What’s So Special About ESL Classes at Lighthouse Charities?

The ESL program offered to refugee clients at Lighthouse Charities is extremely unique!  

Refugee clients who are participating in employment training programs at Lighthouse Charities are given the opportunity to change their lives through English language acquisition.  Students are empowered through both in-person and online participation for an hour each work day.  Lighthouse serves approximately 20 clients at a time which gives us the ability to keep our student to teacher ratio very low, utilizing our full time teacher as well as dedicated teaching assistant volunteers from the community. Participation is required of all clients who are employed at Lighthouse.

Because of the diverse backgrounds, cultures, and languages of our clients, we have found that an English immersion program facilitates growth best.  Clients meet together based on their progress towards English proficiency as opposed to being grouped with those who speak their native tongue.  Not only is this more effective in the classroom, but for each individual client, barriers of communication that may naturally arise from differences in race, religion, and education are removed because of the connective class experience and the comradery that is formed as strangers become friends and champions of each other’s journeys.  

Success in this program is the key to moving forward with employment opportunities in our community and we are committed to providing this learning opportunity to refugee clients, many of whom are learning in a school environment for the first time in their lives.