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Broward College Instructor Teaching English as a Second Language at Gulfstream Park
English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, sponsored by the FTHA, started Tuesday, June 20, at Gulfstream Park, with 20 members of the Backstretch Community in attendance. FTHA connected with the instructor, Jaqueline Canard, through its collaboration with 1/ST RACING; 1/ST RACING Vice President of Communications David Joseph recommended a colleague to FTHA Special Events Coordinator Herb Oster, and she is the perfect fit for the job. A native of Venezuela who has been in the U.S. for 28 years, Canard received her Masters at the University of Kansas and currently teaches ESL at Broward College and for the on-line Elite Language Academy.
“I started with a survey of the students,” Canard explained. “I wanted to get an idea of how long each has been here, their age and level of education, how much English they know now. It’s a challenge, because we have a blended class – some speak quite a bit of English, some none at all. But I’m looking forward to it.”
The classes will be held at the FTHA Office from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday evenings, with Pastors Tom LaPointe and Alberto Grimaldi helping to organize and to provide a light supper for the students. Students who missed the early classes are still welcome to attend.
“Learning English is very important,” Canard said. “We live here in America, we have families here, we need to know the language. Being bilingual most certainly leads to increased opportunities.”
Added Oster, “Even though Spanish is prevalent in South Florida, our workers can be limited if they don’t speak English. Once they have this skill, it gives them more confidence to broaden their horizons. The ESL classes help not only the individuals, but benefits the whole community.”
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