Can you imagine re-learning the lost language of your childhood? Brothers Alexis and Giovanni Angeles were born in Tifton, Georgia, but their family moved to Mexico when they were small children. They soon forgot how to speak English, as everyone in their lives spoke Spanish in their new home country. However, when they graduated from high school, their parents gifted them with plane tickets and the opportunity to live with their uncle in the USA. The young men were excited to return to the country of their birth, but nervous about the formidable task of learning English as young adults.
Younger brother Giovanni discovered Southern Regional Technical College’s (SRTC) English Language Learners (ELL) program and persuaded Alexis to join him in Bonnie Sayles’ Adult Education classroom at SRTC-Tifton in 2021. SRTC’s Adult Education program offers ELL classes at no cost to students. Instructors utilize state and federally approved placement testing and standards-based teaching practices that follow state guidelines for instruction. Alexis, the more soft-spoken and reserved of the brothers, says that he enjoys the challenges and the rewards of learning with his instructor in his ELL class at SRTC-Tifton. Outgoing Giovanni enjoys learning English because he loves meeting new people, and speaking two languages allows him to make more connections.
The brothers have been remarkably devoted to their studies. Alexis has had perfect attendance since February 2021. Even when they flew home for Christmas, the brothers attended virtually from Mexico, never missing a class. Between February 2021 and August 2022, the brothers completed all four volumes of the Ventures English Language Series. That introductory series focuses on speaking, reading, and writing in English, as well as lessons on culture and customs in English-speaking countries. They are now working through the advanced Transitions book, which will deepen their language skills while emphasizing goal setting and work readiness.
Learning a new language requires courage, discipline, and dedication, but the brothers offer encouragement for those that would like to try. “Don’t be afraid,” said Alexis. “It is a challenge, but learning another language can give you more opportunities anywhere you go.” Giovanni added, “Two years ago when I came to this country, I was shy. I was afraid. I could not speak. I could not understand. Now, I feel more confident. I can speak. I can understand. I am not afraid. I plan to stay and study here. To have a job and a life here.”
Adult Education at SRTC includes Adult Literacy classes, Integrated Education and Training (IET) career training courses, and English Classes GED® test and HiSET® exam Preparation classes, offered in each of the eleven counties in SRTC’s service delivery area. In addition, the program offers English Language Learners courses at SRTC-Cairo, SRTC-Moultrie, and SRTC-Thomasville. For more information about the Adult Education program at SRTC, please visit https://southernregional.edu/adult-basic-education.