Let's Learn English By Jennifer Poff Cooper Pipelines into the workforce are needed now like never before, and New River Community College (NRCC) is addressing the current labor shortage through its English Language Acquisition (ELA) program. ELA candidates are those whose native language is not English. They must pass a screening interview, commit to one year of class attendance, and not be currently attending or associated with a college or university. The focus is on preparing students for the workforce or post-secondary education instead of just social situations and lifestyle needs like reading recipes (although those skills are still incorporated).
satisfy the grant requirements, classes are academic in nature with homework and textbooks. They also have attendance requirements. Post-tests are part of the grant mandate, and the Department of Education follows up on outcomes. Parkhurst said it is important to note that ELA classes do not satisfy the requirements of an F1 student visa. Instead, the classes are non-credit and part of continuing adult education.
Sue Parkhurst, ELA Co-Coordinator, said that ELA (formerly ESL, or English as a second language) is funded solely by a government grant under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014. The school must re-apply for the grant every three years, and, said Parkhurst, the process is competitive. The grant is partly dependent on students demonstrating progress.
The ELA program was conceived in 2010 as NRCC noticed more immigrants in the area. There were three students. Now, there are 69 students in beginner, low intermediate, high intermediate, and advanced levels. Students are placed in a level based on a screening, an interview, and a pre-test. “We evaluate the whole person,” said Parkhurst. This includes speaking, reading, and writing skills.
The ELA program entails accountability. To
There is no cost to participate, so demand is
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Sue Parkhurst
