English Language Center of Cache Valley, Inc.

History

ELC opened in 1999 to house and expand a successful, structured English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. Since that time, ELC has become a model for ESOL programs throughout northern Utah, and our student enrollment has increased from 183 students in 1999 to over 1,000 annually!

Program Description

ELC's core program involves six levels of English ranging from Beginning to Advanced (we welcome people who know zero English, people who are fluent, and everyone in between). ELC also offers U.S. Citizenship Preparation, and Workplace Literacy. Students learn at a level-appropriate pace and are given lots of opportunities to practice their reading, writing, grammar, and even conversation. Students also learn valuable life skills in an English-speaking community, such as:

• Banking
• Shopping
• Finding jobs
• Using healthcare

ELC prizes its high caliber instructors as a key component in the program's success. Instructors are qualified and enthusiastic, and they use research-based, level-appropriate curricula and a variety of professional teaching materials.

Target Population

ELC serves adult immigrants of all nationalities. We have served students from over 90 countries.

Innovative Teaching

ELC uses a variety of teaching methods. Classes are fun and relaxed with a lot of student-teacher interaction. We believe that students learn best with a hands-on approach using research based textbooks as well as technology and audiovisual activities.

ELC works very hard to integrate "real-world" applications and connections into its academic (English) instruction. This helps students to not only improve their English, but also their outlook on and motivation for citizenship, community, and employability. In fact, ELC maintains a computer lab, open to all students, to further their marketable, technological skills.

Proven Strategies

All students are pretested to gage their English proficiency level. Students are then placed in a class appropriate for their individual level. Students work on education and employment goals with their instructors and the ELC Directors.

ELC Students Succeed!

ELC measures its own significance by the life-changing accomplishments of its students that occur every quarter of every year, such as: students who were once completely non-English speaking becoming more fluent, parents being able to read to their children in English,and adults finding employment in the English-speaking workforce to provide for their families. ELC continually strives to make it possible for more students (regardless of income and/or family circumstance) to participate in classes.