From spouses of Andrews University students to workers in the community, the need for ESL and adult basic literacy is evident. Mr. Carlisle Sutton from the Office of Research & Creative Scholarship, Ms. Lucy Randal from Neighbor to Neighbor, and Ms. Paulette McLean Johnson from the James White Library noticed there was a population within the Berrien Springs Community that could benefit from Adult Basic Education. To fill this need, the three wrote a grant proposal to find support for their Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. After a review, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation approved the grant and awarded $10,000 to the ABE program last summer. Since then, many volunteers, like Gary and Athina Wood, have worked hard to provide a quality education for the Berrien Springs community members.
When asked why they joined the program, Junqiao Zhang and Marisol Alvarez explained that they wanted “to improve [their] English” and speak it fluently. Aina Narivowy and Dagmaris Salina, other participants in the ABE class, agreed with Zhang and Alvarez, and added that they had a more specific reason for trying to improve their English: career. Narivowy shared that she wants to attend nursing school in the future, so she has to practice her English to meet the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test requirements. Thus, she found this a valuable opportunity to speak and practice English.
The participants also said that, through this education, they “learned a lot of new words and grammar” and found themselves speaking and understanding better in English. Salina added that she already finds herself “understanding and communicating more” in English in her daily life. However, all of them pointed out that it is the people who make all the difference. Many of them found meeting people that support them or share similar goals an essential part of their learning journey. Alvarez said that she loved “everything” about the program, but especially “the patience, friendship, and love from Ms. Lucy and Ms. Polly [Paulette].” Zhnag added that she also appreciated the “prayers before class” and “inspirational short stories” shared by the instructors.
Ms. Teresa Latino-Adams, who has been an active volunteer since day one, also agreed that friendship was a huge part of the experience. Although she initially joined “to provide help to the non-English speaking community by removing language barriers as much as possible,” Ms. Latino-Adams saw the community was adding “joy and purpose” to her life through “the close company and camaraderie.” Ms. Latino-Adams also shared that she made personal accomplishments by creating “new connections, staying busy with a good purpose,” and teaching “English to my newly arrived family members.”
Behind all the positive feedback was the hard work of trying to implement and lead a new program. To run this curriculum successfully, utilizing the CASAS English standardized tests was essential in figuring out each student's English ability, adjusting the program accordingly, and measuring the degree of improvement after several weeks of instruction. Ms. Johnson, however, found another challenge during this process as she found students' English-speaking levels varying greatly. She explained, “we would have some students who have had ESL instruction before. But you also have those who have had less exposure. So it was hard to find the middle ground. For the remaining time, with the help of volunteers, I would like to do more small group interactions to minimize that gap.”
Similar to what many participants and volunteers have shared, Ms. Johnson shared that seeing students helped her stay motivated and find this as a great learning opportunity. “The students who come are really eager to learn, and they provide an energy that makes you want to come back. It has been a lot of hard work, but the experience they share with us and the passion for learning encourages me.” In fact, Ms. Johnson finds the value of this program not just in “providing the information and sharing the knowledge” but also in the “community and friendship building.” Having students coming from diverse places, countries like Russia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, and China, “students and instructors are forming multicultural friendships within our community. I go to church or the supermarket and recognize people, and there's already a smile on our faces because we share a common experience. So that's been really good.”
The ABE class will officially end on Mar 30, 2023, and it is unclear whether there will be an extension for the upcoming years. Ms. Johnson shared that the problem her group is “wrestling with right now, because Dollar General does have a similar grant, but they have expanded the requirements for the grant, and the amount is the same. Can we maintain without the grant? Not sure. But for that to happen, we would need a more standardized curriculum along with more materials, teachers, and classrooms, which require money.”
But regardless of how things turn out, Ms. Johnson pointed out that “there are many services that the university offers to the community,” including educational opportunities. James White Library is open to community members at only $35 for an annual membership, and the University Center for Reading, Learning & Assessment (UCRLA) provides math and reading tutoring. She also added that community members can always consider continuing their education by enrolling at Andrews University, like “one of our students from last semester who is now enrolled at Andrews University.”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.