Facing the inability to speak English in America brings about a myriad of challenges. Proficiency in English is often a prerequisite for many job opportunities, and educational pursuits such as understanding lessons, interacting with teachers, and completing assignments all require English proficiency. Accessing healthcare, navigating the legal system, and participating in civic activities all pose difficulties without a command of speaking the English language.
After talking to experts at ESOL programs at Grace Chapel and former ESL teachers from across Massachusetts, I learned that one of the hardest-to-address, but most pervasive challenges ESL students face is the lack of access to speaking practice outside of class. To address this, I created Speak ESL!, as my Gold Award Project in scouting. I worked with two current freshmen to research, develop, and post, 20 units of speaking exercises and pronunciation guides for beginner ESL students. Speak ESL!’s content is available on Spotify, free, downloadable, and rewindable — giving students the time and freedom they need to flourish. Our goal is to continue developing accessible, free, content for ESL curricula and students, globally.
More info: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mxeQMBNtCKMGCXXRSUIi1?si=24193a7b00174792