Volunteers needed for ESL program at Briarcrest Elementary

Hopelink ESL class

Studies show that English as a Second Language (ESL) classes boost employability and also help people participate more fully in their communities. And in the Shoreline School District, where 20 percent of families speak a language other than English at home, ESL classes also may help parents help their children do better in school.

This fall, Hopelink will begin offering adult ESL classes at Briarcrest Elementary in Shoreline two nights a week, and the agency is in need of volunteers to fill a variety of positions. Classes will run from November 2012 through the end of the school year in June 2013.

Volunteers are needed to serve as lead and assistant teachers, registration and assessment assistants and interpreters for beginning students who need help registering. Bilingual skills are not required for all positions but particularly needed are bilingual volunteers who speak the most common non-English languages heard in the Shoreline School District: Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese and Tagalog.

If you’re interested in volunteering, call now to schedule a screening interview in early August. Qualified volunteers interested in lead and assistant teaching positions will need to attend both a pre-service and a curriculum training session on any of the following Saturdays:

ESL Pre-Service Training Dates

• August 25 – Kirkland/Northshore Hopelink Center
• September 29 -Shoreline Hopelink Center

ESL Teacher Curriculum Training Dates

• September 8 – Kirkland/Northshore Hopelink Center
• October 13 –Shoreline Hopelink Center

Training for volunteers interested in one of the other positions will be set at a later date.

For more information on volunteering or to schedule an interview, contact Jani James, Adult Education Supervisor, at 425.250.3008 or jjames@hope-link.org.

Details on signing up to attend one of the classes will be available on the Hopelink website in mid-August.

Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities in north and east King County by promoting self-sufficiency for all members of our community and helping people make lasting change. Hopelink meets the need for food, shelter, family development and stabilization, transportation and adult literacy skills. For more information on Hopelink and its services, call 425-869-6000.