Partner Highlight: ESOL LOVE Builds Community Through Faith and English Classes

Sharing Faith and ESOL Skills

ESOL LOVE is short for “English for Speakers of Other Languages Ministry of Love,” the outreach ministry of Iglesia Alianza Cristiana y Misionera de Kissimmee, Florida. Serving a population that is 70% Hispanic with a large immigrant population, the church prioritizes making newcomers feel welcome and strives to build a sense of belonging and community. Iglesia Alianza’s mission is to share their faith and help their neighbors attain the tools and skills needed to be successful in their new homes. Chief among those skills is speaking English.

Addressing Need in the Community

ESOL LOVE was launched by Director Terry Czigan, who brought decades of experience managing literacy programs in county library systems. She saw the need for English programming in the community and was disappointed to see how few churches offered such services. When she and another colleague at Iglesia Alianza learned about Intercambio, they felt confident to move forward building an English program in their own church.

A Successful Launch & Rapid Growth

ESOL LOVE started with nine students and five teachers teaching three levels on Thursday evenings. Weathering disruptions by two hurricanes, demand for the program quickly grew, and enrollment swelled to 22 by the end of the first semester. When an anonymous donor gifted the church with a street sign advertising the English program, ESOL LOVE saw a jump in enrollment. In just a year and a half, the program offered both morning and evening classes and served 113 students across ten levels with 15 engaged volunteer teachers.

Pivotal Tools for ESOL Teaching

Terry shared that Intercambio’s integrated curriculum has helped ESOL LOVE succeed and grow, addressing student needs and supporting volunteer teachers. The teacher’s manuals and slides offer complete lessons, without requiring additional planning. “My volunteers feel cared for in that they know what is expected of them,” Terry said. “So much of the work is done for you.”

“On the student side, I so appreciate your placement process—the verbal interviews and written assessments, if needed, have provided our students with very accurate placements so [students] feel comfortable in our class levels.”

ESOL LOVE recently began supplementing the curriculum with an English essay contest, opening the contest with 28 entries! Students are excited to participate, share their writing, and showcase what they’ve learned.

Future Expansion & Community Support

After so much initial success, the program doesn’t anticipate a reduction in need anytime soon. Terry plans to begin offering classes two days a week, instead of just one. She hopes to connect with the mayor’s office to secure funding and explore other grant opportunities to support growth. “I will try to investigate grant programs to help us get some things we do not have—like childcare, audio-visual equipment, more books for a student library, and more tables and chairs as we expand.”

Terry believes that ESOL LOVE has provided a mechanism for reaching out to immigrants and helping them to feel welcome and supported. In addition to learning English, the classes provide an opportunity for the church to invite their new neighbors into the community, encouraging them to attend events and holiday celebrations.

If you’d like to learn more about our English language curriculum, purchasing our ESOL resources or how to become a Intercambio Network Partner, please reach out. Click on the link below to learn more about joining the Intercambio Network!