New Haven Independent

The students shared their work in Sudler Hall at Yale University. All are attending Yale’s English Language Institute (ELI) this summer, which teaches English as a second language to a select group. Some students are college students, at Yale and at Gateway, and 8 others attend New Haven Public Schools.

“It’s nice, wonderful,” said Salah Musaed, pictured, about his experience at the ELI. Musaed moved from Yemen to New Haven a year ago and is a senior at Hillhouse.

ELI is a six-week long program. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday students concentrate on their English language studies, including reading, writing and speaking lessons. Twice a week students attend an elective class. Poetry, fiction writing and video production are just three choices.

Three short videos from the video workshop class were shown as well. All were comedies. One was a love story, another a detective story and the last a spoof of an assimilation story called “American Dream.”

Jan Hortas is the director of ELI and has been since 1984. She said they began with the readings and screenings 10 years ago.

“The students work hard,” she said. “And it’s nice to come out and support them.”

One students poem was about moving ahead in life and all the emotions, both good and bad, that result. It was an idea that many in the room probably understood.

“She took one step forward, and it was just like flying through the air.”

Wednesday’s event gave the students a chance to share with each other. Enthusiastic applause and infectious laughter was all over the room.