If you are a teacher or mental health worker and
work with Latino immigrants youth this is the tool for you!
In a fun and non-threatening way, they will share their dreams, fears and challenges
as well as work through issues that may impact their academic, social and emotional learning.
My Journey to the United States -
Mis Pasos a los Estados Unidos
Bilingual Board Game
Object of the Game
The object of the game is to have everyone move around the board as if they are once again traveling from their country to the United States. They take turns throwing the dice and along the way they answer questions relevant to their actual trip with regards to their feelings, changes and what thy experienced on their journey here. They have six opportunities to go back to "My Country, Mi País" (spinner) where they can answer specific questions regarding things that may be unique and positive about their native country. As the children share their thoughts, and feelings, several social and/or therapeutic processes may occur. The youth get acquainted with each other and begin to realize that others may share their experiences, feelings and turmoil that may help to reduce their sense of isolation. As an ice breaker, it allows each person the unique opportunity to bond with other youth and adults in this country which is the first step in the assimilation process. Therapeutically, the youth will begin to feel that there are adults who are caring, understanding and helpful. Sharing affords the facilitator the opportunity to validate and help the youth work through their feelings and experiences. Building a trusting relationship with an adult is crucial for their continual adjustment to a new country and their psycho-social development and sense of security.
For youth who have experienced trauma this game can facilitate those discussions once trust is built. The game can be played with one youth and an adult or in a group setting. Therapist can also use this as a tool in family therapy to facilitate discussion in the reunification process when children have been separated from their parents for years.
For more information see the FAQ section
If you work with immigrant youth and their family, this game is a must have as it is the only one of it's kind. Take the next step and order one or get your school/agency to order one or several.
About Us
ELL GAMES, Incorporated was established in 2010 by Vilma E. Matos, LCSW to meet the emotional and educational needs of Latino immigrant students. Through her experience as a bilingual school social worker, she designed what is believed to be the first of its kind bilingual board game to assist immigrant youth in acclimating to their new country.
For years she witnessed this vulnerable yet resilient population struggle with the difficulties of a new country, language, culture and school. Many had to adjust to the reunification of the family, reconnecting with parents they have not seen for years.
With their needs being so great, she initiated a weekly newcomer support group for Latino immigrant students predominantly from Central America (unaccompanied minors) where she conducted activities to help them open up and share their experiences. She piecemeal different games to find a fun solution to meet this growing need. Over time she began to search catalogs and the internet for games, activities and literature to use with this group. Unfortunately, she found very few resources.
The proverbial light bulb went off and the idea to design the game herself was born. After several design trials and with professional and student feedback, she believes the game's final version is entertaining while at the same time cathartic. Students enjoy playing “My Journey to the United States – Mis Pasos a los Estados Unidos”© (see testimonials) and are in awe as to how much they have in common and how they respect each other’s differences. Teachers commented that these students are more relaxed and look forward to attending the newcomer group as well as participating in the activities offered.
Ms. Matos welcomes you to try this innovative tool and take this journey with your students/clients and develop a long lasting bond they will never forget. Then the real work of teaching, learning or recovering from their experiences can begin.
ABOUT THE GAME DESIGNER: Ms. Matos is a licensed, clinical bilingual social worker in the state of New York and has over 40 years of psychiatric and school social work experience. In 1987, she advocated for and spearheaded the first Hispanic Day Treatment Mental Health Program in the state of New York which continues to this day. For 18 years, she worked in the Huntington School District where she conducted support groups for Latino students. In June 2015, she retired to dedicate more time to enlightening others (school personnel and mental health workers) through her presentations on best practices when working with Latino immigrant youth and their families.
She was the past second vice president of the National Association of Puerto Rican Hispanic Social Workers, chair of the Scholarship and Membership Committees as well as serving on the advisory board of the Association of Mental Health and Wellness of Suffolk County as well as on the Planning Committee of Suffolk County's Department of Community Mental Hygiene Services. She is a member of the Long Island Latino Teachers Association.
Ms. Matos has received numerous honors for her dedication to Latino causes to include Suffolk County Human Rights Commission's Volunteerism Award; the NASW Social Worker of the Year Award from the Suffolk County Chapter as well as the National Association of Puerto Rican Hispanic Social Workers' Social Worker of the Year Award.
THANK YOU FOR VISITING
Speaker Bureau
Are you looking for a SPEAKER on the topic of Latino Immigration specializing in
the area of unaccompanied minors from Central America?
Read below
Founder & President of
ELL Games, Inc.Latino Immigrant Consultant
Ms. Matos has been conducting PowerPoint presentations for school personnel and mental health workers on best practices when working with the Latino immigrant youth and their families. She has presenting on Long Island, New York, where she resides, as well as presenting at conferences in Atlanta, GA; New York City, Chicago, IL and Washington, DC. She comes with over 20 years of experience working with Latino immigrants as a bilingual school social worker and individual and group therapist.
Please read below for more information on each presentation as well as testimonials.
