More in: Literacy Missions

All articles in: Literacy Missions

Literacy Missions

Literacy Missions: Joyce Drydale
Friday, September 1, 2006

These are exciting times for the four newly trained teachers of Conversational English who will be teaching non-English or limited English speakers in Southeast Wichita. They attended a sixteen hour workshop during June where they experienced learning a new language, practiced sharing their faith, and learned to plan interesting and lively lessons. Classes are scheduled to begin September 11th in the Hispanic Center on Sunnybrook Street behind Planeview Baptist Church.

The Conversational English/English as a Second Language ministry involves volunteer teachers who teach small groups of non-English speakers to speak eight to twelve new words and phrases each class session. The teachers use Total Physical Response drills, repetition/subsitution/rejoiner drills, and a variety of communication activities to ensure that students become familiar with the chosen vocabulary and sentence structure. The class sessions are usually two hours in length with a twenty minute large group time when all the individual groups meet together for scripture reading, singing and prayer.

A church in the area of 21st and Amidon has offered its building as a Conversational English/English as a Second Language teaching site, but we need a director and teachers to begin work in the area. Volunteers will attend a 16 hour workshop. The workshop manual costs approximately $20. The next workshop is planned for October, but the dates have not been finalized. If you are interested in working in a ministry in that area of the city or you would like to know more about teaching English to speakers of other languages, please call me at 529-2028 after 6 p.m.