English Classes Connect English Learners with Community
More than 80 people have enrolled in our English classes this fall in 4 regular classes and one special topics class on the Green Line extension.Two volunter teachers -- Maureen Tivnan and Emma Rolfs -- have joined our regular instructors -- Lisa Gimbel and Diane Randolph -- to help us meet the unmet demand among recent immigrants to learn English. Two additional volunteers -- Mesa Antar and Karsten Hatch have been providing after-class tutoring. The Somerville Family Network offers free childcare for parents of young children in our morning classes.
In addition to helping students improve their English language skills, Welcome Project classes provide opportunities to engage in the civic life of the city. Class conversation centers around students' interests -- from jobs to health care to housing to their children's education.
English and the Green Line
This October, we piloted a new kind of class -- a 4 week module on a specific community topic: English and Transportation. The module focused on the 7 new stops of the Green Line extension, slated for completion in December 2014. Fourteen students, from Egypt, Ethiopia, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Haiti, Uraguay and Brazil shared their perspectives, reviewed draft principles, and emphaisized the importance of jobs as a priority to focus on.
The classes were offered in partnership with Community Corridor Planning, a coalition of local organizations that is engaging residents to influence land planning so that it reflects the goals of residents and make sound economic decisions. The coalition is made up of the Somerville Community Corporation, Groundwork Somerville, the Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership, and the Somerville Health Agenda.
The students discussed the past, present and future of transportation in Somerville. Students learned how to use maps and pronounce local places of interest, learn and practice grammar in conversations, and practice their presentation skills.
Several students from the class then attended a Green Line visioning session on October 28, at which community members voted on principles for the Green Line extension. LIPS youth were on hand to provide interpretation assistance as participants met in small groups to talk about their priorities.
The Welcome Project was pleased to pilot this short class, and we are exploring additional topics for the future -- both as separate modules and as curriculum for our longer, regular classes.
