Community Learning Center

ESL Classes

Latinos and immigrants can greatly expand their employment options through improved English skills. In fact, an immigrant who speaks English at home earns 2.5 times more than an immigrant who does not speak English well. In 2004, Centro Latino created the Community Learning Center (CLC) to increase our adult learning and literacy services by adding fee-based English classes tailored to the needs of immigrant workers, as well as Citizenship Preparation classes.

The CLC offers practical, authentic instruction with skills and topics connected directly to career and real world situations. Basic & Intermediate English (ESL I & II) classes begin quarterly. These courses are for the beginning English Language learner. They are centered on the needs and abilities of the students. Classes include topics that are relevant to the students' lives, needs, and interests and the students themselves. The topics include: food/ nutrition, helping children with homework, accessing community resources, giving and receiving directions and others. (The topics of these courses may change according to student needs.)

All classes run four times annually in ten week cycles. Two schedules are available: a 60-hour course meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 pm to 9pm, for a cost of $250; and a 44-hour course meets Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm or 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm, for a cost of $200.

The next cycle of ESL classes begins October 6, 2009. Call Centro Latino to enroll.

Spanish for Business
Learn the basics of Spanish so that you can communicate better with employees and clients. In a fun, interactive atmosphere, with minimum grammar, participants practice vocabulary and dialogues for various business settings. The dialogues are customized to the business areas of the students in the class, such as banking, retail, and others.

The class is 30 hours in length and is offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at Centro Latino de Chelsea. New 10 week cycles begin quarterly.