In the essay, “Me Talk Pretty One Day,” David Sedaris tells us about his experience going to the

Alliance
Francaise at the age of 41 and learning French. It was an unpleasant experience because it was very hard
for him to adjust to a new environment. He was older, and learning a new language wasn’t easy. Sedaris
argues with the teacher, because she is giving him a hard time. The teacher shows him tough love on
purpose; Even though this was an unpleasant experience Sedaris gained knowledge from it. At the end
of the semester, he understood each and every French word. Sedaris learned by arguing with his
teacher, but in my experience, cooperating with a teacher, being flexible, and studying hard can make
us learn another language.

I. Cooperating with a teacher makes us learn another language

a. Sedaris
b. My experience in ENG099
c. Example from movies
i. Lean on Me
ii. Freedom Riders
d. Being flexible makes us learn another language
e. Trying to understand different cultures, different nationalities
f. Tolerated teacher being mean, didn’t drop the class—stuck with it.
II. Studying hard can make us learn another language
a. Spending extra time learning

In conclusion, cooperating with a teacher can bring more benefits than arguing with the teacher. Also,
learning a new language can give us more opportunities for the future. Students should do what David
Sedaris didn’t do: be patient and respect your teacher.
Students should do what David Sedaris did: be argumentative and give your opinion. That can open
doors to new ideas.