“They want to be able to communicate. And they come and they have these ideas in their head like you and I. But they lack the ability to communicate with the people around them. And I don’t I know — I am not in their head. But I can imagine if I was them, if I was in their shoes, I would just want to have my voice back. And I sometimes feel like their voice has been taken away.”
(Rozlynn Jakes-Johnson, English language teach for The Refugee Resettlement Program in Syracuse)
Rozlynn Jakes-Johnson teaches English for The Refugee Resettlement Program in Syracuse. And she is describing the challenge of a growing number of adults in Central New York who don’t speak fluent English. Immigrant and refugee children often have classes in schools. But those who come to the United States as adults have special needs.
To help refugees and immigrants master a new language and culture, several nonprofits such as ProLiteracy are teaming up with federal programs and school districts to teach adults. Amy Schmitz of ProLiteracy says the need is huge.
“The issue needs to be elevated to be a national emergency or to be recognized as a national crisis or addressed that way. It is in their best interest that Americans can read and write in order to hold down jobs.”
(Amy Schmitz, communications director of ProLiteracy)
Some of the programs are at the Westside Learning Center and The Refugee Program. They each offer various classes for adult students. Ed Butler, a facilitator with the West Side Learning Center, says the program starts with the basics.
“We give them a placement test, that is just dealing with speaking and listening. And when they are done with that, we have three differently levels of writing samples that we ask them to complete so that we have a written record of their reading and writing skills.”
(Ed Butler, facilitator with the West Side Learning Center)
Many of these programs are underfunded, Butler said. With significant cuts in federal funding classrooms are understaffed and resources are scarce.
“We could probably use two more teachers — full-time. This is our waiting list of classes. We have 24 to 38 adults in each class. And especially at the lower levels, it’s very difficult to meet the needs of those students when they’re that low of a level.”
(Ed Butler, facilitator with the West Side Learning Center)
Immigrants and refugees often enter the United States with no support system. So they rely heavily on the government and welfare until they can find a job. But it’s difficult to get a job without speaking English. And for some adult immigrants and refugees, the challenge is even greater. Many are also having to learn to read and write —all in a new language.
“You start with pictures, building their vocabulary, using basic verbs like ‘is’ ‘are’ ‘was’ ‘were’, with simple sentences and you build from there.”
(Ed Butler, facilitator with the West Side Learning Center)
For some, the goals are bigger. Take, for example, Ilko Luque. He immigrated to America with his mother seven years ago from Cuba, when he was just 15.
“You don’t know the language, like a new baby. Second, you get high levels of frustration. Why? Be because you can see that you are not progressing, because you don’t know the language. It is very hard to for you to get around. It is very challenging to get jobs and to make friends because you don’t know the language.”
(Ilko Luque, immigrant from Cuba)
He spent nights reading books. He’s been going to college. Now, at the age of 23, he will be graduating from Syracuse University in the coming fall majoring in public health.
“Whoever comes here as a new comer will struggle in everything. Will struggle in everything to get anything even the simple the things. So it is a challenging, a very hard experience.”
(Ilko Luque, immigrant from Cuba and Syracuse University senior)
Luque says he wants to devout his time after graduating to helping educate others — in both maintaining their health and in learning English.
For Democracywise, I’m Stephanie Narvaez.
(Stephanie Narvaez is a senior with dual majors in broadcast and digital journalism and international relations.)
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