Most immigrants who come to the United States want to feel comfortable and at home in their new country, but they face many challenges. For immigrants who do not speak English as their native language—the language they learned as children—learning English is one of the biggest challenges to overcome. Young people who come to the U.S. have to start school immediately, often before they can speak much English. Three of the teen immigrants you meet in this lesson had to learn English in the United States; Fatima was the only one who already spoke English.

This video shows how one teen immigrant, Luincys, struggled as she tried to learn English. As you watch, think about how Luincys responded to not knowing the English language in school. Click on the right to watch the video.

How was Luincys affected by not being able to speak English in school?