In this season when we are especially aware of our blessings, we are grateful for many things: faith, family, friends. For those of us involved with ESL ministry, we might add to the list new friends from faraway lands; the opportunity to learn about different customs and cultures and to discover common ground; and the privilege of welcoming people to our community and serving as a resource for them. In this issue, you'll see how one of our member programs, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, celebrates each semester. 

Thank you for your interest in ESLIM's mission and for your continued support! 

by Dorothy Sorrell, ESLIM Board Member and ESL Volunteer at Lord of Life Lutheran Church

To say that ESL teachers are dedicated and resourceful would be an understatement. Our teachers come prepared to teach their planned lesson...and then a student will have a question, or a news event seems important enough to discuss, or review of one concept will uncover a lack of understanding of another. That's when our teachers show their skills and their desire to help the students in their class, because they truly believe in what they are doing to help their students.

Each semester is a new beginning. The teachers and books can be the same as the previous semester, but new students (or returning ones who have had more weeks speaking English), present new challenges. How do you form a lesson plan that takes into account students of various backgrounds, ages and abilities, and teach? It takes good listening, patience, caring, creativity, and a sense of humor. A lesson on health leads to talking about going to the doctor, describing illness symptoms, and understanding instructions given to the patient. What better way to learn the names of body parts than a rousing rendition of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"? You want to practice conversational English?  Get everyone out of their chairs to and hold a non-cocktail party--mingle, people, mingle!