ESL Students Visit The Autry Museum of the West

On a recent field trip, The ESL School at NYFA Los Angeles students were reminded that local history goes much further than the streets of Hollywood. At the Autry Museum of the West, students were able to visit an old Western saloon, view film memorabilia and historic firearms, and also star in their own personal Western! There were vests, hats, and other prop clothes for them to wear. When they were ready, they pressed a button on the saddle that cued the classic upbeat horse-riding tune Rossini’s “William Tell Overture Final.” Waving a cowboy hat in the air, the students pretended they were riding through the Wild West.

“My favorite part of the museum visit was seeing the costumes and guns because they are symbols of the American West,” said Level 5 ESN student Weiyu “Tony” Sun. “As cinema students, it was also interesting to see the movie items (memorabilia).”

They also practiced their English by interacting with the docents and asking/answering questions. Having recently learned about Argentinian cowboys in their Listening & Speaking class, the Level 3 students were eager to discuss the differences between the cowboys of the American West and those in Latin America.

“Our tour guide was very interesting,” said Xuan Gao, or “Mia,” also a Level 5 ESN student. “She sang a western song and danced for us. She seemed very excited.”

The ESL School at NYFA understands that bridging the gap between textbook and real life is important in language acquisition. Instructor Kendall Nelson noted, “The Autry Museum was a wonderful cultural experience that enlightened all of us. The depth of detail presented in the tour and exhibits really brought the West alive for students and teachers!”