Program Development

ILI staff can help your organization start a language program for general or specific purposes. We can help:

  • Determine your needs
  • Hire
  • Train new personnel
  • Develop curriculum
  • Develop assessment and evaluation tools

Specializing in English and Spanish, specific programs include: architecture, banking, hospitality (hotels and restaurants), medical, real estate and truck driving.

For references regarding a program called ESOL for Truck Drivers for Tri-State Trucking in El Paso, TX, contact Robert Elmore at (513) 424-1237 x144

For more information contact:

Alexis Johnson
International Language Institute of MA
25 New South Street
Northampton, MA 01060
Phone : (413) 586-7569 x104
Fax : (413) 586-8927
E-Mail : alexis@ili.edu

Example Programs

Spanish for Law Enforcement Workshop Series 

Goal: To prepare non-Spanish-speaking police officers to use Spanish language skills to enhance their ability to aid victims and control offenders in potentially dangerous situations involving Hispanics.

Objective: Upon completion, participants will be able to use Spanish to: disarm a suspect; make arrests and ID individuals; stop and search a vehicle; issue warrants, assist in emergencies; render aid to victims; manage prisoners and bystanders.

Cross-Cultural Component: Emphasis is on demographics, body language, levels of language ability, Spanish surname system, Latino subsets, and differences between Hispanics and non-Hispanics.

Workshop One (12 hours)

  • Greetings, Personal Exchanges, and Diffusers
  • Officer Identification
  • Cross-Cultural Component
  • Parts of the body
  • Stopping a Suspect
  • Searching a Suspect
  • Control and Arrest
  • Field Information Questions

Workshop Two (12 hours)

  • Vehicle Stops
  • Traffic and Parking Citations
  • Searching a Vehicle
  • Danger and Alert Words
  • Parts of the vehicle
  • Cross-Cultural Component

Workshop Three (12 hours)

  • Executing a Warrant
  • Obtaining Suspect Description
  • Numbers
  • Cross-Cultural Component
  • Latin American Documents

We recommend that participants take the workshops in the above-listed order.

Instructor Information:

Amanda Damon has worked as a police officer, 911 dispatcher as well as a medical emergency dispatcher; therefore, she knows what it is like in the field and what language is pertinent. Ms. Damon is a Spanish instructor for the International Language Institute.

English in the Workplace – C&S Wholesale Grocers, North Hatfield site

October 2004 - ongoing

Background:

Lack of a common language is a communication barrier that reduces productivity, quality of service and employee promotion and retention.

Among C&S employees who are immigrants, poor English language skills and lack of familiarity with U.S. workplace expectations are undoubtedly the two most important factors in employees’ lack of access to career advancement. This program will enable employees to be more productive and successful in their current positions, thanks primarily to better communication with their supervisors and other staff.

Participants and their teacher (who consults on a regular basis with the participants’ supervisors) build the curriculum together as the class progresses through goal setting, daily feedback, weekly written evaluation and ongoing assessment. This developing curriculum includes, as needed by each participant, basic skills such as problem-solving skills and numerical competence.

Goal: To provide custom-designed ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) instruction with an employment content to C&S employees with limited English proficiency.

Objectives: Participants will...

  • improve their language skills and confidence in speaking and listening
  • improve communication with their co-workers and supervisors
  • have an improved sense of workplace expectations and etiquette
  • make gains in basic skills such as numerical skills and problem solving skills
  • gain knowledge of key terms and vocabulary related to their job tasks, procedures, equipment, and work facilities
  • learn safety rules and discipline procedures at C&S
  • gain understanding of and familiarity with relevant C&S forms and documents (payroll, vacation, attendance, quality, benefits, etc.)
  • gain familiarity with relevant health and safety information
  • have better access to career advancement

Instructor Information: Cecilia Candia has extensive experience teaching ESOL and Spanish. She has taught in several workplace programs including one serving nurse-midwives. Ms. Candia is a Spanish and English instructor for the International Language Institute.

Sample Student Feedback:

“Before I don't talk to Supervisor. Everytime translation. Now I talk, a little, but nice.”
-Student in Elementary level

“I like this class, because six years ago nobody do this before, thanks to the teacher and the C&S company I learn a lot of English very important. I need this. It's good!”
-Student in Intermediate level

“I give thanks to C&S personnel for giving us non-English speakers the opportunities to learn more about the English language, because we want to understand more.”
-Student in Advanced level

Sample Supervisor Feedback:

“Student has been able to have conversations with many different levels at C&S. He is more confident of his use of the English language.”

 

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Copyright ©2008 by International Language Institute of Massachusetts, Inc. ­ All Rights Reserved.