When Karen Quinn has to interact with parents of her Reading High School students, she sometimes feels the connection just isn’t there. With Latinos making up about 75 percent of students in the Reading School District, Quinn often faces a language barrier when dealing with parents who speak little or no English.

“It gets lost in translation, literally,” said Quinn, an itinerant support specialist at the high school. So, Quinn decided to do something about it. She joined 25 Reading teachers and administrators in volunteering to take a new “Spanish for Educators” course at Penn State Berks. The course focuses on the basics—key Spanish phrases and vocabulary that school staff can use during the school day and in the community. (more…)

English is the most successful language in the history of the world. It is spoken on every continent, is learned as a second language by schoolchildren and is the vehicle of science, global business and popular culture. Many think it will spread without end.

But Nicholas Ostler, a scholar of the rise and fall of languages, makes a surprising prediction in his latest book: the days of English as the world’s lingua-franca may be numbered. (more…)

The Kingwood Branch Library will offer a training workshop for English as a Second Language (ESL) tutors on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The ESL program provides adults with English speaking and reading skills.

This event is free and open to the public. There is no charge for the tutor training or materials. Registration is required. (more…)

In Margaret Garsetti’s English as a second language classroom at the Springs School, a group of seven junior high school girls from four different countries sat down to discuss their experiences making the transition into not just a new school, but a new culture and language.

With varying degrees of skill in English, some, like Melissa Castro, from Colombia, are graduates of the program, having “tested out,” by passing the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test, years ago.

Others, like Madeline and Melissa Lopez, sisters who moved here this year, are new to the program, and still adjusting to what can be an overwhelming environment at times. (more…)

In Margaret Garsetti’s English as a second language classroom at the Springs School, a group of seven junior high school girls from four different countries sat down to discuss their experiences making the transition into not just a new school, but a new culture and language.

With varying degrees of skill in English, some, like Melissa Castro, from Colombia, are graduates of the program, having “tested out,” by passing the New York State English as a Second Language Achievement Test, years ago.

Others, like Madeline and Melissa Lopez, sisters who moved here this year, are new to the program, and still adjusting to what can be an overwhelming environment at times. (more…)

The spring semester of 2011 will bring about some exciting changes for Texas A&M International University’s International Language Institute. Lisa Flores, visiting assistant professor will be the new director for the ILI. New opportunities will be provided to the TAMIU student body, as well as members of the community who wish to broaden their language skills and knowledge of other cultures.

Lisa Flores explained, “ILI has a great deal of history. The ILI was originally under special programs when TAMIU was located at the LCC campus and under the direction of Conchita Hickey. At that particular time, the institute’s purpose was to provide English as a second language in an academic setting.” (more…)

Parents and guardians of students in Valley View School District, who do not speak fluent English, are being offered language classes with district teachers.
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The English as a second language classes, which have been offered by the district for about six years at Bolingbrook High School, have been successful. They almost always having a waiting list and never any dropouts, said Director of Bilingual Education Ricardo Sanchez.

“These people come to class consistently,” he said.

There is a minimal cost to the program, $18, to cover costs of materials.

This year the classes will be offered at both Bolingbrook and Romeoville high schools. Sanchez said the expansion comes after the district noticed many students commuting from Romeoville. (more…)

Chilliwack will receive $116,000 in funding from the provincial government to deliver English language support programs to immigrants and refugees. “This funding will support people that have immigrated or relocated to Chilliwack,” Chilliwack MLA John Les said in a press release. “Giving people the tools to transition and adjust to Canadian society will help them quickly become strong, contributing members of the community.”

The money is part of the English as a Second Language Settlement Assistance Program (ESLSAP) and will help the Chilliwack Learning Community Society, Agassiz-Harrison Community Services and Hope New Page Human Services deliver tutoring services. (more…)