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Resources for
ESL Families in Forsyth County
by Nonkosi
Bongweni
As ESL teachers, it is imperative for us to know what kind of programs
our community offers so that we can give information to our students’ parents.
Through my research, I learned that Forsyth County has the third largest
Latino population in the state and that it has an abundance of resources
for immigrants. However, before I explain the variety of resources, let
me say that a school that has a very strong partnership with the community
is most effective in meeting its goals.
Many of the workshops that I have attended mentioned that research shows
that family involvement in schools increases student achievement. Caplan
mentions the benefits of parent and family involvement include higher test
cores and grades, better attendance, more completion of homework, more
positive attitudes and behavior, higher graduation rates and greater enrollment
in higher education. He continues further by stating that when schools
regard their relationship with families as a partnership in which school
and home share responsibility for children’s learning, the result is an
increase in the levels and types of parent involvement as well as the support
that families demonstrate for the school. Perhaps the most important result
of this partnership is that when responsibility for children is shared
by the school, home and community, children have more opportunities for
meaningful engaged learning (Caplan, 1998).
I was very impressed to find that the Forsyth County Schools has a Newcomer’s
Center which has been operating since 2000. According to David Sisk, the
Director for ESL, this center is funded by Toyota and provides translations
in Spanish; however, they do have students who speak other languages, mostly
Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese and Japanese. Students who are coming into the
district for the first time and also students who do not speak English
are referred to this center. They are assisted with registration and paperwork
and also do English proficiency assessments. Parent meetings are also held
in this center. I also had an opportunity to speak with Anna, the center’s
liaison. The only concern that she had was that not all parents are
aware of these programs that are available to them. When the parents
come to the center, they are informed about the programs and are encouraged
to make use of them and of course spread the word. Anna also mentioned
that the Center offers Literacy programs for immigrants who do not speak
English and they take place during school hours from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm.
The three components of this program are as follows:
1. An adult ESL class where parents can learn English
2. Parent time, where a representative from the YMCA comes and talks to
the parents about anything that involves education in the County
3. Pact time, in which the parents go to the classroom and learn what the
students are doing.
The YMCA also offers a Family Literacy Program called El Nido (the nest);
it takes place in the evenings from 6:00 -9:00 . This program is
based on the Mother Read curriculum. It provides book-based activities
for children while their parents participate in ESL classes. There's also
PACT time (Parent And Child Together) built into curriculum which provides
an opportunity for parents and children to work together on book based
projects. The Literacy programs offered by the School District and the
YMCA are very similar and both are sponsored by Toyota and offered
in the same venue, that is at Easton, Latham and Old Town elementary schools
(the only difference is the time).
The YMCA has another program Hispanic Family Mentoring program, which offers
a series of workshops in Spanish to Hispanic families about the Winston
Salem-Forsyth County school system. Their workshops cover parents’ rights
and responsibilities in public education, parent- teacher conferences,
school structure and function and preparing for college. They also emphasize
the importance of education and strive to improve communication and strengthen
relationships between schools and families.
The Hispanic Achievers is another community program which addresses the
growing drop out rate of Hispanic/Latinos and reaches out to ESL high school
students. This is also partnered with the School system.
I am also very impressed with most church organizations here in Winston
Salem. Most of them offer ESL classes not only to their members but to
the community at large. Some are currently looking for volunteers to teach
ESL classes. My very own church, Calvary Baptist, provides training for
the ESL tutors and the materials as well.
The Augustine
Project, an outreach ministry, provides free tutoring to academically at
risk, low income students in Forsyth county. The tutors receive training
in the Orton-Gillingham approach which is research based and proven
to help students who have difficulties in reading, writing, and spelling.
Tutors agree to work with one student at an assigned school for at least
60 lessons of 45 minutes to one hour, usually working two times a week.
Students are selected by the schools based on criteria provided by the
Augustine project.
The Forsyth County library has a Hispanic Services department that sponsors
several programs at library locations, headed by Esmirna Esparza.
A bilingual Conversation Club is offered on Monday evenings. Native Spanish
and English speakers come together and discuss a given topic each week
in English and in Spanish, modeling and assisting each other in learning
the target language. Computer classes for beginners are taught in Spanish
in the library’s computer learning center paralleling courses offered in
English. A sequence of 10 weeks generally includes Computer basics, the
Internet, Writing a resume, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Library
services are promoted by extensive outreach programs in churches and public
schools. When I spoke to Esmirna, the head of this department, she also
mentioned that the library recently bought a new bookmobile which is used
to visit the areas apartment complexes where many Spanish-speakers live
and places of worship where there are large Spanish-speaking members.
The Forsyth Tech Community College International Center located in the
Forsyth Central Library also provides the following services:
- classes in GED and English as a Second Language
- information
on Forsyth Tech Programs
- computer
classes in Spanish
- one
on one counseling for starting up a business as well as for existing businesses
- monthly
workshops: home ownership, fair housing, worker’s rights etC.
- advocacy
and guidance for life situations
- referral
to support agencies (i.e. . lawyers, clinics, schools)
- open
labs for Forsyth tech partners (GED and ESL independent studies)
- classes
for entrepreneurs taught in Spanish
- Housing
for Hispanic League of the Piedmont Triad and YMCA personal tutoring
Casa Guadalupe of Catholic Social Services focuses on legal matters for
the Hispanic/Latino Community. I spoke to Taquetta at their Winston Salem
office and she told me that she does consultations with Hispanics, offers
legal counsel, and talks to them about the changing immigration laws. Casa
Guadalupe’s services include the following:
Two (BIA) Board of Immigration s accredited representatives that handle
client services
Network of immigration attorneys for referral, as well as CLINIC’s (Catholic
Legal Immigration Network of Inc) nationwide listing of attorneys and agencies
Good working relationship with the Mexican consulate in Raleigh NC, BCIS
in Charlotte
Interpretation assistance in doctor’s offices, DSS, court or anywhere else
there is need
Document translation with 3 notary publics available
Part of VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and will prepare basic tax
forms year round: 1040 EZ,1040A,1040,1040X
They are an acceptance agency for the IRS for the W7 in order to obtain
ITIN (Individual Tax Identification Number)
Clothes for children up 2T on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Food pantry on site at which clients can receive help once a month
Community referral for other services with which they are unable
to assist clients
Outreach at the Hispanic Center in High Point.
Based on the findings of my research, more can be accomplished if schools,
families and communities work together. I personally think that Forsyth
County schools and the community have established what is described
by Ovando, Collier, and Combs as a “community of learners, a place where
students and adults alike are engaged as active learners in matters of
special importance to them and where everyone is thereby encouraging
everyone else’s learning”(2005, p.382). We as ESL teachers need to
strive for a good partnership with the community and agencies. Our
students and ESL parents may not know about these services; it’s our duty
as teachers to pass on these resources. Ovando, Collier, and Combs
write that by linking the life of the school with that of corresponding
mainstream and ethnic communities, parents and other community members
can achieve a strong sense of ownership.(2005, p.381). Most importantly,
collaborating with the community leads to the development of partnerships
with community organizations and agencies, partnerships which promote
the sharing of information and resources that are helpful to students and
families.
References
1. Caplan, J. (1998). Critical Issue: Constructing School Partnerships
with Families and Community Groups. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/famncomm/pa400.htm
2. http://www.cssnc.org/cgservices.html
3. 2. Ovando, C.J.; Collier, V.P; and Combs, M.C; (2005).Bilingual and
ESL classrooms: Teaching in multicultural contexts. Boston: McGraw-Hill
4. http://www.stpauls-ws.org/augustine
5. http://winstonlake.ymcanwnc.org/content193.html
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