
It is no coincidence that most learn Spanish easily and quickly. However, there remains work to be done in writing since those unfamiliar with the language tend to copy without understanding, making writing more difficult. “It is essential to comprehend before transcribing words,” explains Emma.
The young people understand that they need to master reading and writing to integrate and secure job opportunities. Emma tries to teach them useful words that they encounter daily, such as passport, paperwork, appointment, or doctor, providing them with a more straightforward way to start writing.
Some of them have not been schooled, hence their learning style is completely different. “The class is complex because there are various levels, making it difficult to convey strict academic concepts about the language,” the teacher points out.
To facilitate their learning, Emma focuses on each student who attends her class, fostering a group spirit in a safe space where they feel at ease, and encouraging connections with each other.
Even if they do not fully understand the language, she highlights the most important factors: their attitude and eagerness to learn such a different language “while facing other forms of education and leading an independent life from a young age, away from home,” she stresses.
Integration is much more than language, and it requires the commitment of society as a whole. “These young people bring a wealth of values, such as effort, dedication to their work, and a strong desire to learn, in this case, Spanish. For that reason alone, they deserve more than one opportunity,” the teacher believes.
“We must consider their psychological well-being”
Last week, the councillor for Citizen Participation, David Hernández, welcomed the young people, asked how they had spent their summer, and showed interest in their well-being and how they arrived on the island.
Hernández emphasised that the ultimate goal of this project, which encompasses areas beyond literacy, “is to ensure that the integration process for migrants is as humane as possible, taking into account academic learning and psychological and emotional well-being.”
