Developing ESL programs for our community will fill a critical need in our community. According to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau, 51.8% of people who live in Ridgefield Park speak a language other than English in their home (U.S. Census Bureau, 2019).
In 2019 I began three different adult ESL programs. One program was a Conversational ESL program run by one of our staff members who is a teacher. Another program was a beginners ESL program run by a retired teacher and a friend of hers. This was run at night once a week. The third program was also run by a retired teacher once a week in the morning.
The key to this program is to find volunteers. Most people don't understand you do not have to speak Spanish or any other language to teach this class. In fact, according to Proliteracy, it is strongly recommended only to speak English in this program. I do believe it is a great advantage to be a teacher in order to successfully run this program especially when you have students who have various needs.
ProLiteracy, the largest adult literacy and basic education membership organization in the nation, believes that a safer, stronger, and more sustainable society starts with an educated adult population. For more than 60 years, ProLiteracy has been working across the globe to change lives and communities through the power of literacy. Currently we have not renewed our membership for 2021.
The pandemic has caused this program to temporary shut down. I have been enrolling in Proliteracy's ESL Training Courses. I have completed four courses. (2020). There are ten courses to become ESL certified. I am hopeful to be able to continue these workshops if our library renews its membership in the future.
U.S. Census Bureau. 2019. QuickFacts: Ridgefield Park, New Jersey. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/ridgefieldparkvillagenewjersey/POP815219
Comments