"Speak Dutch with me"
"Speak Dutch with me"
“Wherever I go in Beersel, I speak Dutch. It is good practice for me. So please, speak Dutch with me,” smiles Saoudatou Diallo. Since September, she has been following the Dutch for care assistants programme, ZorgNed+.
“In Guinea, I mainly spoke French. I have now been living in Beersel for five years and our children go to a Dutch speaking school. At the beginning, during parent meetings, I understood almost nothing. I found that difficult, because I want to understand everything. I had already followed an integration course and now I really want to improve my Dutch. If you speak both French and Dutch, it is an advantage when looking for a good job. The fact that we also learn Dutch in this programme motivates me even more. But what matters most is learning how to communicate well with older people.”
Learning beyond the classroom
You learn a language by using it. This became clear during an observation internship at Henri Vander Stokken care home in Pepingen. “There, I heard a lot of dialect. Older people spoke very differently from what we learn in class. I did not understand everything right away. Afterwards, in class, our teacher took the time to explain things in more detail.”
“During the internship, I mainly observed how care assistants talk to older people. Good communication is so important. I was also able to help during meals, which allowed me to practise Dutch. I do not know why, but working with older people really suits me. The personal contact means a lot to me.”
Saoudatou also feels personally motivated. “Older people or people with disabilities need extra support. I experience this myself too: one of our children has autism. My husband helps a lot. He supports the children with their homework and picks them up from school. That allows me to focus on my studies. My dream is to get my diploma and work in a care home. Helping people is a very valuable job.”