Inglés Classes

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For the first time, Harlan is offering an English class for adults. Currently, there are eleven adults attending this class who are all beginner English speakers and reside in the Harlan area. The class is offered once a week through Iowa Western Community College at the Harlan Community High School and is taught by Sarah Reinig. Reinig has an ESL, English as a Second Language, endorsement from Iowa State University, and is currently working in the Harlan Middle School special education program as a teacher’s associate.

So far the class has had three lessons. Although each class presents its own surprises, Reinig stated that “one constant is their smiling faces and eagerness to learn.” Some of the topics they have covered during this time include the alphabet, time, money, days of the week, months of the year, and numbers. According to Reinig, perfectionism is not her primary goal. “I had thirteen years of English myself, and I still don’t know everything about the brutal English language, so I have to be patient with them,” says Reinig. The children also benefit from these classes. While the parents are in their classes, their kids go to a separate room and supervised by Mrs. Hagemeier and other high school volunteers.

Although the program was initiated for a variety of reasons, Reinig stated that, “the primary goal of the program is to teach them enough English to the degree that they will be able to be independent and communicate with other people.” As a means to accomplishing this task, Reinig uses a curriculum that focuses on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Although the Hispanics will benefit from this program, Reinig also believes that the community will benefit from the classes as well. “Hispanics have a rich culture, and they can teach Shelby County residents more than they’ll ever learn from me.” Reinig, along with others involved in the program, anticipate that these classes may continue for a significant duration since additional Hispanic families are expected to move into Shelby County.

Ben Reinig