Teaching English to adults eager to learn our language is a richly rewarding experience. 

That’s what local volunteers throughout Grant County in the English as a Second Language  tutoring program are discovering. 

The next ESL tutor training program will be held at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College’s O.E. Gray site in Platteville Thursday, Sept. 17 from 5 to 8 p.m. The training is free. 

Students wishing to improve their English on the waiting list are from Platteville, Cuba City, Lancaster, Montfort, Fennimore and other nearby communities. 

Tutors do not need to speak another language. The training sessions will teach tutors to overcome the language barrier. Following the training tutors will be matched with a student. Tutors and students are asked to make a commitment of at least six months to meet once a week. Tutors will get ongoing support from Luz Nereida Burkard, the Match Specialist for the program.

The program that began in June has seven tutor and student matchups that have been successful. The skill levels vary from beginning English speakers to students wishing to improve reading and writing in English. 

“Tutoring often begins as a way for an individual to give back to the community,” said tutor Jan Weier. “Soon it becomes much more than that.  It becomes a life-enriching experience.”

Program partners include the Southwest Wisconsin Community Action Program and Southwest Tech. The Platteville Community Fund is among the sponsors of this ESL program.

The trainer will be Luz Nereida Burkard, a bilingual teacher in Madison, who lives with her family in Platteville. She will address how to get started with your student, resources available to use in your teaching, and teaching techniques for adults learning a new language. 

To sign up for the Grant County English as a Second Language Program or for further information, contact Karen Rundell, rrundell@centurytel.net, 348-5583.