Feeling at Home

October 1, 2020

Written by Stacey Fannon, ESL Program Director, Briggs Center for Faith and Action 


I remember seeing a picture from a potluck party last year that MCAEL hosted for Welcoming Week in 2019. All the participants were holding up signs which read “I’m a Welcomer.” This year I did not want to miss out on any of the fun even though there would be no potluck in 2020 and the events would all be virtual. 

I attended three events: “Building Community and Creating Home in the ESOL Classroom” a MCAEL discussion with learners, providers and instructors, “Creating a Warm and Welcoming Online Classroom” with network member English Now! and a Zoom Social with Kathy Stevens, Executive Director of MCAEL. 

At the event “Building Community and Creating Home in the ESOL Classroom” ESOL learners were asked how they felt going into the classroom for the first time and what instructors said or did to make them feel more comfortable. Learners recalled feeling fear and anxiety. One learner mentioned that she was ashamed of her English-speaking skills. All that changed when learners and instructors began to be vulnerable with each other. They were in class to support each other and to have fun together. Instructors tried to pronounce their learners’ names correctly. Learners tried to pronounce new vocabulary words correctly. Instructors and learners would both participate in icebreakers. If a learner did not understand something in English, their classmate who spoke the same native language would help translate. Eventually, the classroom started to feel like home. Recipes were shared. Stories were told. Games were played. Laughs were laughed. 

At the event “Creating a Warm and Welcoming Online Classroom” facilitated by Jennifer Kagan, Director of Program Development at English Now!, participants identified the following words associated with “home”: comfortable, safe, non-judgmental and honest. Although everything has gone virtual, there are still opportunities to create human connection. It was pointed out that ESOL instructors can create comfortable, safe and honest classrooms by doing some of the same activities online as in-person. For example, instructors can still use icebreakers like “2 truths and a lie,” interviewing each other and have a “Show and Tell” online. We also discussed how story sharing, teaching each other, calling each other by name, playing games, listening to music, sharing recipes, watching funny videos, celebrating holidays, carving pumpkins, and laughing together can create home in the classroom . 

I wrapped up the week with a Zoom Social hosted by Kathy Stevens from MCAEL. We listened to music together, looked at photos celebrating the week, talked about some of the highlights from the events. We all still need human connection, even if we can only do it online now. I certainly have learned ways to make my students feel at home in the ESOL classroom. You can still create home if you make the effort – even online!

 

End-of-Year Celebration Recap

By Kairy Castro Barrios • June 18, 2025
Last Friday, June 13th, 2025, MCAEL hosted its End-of-Year Celebration & Sharing Session, attended by adult English Instructors and program staff representing 24 programs from the MCAEL network. This End-of-Year Celebration was designed to bring ESOL professionals together to celebrate their dedication and commitment to helping a community of non-native English speakers learn English as a second language, thereby supporting them in their daily lives. Their passion for teaching English as a second language contributed to everyone's eagerness to share the ways their lessons work, teaching methods that engage learners, and identifying the specific instruction skills they'd like to develop. One English instructor mentioned that, towards the end of class, she plays "Hangman" with the learners to help with spelling words; so far, no one has been hanged!  All English instructors and program staff share a common goal: to make a difference in their communities and make a direct impact on those around them. During this celebration, they were asked, “what inspired you to work in the ESOL field?" Instructors mentioned that enabling a community to learn English empowers them to grow and better integrate themselves within society. Brenda Voit, an ESOL instructor at the nonprofit Identity, mentioned that she is an English instructor who fulfills community needs and is passionate about the work she does. Christine Patton; an ESOL teacher at JSSA, spoke about her family’s personal experience emigrating from Germany to the United States and the shared frustrations of not knowing English, as well as navigating that experience in their daily lives. Christine views Montgomery County’s ability to provide free and accessible English classes as a reassuring sign of support. This invaluable resource can make a difference in the lives of many, creating a vibrant, growing coalition of Adult English learners. Kairy Castro Barrios MCAEL Intern

Not “Just” English Classes

By Gerard Etienne • June 17, 2025
This past Saturday, I was invited to speak at the Jewish Social Service Agency (JSSA)’s Learning English Together graduation ceremony – and what a wonderful event it was! The first thing that surprised me was the number of people in attendance: there were over 320 attendees, of which 146 were proud graduates. Even more impressive is the fact that there were another 150 graduates who did not attend the ceremony! But what stood out even more was how important this ceremony clearly was to so many of the learners. As a guest speaker, I joined the entrance procession and lined up with the graduates. The pride and excitement were palpable, not just among the learners, but among the instructors as well. Almost everyone was dressed up for the occasion. This was the first clue that these weren’t “just” English classes to the graduates—this was a meaningful milestone, a real achievement. As the ceremony progressed and certificates were awarded, several learners gave speeches. I found myself nearly in tears as I listened to them describe what learning English had meant in their lives. It would be easy to reduce ESOL classes to simply language instruction for immigrants—but these classes are so much more than that.  They are a gateway to connection, self-expression, better jobs, and more education. They foster belonging, friendships, relationships, and a kind of freedom that only language can provide. For many learners, these classes are truly life-changing, as many of the student speakers described. And the fact that these classes were so meaningful to them is a testament to the care and quality of instruction that JSSA and its instructors have provided. As each speaker shared their story, I thought back to my own English-learning journey. I could relate strongly to their experiences: the feeling of isolation, the frustration of not being able to say the simplest things, the fear of picking up the phone, the avoidance and anxiety around engaging with others. And the feeling of sometimes being reduced to “someone who doesn’t speak English” – as if that’s all there was to me. Learning English is a way out of those limitations. It gives learners the chance to grow, to build relationships, and to show who they really are. Congratulations to the graduates!

MCAEL Announces $1,465,853 in Grants to Support Adult ESOL Learning in Montgomery County

By Emma Starr • June 16, 2025
The Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL), announces $1,465,853 in grants awarded to support adult English language learning programs across Montgomery County. Funding for the grants is provided in partnership with the Montgomery County Government, with the support of County Executive Marc Elrich and the Montgomery County Council. Adult English language learners experience life-changing benefits as participants in these programs, from being able to navigate the health system and their children’s schools, to attaining better-paying jobs. The goal of the MCAEL grants program is to increase the availability of adult ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) services that support identified community needs and diverse populations, while also improving the quality of those services. Blanca, who was a teacher in Guatemala and is now a housekeeper, is currently enrolled in her third consecutive English language class. She says learning English has “made communication with doctors, teachers – everyone – easier. I have more confidence and am able to speak clearly with others.” Blanca hopes to eventually get a better-paying job so that “I can continue to raise my family in the U.S. while also supporting those still living in Guatemala. But my most important goal is to see my three children graduate from college.” This year, grants have been awarded to 24 organizations that provide 29 programs across Montgomery County, including eight brand new programs, both small and large in scale. In addition, MCAEL is actively pursuing the expansion of services to communities where adult ESOL learning opportunities are scarce and there are increased barriers to participation. MCAEL thanks the panel of community members who donated extensive time and energy to review and evaluate the grant applications. MCAEL also thanks the Montgomery County Government for increasing funding for program grants this year, as well as for their ongoing support of English language learning opportunities in Montgomery County. Read the complete Grants Announcement.