English for Everyone

Finally, here is an update on our English classes.  In October we began our second year of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at our center, Reset.  Jonathan teaches 2 beginner level classes for adults on Wednesday nights.  Between the two classes he has over 20 students.  Our coworker, Catherine, teaches a class on Tuesday afternoons for upper elementary, in which she has 3-4 students.  She also teaches the intermediate level class on Thursday nights for 7-8 adults.

In the middle of October we received a call from a mother who asked if we would offer a class for a group of third graders.  She had already recruited 10 children of interest and even had a proposed day and time for us to consider.  It just so "happened" to work perfectly in to our schedules for Monday at 5:00.  We have our women's Bible study on Mondays from 2:30-4:00 at the center, so it was an obvious solution that Catherine and I co-teach this class.  I mean, how could we refuse this great opportunity to expand our contact base and serve our community?

Last night was our first class and we had 10 students.  I took the first week teaching and then Catherine and I will alternate each week.  All went really well and the kids seemed to have a great time.  One little girl was almost giddy even before we began saying how much fun this was.  When we asked why she said because I'm with my classmates and you are nice.  She seemed to carry with her the same smile when she left.

This year Jonathan has been using a new method of teaching called Total Physical Response (TPR) and it seems to be going over really well.  It worked really well with the kids as they have to respond with actions to each thing they are learning.  Basically you try to teach them as a baby would learn a language.  They are not encouraged to speak in the beginning but just to listen, comprehend and respond to your commands.  And the other huge plus is that you don't translate anything for them.

So for example:  You imitate the commands for them when you speak like "stand up", "point to the door" "touch the chair" etc.  They follow along with you in small groups and then they have to do it alone without any help.  They are learning vocabulary and commands with very little stress.  I am no TPR expert but hopefully for those who are interested you get the idea of what I am trying to say.

If you calculate the numbers, we have 40+ students we now interact with on a weekly basis.  We are truly thrilled for this and pray that as we seek to make ourselves known and serve our community that God might use this to bring others to a saving knowledge of Christ.  Pray for us and them.