| Several months ago, I covered an event on | | | | language for a number of years prior to doing so at |
| immigration reform for a local newspaper where one | | | | the parish where she currently resides, and stated the |
| of the topics discussed was the language barrier that | | | | courses continually proved being beneficial to the |
| a lot of immigrants face as well as the isolation that | | | | communities where she lived. |
| they really feel to be a result. The discussion looked at | | | | One more speaker got up and mentioned that he |
| a variety of techniques to deal with this concern, and a | | | | thought teaching English being a second language was |
| nun stood up and told the audience that she had been | | | | one thing that, in his experience, was some thing for |
| teaching English as being a second language. | | | | which non-English speakers had been very grateful. He |
| She told us that she came from a relatively huge | | | | mentioned the individuals he worked with inside |
| congregation, using a sizable Asian and Latino | | | | courses he taught desperately wanted to understand |
| population that could either not speak English at all or | | | | how to speak the language. |
| did not speak it properly sufficient to really feel | | | | I believe this concern goes beyond the boundaries on |
| confident when communicating with English speakers. | | | | the church, too, as the foreign-born population with the |
| She pointed out that teaching English being a second | | | | United States continues to grow. |
| language helped break down lots of the barriers | | | | Teaching English like a second language is paramount |
| between the individuals of distinct cultures. The reality | | | | in such places as Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and |
| is, she stated, that language will be the most essential | | | | California, for instance, exactly where the Latino |
| method to communicate and realize diverse groups of | | | | populations are expanding, having a big amount born in |
| folks. | | | | Mexico exactly where the very first and occasionally |
| At her church, she had started with three ESL lessons, | | | | only language learned is Spanish. |
| and explained that within two years they had been up | | | | One of the things that has continually created me quite |
| to 17 lessons, including various for both adults and kids. | | | | proud being an American may be the opportunities |
| The lessons had been quite successful in bridging the | | | | that we all have along with the freedoms we all |
| communication gap at her church and from the | | | | appreciate. I believe that those opportunities must be |
| community where she lived. | | | | offered for anyone brave adequate to leave their |
| She stated that she believed everyone was known as | | | | house nation and come here, and if teaching English |
| to accomplish anything in life, and proclaimed she | | | | like a second language will make this nation an even |
| believed that this was what she was meant to try and | | | | greater place for a big amount of individuals, it needs |
| do. She had been teaching English as being a second | | | | to be continued. |