\EFL COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

By Ana Sylvia Ramirez Rina de Gongora German Gomez

STARTING A COMMUNITY PROJECT:

Issues to Consider:

a. Partnerships

• A strong commitment towards the community

•A desire to promote development through education

b. Personnel

• Teacher availability

• Commuting distances

• Social awareness

c. Infrastructure

b. Facilities

A BILINGUAL COMMUNITY

Pinula County, with a population of 100,000, is located in the outskirts of Guatemala City.

A significant segment of Pinula’s population is composed of underpriviledged households.

Pinula County has 18 public elementary schools offering education to more than 11,000 children.

KEY PLAYERS

IGA

CITY HALL

COMMUNITY

Implementation Process

Observed Learner Challenges• Difficulty in finding

applications to daily life due to mainstream material was evident.

• Students’ schema reflected community-specific elements (prior knowledge activation).

Solution Provided• Content was modified to

‘bridge the gap’ between mainstream and community culture.

• Language instruction becomes a channel to build new and tap into old schema.

SPIN OFF PROJECTS:

•Library Kiosk in 4 Community parks

•Publishing Companies involvement

•English instruction scholarships for 35 grade school community teachers•Up coming Sunday English classes using community facilities

TWO WAY STREETS

Junkabal is a girls’ school and a women’s center located in the city’s trash dump area. It’s main objective is to provide education and skills for the work place in order to improve their living conditions and those of their families and community.

The center offers vocational technical carriers such as: beautician, crafts, sewing cooking, computer litteracy, flower arrangement elaboration.

The center’s Social Development area promotes community health and services.

The purpose of the English Access Microscholarship Program in Guatemala is to provide English Language Instruction to adolescents from diverse backgrounds such as low income families, youth at risk, and Mayan ethnicity.

The program aims at providing linguistic knowledge and cultural awareness needed to make a difference in their community and successfully take on academic challenges.

ACCESS MICROSCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

IGAQUETZALTENANGO

IGAJUTIAPA

IGA GUATEMALACITY (Santa Catarina Pinula)

IGA HUEHUETENANGO

IGARETALHULEU

IGACOBÁN

Hogar Tio JuanHogar Tio Juan provides a home to young Guatemalan boys and girls with no stable home of their own. Its history spans over 30 years serving over 8, 000 children who have received education and care. The property, located in an important area of the city, was kindly donated by a Guatemalan family.

• IGA has had an 18-year collaborative relationship with Hogar Tio Juan.

• Collaborative efforts include English scholarship programs for its residents as a well as opportunities for volunteer work.

• IGA has chosen Hogar Tio Juan as the ideal beneficiary of the SIT TESOL Certificate Teaching Practicum.

READ FOR THE RECORD

Read for the Record is a celebration of reading and community service. The annual effort highlights the importance of reading with young children to ensure they learn crucial early language and literacy skills to succeed in school and in life. Started by the Jumpstart Foundation and Sponsored by the Pearson Foundation it’s the world’s largest shared reading experience.

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MuJER is dedicated the promotion of women’s rights through education, awareness, and community organizing. Mujer’s mission is to empower women sex workers to become socially and politically active by offering programs that range from literacy and vocational training to emotional well-being and violence prevention. With education, specialized skills, and leadership development, MuJER enables women sex workers to find economic and emotional stability, have a voice in society, and better their own lives and the lives of their children.

PRACTICE PACK

• What community projects are there in your BNC?