Students gain second language, second chance with ESOL
by Maria Carter, reporter

    When James Meredith visited the TCC campuses in February, the core of his speech was the importance of education.

    Meredith, civil rights activist, told audiences, “Students will not get very far in this country if they do not learn to speak, read and write proper English.”

    Supporting Meredith in his cause to improve English, Tarrant County College offers English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classes on all four campuses.

    Juan Balderrama, former ESOL student, knows the importance of communication and its effects on one’s life.

    Balderrama took all three levels of ESOL in a year and a half and is now continuing classes at TCC.

    Although he excels in math, his English was poor and needed improvement.

    Balderrama graduated from North Side High School and was a staff sergeant in ROTC, where he won several medals for leadership.

    “My dream is to be a broadcast journalist for an Hispanic radio station. I recommend ESOL. If I can succeed, anyone can,” he said.
Balderrama, a 23-year-old Hispanic, speaks with the greatest of care in order to pronounce every word correctly.

    While taking ESOL classes, he found each level more challenging than the last.

    “It was difficult to pronounce the words, but I did not want to give up,” he said.

    ESOL courses are structured so the student learns at a gradual pace.

    “From the beginning, teachers were always helpful and always took time to answer my questions. That is why I worked diligently,” he said.

    Balderrama relocated from Piedras Negras, Coahulia, Mexico, six years ago because of a deteriorating economy.

    His parents encouraged education because they wanted a better life for Balderrama and his siblings.

    Success is measured by ESOL students when they obtain a better paying job, as is the case with Nancy Moreno.

    “I took ESOL classes because I wanted to learn English and have a better understanding of things around me,” she said.

    Moreno, 25, recently finished three levels of the program and is currently taking reading and developmental English.

    “Since I have taken ESOL, I have more confidence on the job and in school. My goal is to work toward an Associate in Arts degree in business,” she said.

    ESOL classes are for anyone who wants to advance in a career or  on to improve communication skills.

    “I recommend ESOL because it will improve communication skills, and we need to become effective communicators,” she said.

    Each campus offers slightly different ESOL courses and designs their programs to meet the changing needs of the community.

    NE Campus is the most culturally diverse campus and accommodates physically handicapped as well as deaf students, according to Dr. Hans Oonk, professor.

    Oonk attributes the success of ESOL to himself, Madeleine Lively, associate professor and foreign language department chair, and a dedicated adjunct faculty.

“If students take this class, it will raise their level of writing and reading vocabulary. And they can prepare to go to the next level of ESOL, developmental reading and English,” he said.

    “Our campus also has the piggyback system where continuing education and credit students are placed in the same class. Both are accredited accordingly. This system gives the students the best of both worlds,” he said.

    NW Campus will provide more ESOL classes as well as evening classes for both summer terms. Because of its diverse student population, the campus tries to match programs to meet student needs.

    “Our students are extremely hard working; they set goals, and they work constantly to meet those goals,” Susan McKnight, assistant professor of English, said.

    “We try to meet the needs of our students on this particular campus by adjusting schedules and offering different classes,” she said.

    South Campus has a new system to evaluate students on an individual basis and place them accordingly.

    Credit and non-credit ESOL students are placed in the same classes to help each other.

    “Ann Cunningham and I have worked closely since the summer of 1997 to design and develop core curriculum courses that will serve the many different needs of diverse multi-cultural students who enroll on South Campus,” Evelyn Wilson, English department chair, said.

    SE Campus’ largest enrollment is in ESOL classes. Saturday classes also are provided, and Sunday classes are being considered.
“One of the unique things about ESOL is that it is the first encounter some students have with a college setting. Once students get here, we make sure they are aware education is within their reach,” Carrie Tunson, dean of continuing education, she said.
For more information, contact: NE, 817-515-6657; NW, 817-515-7758; South, 817-515-4592, SE, 817-515-3020; or visit the college’s website at www.tccd.net.