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Mission Statement
We promote and support the teaching of English to adult immigrants of all nationalities in Northern Virginia and welcome their active participation in our community. |
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Thank You to ...
All those who generously supported our annual fund in recent months;
Mount Olivet UMC for its continued financial assistance;
Judy White, ESL coordinator at Dulin United Methodist Church, for hosting
our Refresh and Renew training session in January;
Chris Herbert and ESLIM acting president Doug Herbert for managing the website updates;
And all those who work behind the scenes to make our classes possible! In 2011, more than 400 dedicated volunteers touched the lives of more than 1200 students! |
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Arlington United Methodist Church
Bruen Chapel United Methodist Church
Calvary United Methodist Church
Centreville United Methodist Church
Crossroads United Methodist Church
Culmore United Methodist Church
Dulin United Methodist Church
First Presbyterian Church & Mount Olivet United Methodist Church (joint program)
Grace United Methodist Church
Graham Road United Methodist Church
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Trinity Episcopal Church |
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Workplace Giving
Did you know that ESLIM participates in the Combined Federal Campaign and United Way?
Please designate CFC #60490
or United Way #9393. |
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Making a Difference
All over Northern Virginia, the ESLIM "family" is making a difference in the lives of people who want to improve their English skills. In fact, last year more than 400 volunteers joined together to reach out to more than 1200 students! But this ministry is much more than the numbers; it's about the connections that participants make, the experiences they share, and the learning that takes place--not only for students, but also for volunteers. Thank you for being a part of the ESLIM family and making a difference.
In this issue you can learn first-hand what ESL classes mean to two of our students, meet a husband-and-wife teaching team, and find an idea for the classroom.
We welcome your ideas for articles and feedback about the e-newsletter; please email office@eslim.org. |
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What ESL Classes Mean to Our Students
by Audrey Morris, ESLIM Treasurer & ESL Principal at First Presbyterian Church
At First Presbyterian Church of Arlington we are very pleased that two students in our ESL classes also attend our church. They were asked to speak during a service to let the congregation know what the ESL classes mean to them. They each came in full African dress, a wonderful sight! Here is what they told us:
"We are here this morning on behalf of all ESL students because we would like to give thanks to the church for the chance that you have given us to improve our English speaking and so we are able to communicate with people. This ESL program is really important and helpful for people like us who come from countries where English is not the first language. We really, really appreciate your support. Thank you." --Prisca, from Equatorial Guinea, a Spanish speaking country
"Hi, everybody. I live not too far from this church in Arlington. I have been in the United States for five years. I had been coming and going in and out of the United States to Africa before that. The English classes I am taking here at the church help me better communicate in English. The classes also help me in my job search. I would like to thank God for those classes. Also I would like to thank this church, the First Presbyterian Church, the pastor and all the members of the church for their help and support. Again thank you very much for having the classes." --A student from Cameroon, a French speaking country
They share with our other students their thirst for learning English. We are so glad to have them. |
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Volunteer Spotlight: Ron Battocchi & Mary Bell
by Audrey Morris, ESLIM Treasurer & ESL Principal at First Presbyterian Church
The ESLIM program at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington has been blessed for several years to have husband and wife Ron Battocchi and Mary Bell as volunteer ESL teachers. They come to us from our partner ESLIM church, Mt. Olivet UMC. Ron is retired from the National Transportation Safety Board where he last served as General Counsel. Mary is still employed as a lawyer with the federal government. Their combined skills & talents make for a great class! Mary develops creative lessons, such as a recent Jeopardy game, and Ron combines his teaching talents with baking a delicious treat for every class. Ron commented that teaching with Mary provided them with a new appreciation for each other.
Ron became an ESL volunteer upon retirement (plus being involved in Meals on Wheels and other activities), remembering how important ESL night classes were to his father, who immigrated from Italy, and found English a difficult language to learn. He advises that anyone thinking about volunteering "just try it." It is rewarding and enriching, and the textbooks and ESLIM teacher training sessions provide a good basis for teaching.
Mary soon joined Ron in the ESL classroom when he was without a teaching partner. She had gained an appreciation of the importance of good teachers while volunteering at their children's school and as a Sunday school teacher. She advises that teachers be accessible to students for any questions they may have, and agrees with Ron that the curriculum is a good guide for teaching. Because the students are here to learn, anxious to learn, she says you want to help them as much as you can to achieve. |
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United Way Grant
 We are pleased to announce that ESLIM received a Community Impact Grant from the United Way of Prince William County for 2012.
We are grateful for the support of the United Way as we continue reaching out to help immigrants improve their English skills and welcome them to our community.
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Save the Dates for Fall Teacher Training
ESLIM's day-long training session for new teachers will be offered on August 25, 2012 and repeated on September 8, 2012. (Returning teachers who haven't had an opportunity to attend the new teacher training in the past are also welcome!) The Refresh & Renew session for returning teachers is scheduled for September 9, 2012. Details will be posted on the website later this year. |
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Teaching Tip: Team Pictionary
Divide the class into two or more teams. Choose one student to go to the board. Give the student a vocabulary word or a phrase (or whisper it to the student). The student has one minute to draw the word or phrase while his or her team shouts their guesses. If the student's team can't guess the word or phrase in one minute, the other teams each get one chance to guess. Continue playing until all the students have gone to the board. |
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About ESLIM
ESLIM's member churches offer low-cost English classes for adult immigrants, taught by volunteers. Students who cannot pay receive scholarships.
To support the efforts of each of the program sites, ESLIM handles a variety of tasks in a centralized way. Its activities include the following:
- Advertising for volunteers
- Placing and training volunteer teachers
- Advertising the class schedule in foreign-language media
- Sending class schedule flyers to local libraries
- Maintaining a voice-mail line in which calls can be returned in English and Spanish (as well as Korean and Vietnamese during peak times)
- Producing the Speak Easy e-newsletter three times per year
- Maintaining a website that features the class schedule, a variety of resources for teachers, and information for faith communities considering an ESL ministry
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