VFL English Language Acquisition students Diego Pascual and Manuella Fernand (back row, l-r) and their teacher Charlise Rowley show off READ posters for their classrooms. Also pictured, VFL ELA Readiness students Lesly Herrera and Karina Valencia. (photo/VFL)
Volunteers for Literacy of Habersham County is seeking volunteers to help teach English to foreign students.
“The mission of Volunteers for Literacy is to establish and maintain programs that promote and foster literacy in Habersham County,” explains Volunteers for Literacy (VFL) Coordinator Phylecia Wilson. “We work to foster literacy at several age levels and one is through the VFL English Language Acquisition (VFL ELA).”
Formerly known as ESOL, the program teaches English to non-speakers of English with support from North Georgia Technical College, First Baptist Church of Cornelia and Cornelia Methodist Church.
This program, however, is currently in dire need of volunteers, says Wilson.
“Current enrollment is 18 adult students but only 10 of the students have a regular full-time teacher,” says Jim Miner, retired educator and volunteer coordinator of the program. While having volunteers who can teach all three is ideal, one or two days would be extremely helpful, he adds.
“This is a real opportunity to bless others,” says Charlise Rowley, who teaches all three days. “We have students who need to learn to speak English. They are eager to learn but need to hear native speakers. And the only language you need to know is English.”
In addition to teaching adults, the program also teaches the students’ pre-school children letters, numbers and colors to help ready them for Kindergarten. Babies and toddlers are cared for in a separate class.
“We encourage anyone with the love of helping others to take the opportunity and volunteer to help others learn English,” Wilson encourages. “It’s a win-win-win – for the learner, the volunteer and our community.”
To volunteer, call VFL at 706-949-3157 or email [email protected].
For more information about VFL and its programs, visit vflhabersham.com and visit them on Facebook.
