LVSC Offering ESL Classes for Adults

Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County is planning to hold classes for English as a Second Language students, beginning March 30.

According to a release from the nonprofit organization, more than 25 percent of the county’s 324,000 residents speak English as a second language, with Spanish being the primary language for 42,500 residents and 47,250 speaking Asian primarily.

The organization provides free literacy tutoring and programs to adults, and, in 2012, about 88 percent of the 255 adult students received ESL tutoring.

To address this, the release said, LVSC is partnering with Spotlight Learning for ESL classes for 12 weeks, beginning March 30.

Spotlight Learning creates educational materials, and has for 20 years.

“There is a huge demand for ESL instruction in Somerset County, and many adults find it challenging to find convenient, affordable, high-quality ESL classes,” said LVSC Executive Director Jay Muldoon in the release. “LVSC is collaborating with Spotlight Learning to deliver comprehensive and superior ESL classes to help address this important need in our community.”

The goal of the program, the release said, is to provide classes designed for the needs of the individual students with three proficiency levels of low beginning, intermediate and advanced. Classes will include instruction and English conversation, plus students will work with instructors individually to indentify literacy goals.

Enrollment in the classes is limited to 12 students per class, and they will meet 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturdays through June 15 at the People Care Center in Bridgewater.

The cost is $240 for the classes.

For more information, visit SpotlightLearning.com/esl or call 908-369-6674.

LVSC was founded more than 30 years ago, and provides one-to-one and small group tutoring and English classes.

“Today LVSC serves adults living in Somerset County from Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia, as well as US-born adult learners,” Muldoon said in the release.

“The key to improving your life and achieving success is being able to understand, speak, write and read English,” he added. “Our ESL classes will enable more adults to become successful in their work and personal lives and more engaged in their community.”