Contact us for a complete Curricula Vitae, with any questions or to set up a workshop.
Call 631 807-2822 or email at www.ELLGamesinc@gmail.com
Understanding the Challenges of the
Undocumented Latino Youth
and What You Can Do to Help©
For teachers and other school personnel.
The month long journey to the U.S. is often traumatic for adults and children. It is fraught with danger and uncertainty, life threatening situations, walking for days, sleeping in the wilderness, and the fear and reality of being caught and detained at the border. For children this journey is life changing. Once here they have to reconnect and live with parents and siblings they have not seen in years or have never met. This often results in family upheaval and discord. The family reunification is then compounded with culture shock, learning English, and attending a new school with its unfamiliar system and rules. The presentation will describe this journey as well as school based interventions to assist these youth in their adjustment as well as review strategies school staff can implement to help the immigrant feel welcomed and engaged for learning.
Therapeutic Implications When Working With
Latino Immigrant Youth and Their Families©
For social workers, psychologists, case workers
This presentation reviews the topics of pre-migration, migration and post-migration and its effect on recent Central American unaccompanied minors. The violence in Central America, month long journey to the United States and the acculturation and the reunification of the family all of which can have negative ramifications on immigrant youth and their family will be included. These overwhelming factors can cause depression, anxiety and PTSD to name a few. Educational failure, self-harm, suicidal ideation and attempts are common symptoms. This presentation, for Spanish speaking and non-Spanish speaking mental health workers, will teach culturally relevant mental health assessment, engagement and intervention techniques to use with this growing population. A case study will be reviewed during longer presentations.
How to Conduct Latino Immigrant Newcomer
Support Groups in Schools& Mental Health Clinics©
For social workers, psychologists, case workers
Many schools and mental health clinics are receiving an unexpected influx of Latino youth from Central America who have experienced many life changing experiences while living in their native country, during their month long journey to the United States and adjusting to a new country, school system, culture and family members they have not seen for years. This presentation will review the emotional impact that unaccompanied minors face and how a Newcomer support group can help them adjust.
Latino Parent Groups
Lo Que Debes Saber Para Ayudar a Su Hijo Inmigrante y Cómo Reunir a Su Familia Después de Años de Separación©
and others
For social workers, psychologists, case workers
Presentations for immigrant parents are offered in Spanish on various topics such as how to help the reunification of the family, the importance of routine and discipline, getting involved in your children's education, relationship and mental issues affecting their children, etc.
Testimonial
"We have been so pleased by the professional development series Ms. Matos has provided for the Amityville School District. Her work with teachers, clinicians and administrators has helped to develop a deep understanding of the experience of many of the students in our community. Her presentations are engaging, thorough and interactive. Participants consistently provide positive feedback about her work with us."
Mary A. Stephens, Director of ENL and World Languages
Amityville UFSDTestimonial
The Immigrant Experiences of Long Island Children
I was part of a panel at Eastern Suffolk BOCES discussing the Immigrant experiences of many of our children on Long Island. The panel was organized by the Health and Welfare Council of Long Island and included a presentation by Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Vilma Matos. Many in the audience were school district superintendents and school principals.
Ms. Matos has decades of experience working with immigrant children. She devoted her remarks to helping the school administrators at the presentation understand the recently arrived Central American refugee children. She told them that the newcomer children often feel “culturally deprived because they may have left behind their friends, their music, their community, and their church in coming to the U.S.” This can leave them with a sense of grief and longing. However, if they receive support here on Long Island, “after a year or so they begin to see the United States as their home and they start to thrive.”
Ms. Matos told the school officials that newly arrived students don’t understand how education in the United States works and she said that they should take time to explain it. “They may not realize that schools have a code of conduct,” she said, adding that in Central America school often do not have a code and student behavior is dealt with in an ad hoc way by teachers. By learning the rules early, immigrant students can avoid conflict with authorities.
Drawing on her work with parents, Ms. Matos suggested that teachers adopt a friendly tone with Central American adults. If they don’t, the parents will often feel intimidated and will not look to the teacher to collaborate in the immigrant child’s development. She also pointed out that immigrant parents often don’t understand the role of mental health services in education. “If you tell a mother that her child needs therapy, she may interpret it as you saying her child is crazy,” Matos warned.
With immigrant children the fastest growing sector of the student population on Long Island, the school officials said that they wanted to bring similar presentations to their staffs.
Eastern BOCES Presentation
As always, you provide such a wonderful, comprehensive and high impact presentation. I hope that many schools will invite you to present to their full staff. I feel that your message is easily heard and carried forth by the school social workers, however, the school social workers seldom have an opportunity to present to their full faculty. I remain optimistic that most school adults, when given information like this, will come to realize how important their words and actions are, and how much they can support or hinder a young person’s success. For these reasons, I hope that you can make more building level presentations at schools. I also hope that our workshops help to network you with more schools that believe in your message and truly want to be supportive.
In great appreciation for your time, passion, and expertise.
Joan Fretz
