News

By Karen Chambless

The English Language Center serves as an integral part of the Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program in Lee’s Language and Literature department with the goal of meeting the English language needs of individuals from the greater Cleveland community while providing Lee University students with hands-on teaching experience. Dr. Christopher Blake serves as the director of the Center. Student volunteers from the TESOL program work alongside Blake to provide language services.

Since the English Language Center was established in fall 2011, over 100 adults and nearly 100 children have been able to learn essential English skills. The adult ESL class currently meets every semester on Thursday evenings, with a week-long language camp program for children in the summers. All services are provided free of charge.

The grant will go to fund the instructor and materials needed for an additional class to be offered during the day. It will also pay for ESL books for all of the ESL students in both classes, and a subscription to “Easy English News” to help teach students to read a newspaper in English.

“We are aware that mothers of school-age children often are unable to attend classes at night but are available during the day,” said Blake. “Having an additional class will make the language services available to more of the community, while providing Lee students with more opportunities to serve and teach.”

This year, the Athens Federal Foundation awarded grants to 25 charities in the service area of Athens Federal Community Bank. Established in 2009, the Athens Federal Foundation was created to provide funding and support for charitable causes within the bank’s market.

According to their website, the Foundation’s mission is to “support and fund community development via affordable housing, job training and programs that assist the economically disadvantaged.”

For more information about the Athens Federal Foundation, visit http://www.athensfederal.com/Foundation2.html.

For more information about the English Language Center, contact Dr. Blake at [email protected].