Immigrants clamor to learn

This class is another indication of how important it is to fund more ESL classes and how motivated the students are. DP

BY CHRISTINA M. WOODS, The Wichita Eagle

kansas.com: The Indochinese Center wants to expand classes

The Wichita Indochinese Center needs experienced teachers for its growing English for Speakers of Other Languages, or ESOL, program.

Mohan Kambampati, the center's executive director, said ESOL classes could have expanded to a third location at Evergreen Neighborhood City Hall this year, but "we're having a problem finding good teachers."

Kambampati received a $15,000 grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, which he said would pay for the Evergreen expansion.

The center also offered evening ESOL classes at the Colvin Neighborhood City Hall for the first time this year thanks to a $23,000 Kansas Health Foundation grant.

The teacher search coincides with the center's Aug. 26 to 28 enrollment period for fall classes, which start Sept. 3.

"They're so motivated," he said of students. "It's a pleasure for me to see these people walking in around 5:30 (p.m.) despite working very hard.

"It's the same thing of the morning classes. By 8:30 a.m., they're here to learn English."

Funding shortages prevented the Wichita Area Technical College from offering ESOL classes at Colvin, though the college still offers classes at its main campus. The grant allowed the Indochinese center to step in at Colvin.

"It's not just that they're learning English as a second language," said Debbie Nguyen, a community education coordinator and a Colvin supervisor. "But they're also learning about civics and government."
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