Students in Sr. Cecilia Fandel’s English as a Second Language class learn about directions and community buildings. (Submitted photo)
“I’m on Second Avenue at the bank, how do I get to the Senior Center”? “Go by car to Washington Street. Turn left and it is next to the hair salon across from the restaurant.”
Students were moving objects around on a board game invented by Sr. Cecilia Fandel to help her English as a Second Language students gain mastery in using directional words and names for community buildings.
If you walked by the literacy classroom in the Indianhead Community Action Agency in Ladysmith, you would hear this kind of dialogue, and then laughter.
All of the students are from dairy farms in Rusk County and are glad to learn the language. They will soon learn the vocabulary that is used in dairy farming and that will help them in conversing with the farmer. They will be able to understand and perform their tasks better.
Sr. Cecilia tells them learning English means not only learning vocabulary, but also includes spelling, grammar, composition, and speaking distinctly and correctly.
The four students have finished session two and received their attendance certificate. They are very faithful in attending the classes, eager to complete their textbook and to continue to the next level.
In the meantime, there are six students waiting to begin their ESL basic coursework in May.
