This website has a new page, ESL Updates, which can be found in the right sidebar. One purpose is to give our English as a Second Language volunteers a place to communicate with each other, especially to indicate what’s been covered. Another is to allow others to see what’s happening in the ESL sessions with our refugee family.
Our program is flourishing under the leadership of Eileen Snover, an ESL teacher who’s adding Saturday mornings with the family to her load of teaching ESL full time Monday through Fridays! Here’s her initial message for the new ESL webpage:
May 29, 2011
The Sowers
Isa. 55:9-11
Have you ever made a drastic move or change in your life? Can you remember all your thoughts, feelings, concerns, and issues that faced you during this time? Most of us have had this experience at one time or another in our lives, but not many of us have faced leaving everything and everyone familiar behind, knowing we would never return. And if we have been called to make that kind of move, we have usually had time to prepare ourselves to leave our former homes, and to know to some degree, what we were headed for. Not so with our refugees. One of their many challenges is to learn English so that they may eventually become self-sufficient and productive. It is with this goal in mind that a small team of dedicated people is giving of their time and efforts to reach out with the love of Christ to help this family learn English.
Currently, we have a growing team of dedicated volunteers who have graciously stepped forward to give of their time and the love of Christ to interact with the family and help them learn English. Our team members include Eileen Snover, Claire Fopeano, Karen Lehman, Hart Hower, Jill Richter, and Helen VanSumeren. We are still looking for additional people willing to serve in this way, so if you feel led, please contact Eileen at 610-837-5074. We are not looking for experienced teachers, just willing hearts with some time and love to give. “Be flexible and teachable. You will learn much and receive untold blessings from God. By being more than a teacher and becoming a real friend, you will build the bridge of trust so that Christ can cross into their hearts.” Nancy Zumwalt, ‘Starting an ESL Program in Your Local Church’
We are very excited to announce that we will be conducting an additional class for the family during the second Sunday service beginning June 5! Please pray for the family, our team and our community of believers as we continue to reach out with the love of Jesus, practical English lessons, and of course, Bible lessons.
The current class schedule:
Tuesday, 6pm Claire Fopeano (5/31) rotating with Jill Richter (6/7)
Thursday, 10am, Karen Lehman
Saturday, 9am, Eileen Snover
Sunday, 10:45 at CEFC, Helen Van Sumeren
Lessons the week of 5/23-5/28 included:
Verbs: feel, smell, rub, cut, cover, hold (Tuesday), Bend (down), run, follow, give, give (back) (Saturday)
Vocabulary: orange (fruit), bush, altar, face, seed, sad, happy, hole, that is (Tues), Star, pitcher, fish, towel, gift, coins, his, her, your (Sat) – I also taught names and values of coins: penny, nickel, dime, quarter, and half-dollar. Since the lessons already included the concept of ‘coins’, I felt this was a natural place to introduce this necessary concept.
Lessons coming up the week of 5/30-6/5 will include:
Verbs: have/has, get, pour, fill (up), wrap, dry (Tues), Review of all verbs taught so far (Thurs), Put away, lay, tie up, says (Sat), Changes, reach out (Sun)
Vocabulary: pitcher, a glass, oil, water, wine, cloth, some, several (Tues), Review of all vocabulary taught so far (Thurs), son, mountain, God, him (Sat), Burning, closer, snake, any, into (Sun)
Feel free to contact one of us for more information or if you have any questions.
– Eileen Snover
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