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In January 2005, the University of Virginia became one of the first employers in the area to offer on-site English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to employees. This unique benefit was the result of a partnership between Facilities Management and Housing who identified a need for improved English language skills for a significant number of their employees. Their arrangement with Charlottesville City Schools' Adult Learning Center (CCS ALC) to teach two levels of ESL classes on-site during working hours quickly attracted students.
The native languages of these employees include Farsi, French, Kinyarwanda, Swahili, Arabic, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, Spanish, Tibetan, Thai, Turkish, Hindi and Vietnamese.
Stronger speaking and reading skills not only enhance communication in general but also assure better understanding of labels, signs, and directions for safety concerns as well as for customer service.
Currently, we have 24 employees who are enrolled and are advancing through the ESL program. Classes are offered in the fall, winter and spring quarters and are taught by instructors from CCS ALC.
"Our tests show that our students’ English is improving," according to Susan Erno, Director of the Adult Learning Center. "Many who started the course knowing very little English have completed the first level and have advanced well into the second level."
Since 2005, the UVA ESL classes have had more than 10 winners in Voices of Adult Learners, a Virginia Festival of the Book event which features the work of ESL and GED students.
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