On February 3rd a group of Muhlenberg students embarked on a new adventure using our language skills: our English language skills, that is! Nine native (or almost native!) English speakers are involved in an English as a Second Language (ESL) conversation class. In a partnership with the Adult Literacy Center of the Lehigh Valley arranged by Dr. Sutherland we meet once a week for two hours. Our students are immigrants from many different countries who study English on Monday and Wednesday nights. On Tuesday evenings we meet with them for conversational practice and work with basic communication.
The students in the ESL class range in their language abilities, but the Muhlenberg students arrive every week ready to challenge and assist the students in any way possible. Whether it be reading children's books or playing Taboo, all of the students are involved in small group conversations according to their language skills. The two hour time span seems to pass more quickly each week and the students are becoming more comfortable with the English language. With more advertising throughout the community and more help from Muhlenberg students, this program will continue to be a great success.

--Melissa Tarlowski, '04

Melissa is a Spanish major completing the certification program in Elementary Education. She has traveled to Mexico with the LVAIC program in Mexico and is off again this summer to study in Spain.