The First Session of the Introductory ESL Class Comes to a Close

 

It started with a $4,000 grant from Tyson Foods.

Then, on March 21, 2024, the first Introductory ESL was held, and 10 students signed up.

As the 12 weeks progressed, 8 students attended on a regular basis, and 6 of them will be transitioning into the English classes offered by CCC.

Overall, the class was an incredible success.

The Expectations

One thing to keep in mind when it comes to language learning is that success is not measured by leaps and bounds. Learning a new language is incredibly difficult, especially as an adult, but it’s not impossible. Here at the PVLA, when we look at success, even small advancements are a reason to celebrate.

When it comes to the Introductory ESL class, success is measured by the student’s ability to spell their name using the English alphabet and fill out forms in English. It may not seem like much, but it’s a huge step in the learning process—and these first students reached their goals and more.

The other purpose of the Introductory ESL class is to give students an idea of what to expect in the classroom. It’s possible that many of these adults haven’t been in a classroom for a long time (if ever). Knowing how to learn is beneficial and ensures current and future success. It also prepares students for the next step, which may be more classes.

The Final Day

On the final day of class, the Introductory ESL instructor tried to make it educational yet entertaining—and she was successful in her endeavors. Not only did the students get to show off how much they had learned about the alphabet, but they also got to enjoy some delicious food.

Here are some pictures from that final day.

If you’re wondering what they are doing, they are coming up with words based on the last letter of the word before it. For example, if the instructor gave them the letter D to start, the first student had to think of an animal that started with D. So, if the student wrote down D-O-G, the next student would need to come up with a word that started with G.

The purpose of the exercise is to get them thinking about the alphabet and using vocabulary skills. They had a lot of fun in the process.

The Next Session

If you ask us, the first session of the Introductory ESL class was a huge success, and we can’t wait for the next session to begin.

And we are having a next session!

It begins on July 18, 2024. Once again, it will be on Thursdays from 12:00 to 1:00 pm at the Columbus Family Resource Center (3020 18^th St, Suite 4).

For anyone who’s interested in signing up or has questions, please send an email to pvlacolumbusne @ yahoo.com (don’t forget to remove the spaces!) or call 402-562-1463.