Know anyone wanting to improve their English?
The Lafourche Parish Public Library will soon offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at its South Lafourche Branch in Cut Off, thanks to a recent grant award.
We are excited to announce that LPPL is a 2018 recipient of the American Dream Literacy Initiative grant.
The American Dream Literacy Initiative is a program of the American Library Association (ALA). Funded by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, it assists public libraries in implementing or expanding literacy programs for adult English language learners or adults in need of basic education and workforce development.
In January, the library received notice that its application for funding to the American Dream Literacy Initiative had been successful and that the library would be receiving $10,000 to implement ESL classes for adult English language learners.
The Lafourche Parish Public Library is one of 20 libraries across the nation to receive a 2018 American Dream Literacy Initiative grant and the only library system in Louisiana to be awarded this grant this year.
According to ALA, at least 85 library systems in the United States applied for funding; only 20 were chosen to receive funding.
So what is LPPL going to do with the $10,000 in grant funds recently awarded?
The American Dream grant will allow us to implement ESL classes for adult English language learners at our South Lafourche Branch.
Specifically, the grant award will allow us to pay a contract teacher – a retired educator fluent in English and in Spanish – to teach the library’s ESL classes. The classes will be open to any adult who wishes to better their English language skills.
In addition, the grant award will also help the library system purchase a series of leveled textbooks for use by those adults attending our ESL classes, as well as to pay for promotion of the library’s classes and other materials to use in the classes.
This isn’t the first time that LPPL has been successful in receiving an American Dream grant award.
In late 2012, the library received its first American Dream grant of $7,746, which allowed us to host its first ESL classes at the South Lafourche, Larose, and Golden Meadow branches.Those classes – thanks to that grant award – assisted more than 80 people in improving their English language skills.
If you know of someone who might benefit from these upcoming classes, please have them stop by or call the South Lafourche Branch at 632-7140 and ask for Carmen.
Dates and times of upcoming classes will be announced soon.
