Our community is constantly changing, and a big change in recent years has been the growth in the number of immigrants. To help them adapt to a new culture and to gain success in their new country, English for Speakers of Other Languages provides them with a course in language learning, civics, community resources, and regional information. Assistance is also provided in studying for the Citizenship test, TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) for acceptance to an American university, and the Mississippi Drivers Test. The program is adapted to the needs of the learners, meets in a variety of locations, and is open to all nationalities.
The state of Mississippi has been developing a curriculum framework for Adult ESL that will make the state one of the first to have a completed plan for teaching Federally mandated competencies. The six developers of the framework have prepared a program that takes English learners through six levels of language development that includes such areas as community living, consumer economics, employment, citizenship, culture, grammar, writing skills, and technology. One of the developers of the program is on staff at the Learning Center and will be involved in the ongoing development of future ESL resource guidelines for Adult Education ESOL teachers statewide.
Greater Columbus Learning Center offers English for Speakers of Other Languages both at our center on Military Road and at the Columbus Air Force Base. A self-paced learning environment is offered in a flexible schedule format. Students may choose instruction from computer aided instruction, (Ellis, Rosetta Stone, Literacy Plus) small-groups, and/or independent study. All study is open-entry and cost free.
The program covers reading, writing, pronunciation, American life skills, spelling, listening skills, Mississippi driver's test, United States citizenship prep, and TOEFL.
