ESL Is About People
This an interview with our ESL Director, Hannah McMahan, about our English as a second language classes:
This year our ESL classes were a bit different from past years. What was it like to help teach ESL this school year? What was different about this year?
This year we had morning classes instead of evening classes like past years. The reason for this is because the ESL classes are not a stand alone ministry, but they are a part of welcoming our New Neighbors through a morning program that includes food, clothes, and rotating Bible study, ESL, and enrichment classes. This year, students were juggling many life transitions (i.e. looking for work and housing, and for some shelter relocation), therefore many attended classes more sporadically than past years. The classes are more of a transient response to needs at the moment.
What did students learn in class?
The students learned vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation through the four skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. For our students at the introductory level we heavily focused on real conversational speaking. So, during class we review vocabulary and then plug it into real world questions and answers to engage together.
Can you share a short story about an encouraging/meaningful moment during ESL class?
One encouraging/meaningful moment was the other week when there were 4 students, two were just beginning to learn English and two were hoping to continue forward at a higher level. I was able to tailor the lesson to their needs by forming two groups. One group practiced conversations about location and where they’re from, and the other read and responded to an article on moving continents and perseverance. I felt alive engaging with the students where they were at and jumping back and forth between the two groups as they practiced together.
What do you love about ESL?
I love ESL for both the teaching and the relationships. I find it very satisfying to plan a lesson anticipating students’ needs and see it come alive. I also love how much conversation and real life is involved in the ESL classroom and to get to know students and care for them in the classroom.
Is there anything else you would like to share about ESL?
Learning English is hard and I would like to continue to encourage my students to persevere to learn English, to see the little victories in progress, and to engage in relationships in the classroom. In the classroom, we check in with each other, respect each other and work together, so the environment is important for impact and learning. Thank you for caring about this part of serving our New Neighbors!
If someone would like to know more about our ESL classes what should they do?
If someone would like to know more about ESL classes, they can call our office phone at 773-262-0760, or email me at ESLdirector@familyempower.com to request more information.