4.3 Shows recognition of your own potential prejudices & projections, noting ways you hope to overcome them 

English is my second language but it is the first language I was formally taught and learnt in school.  I was born in the Philippines and before I turned 5 my family moved to Papua New Guinea.  We lived there for 13 years and I attended international primary and high schools. Because of these circumstances I was privileged, from an early age, to have classmates and teachers from different cultures and parts of the world.  My family moved back to Philippines after I had finished year 10 and I was fortunate to study university where I learnt to appreciate and understand my culture more.

Before I started school I could speak and understand Tagalog but I never received any formal lessons in school, I don’t think I understood or spoke much English then either. It was difficult for me back then, because unlike the other children I had to learn to speak and understand English at an older age whereas many of my classmates had been hearing and speaking it since birth.    

I appreciate the challenges children who have English as their second language go through because I can say I have been in their shoes. At the same time I believe we have an advantage because we are fluent in two, others sometimes more, languages. Because of my experience I hope to be more supportive but not limited only to children with English as their second language.