👩‍🏫 ‘Invaluable resource:’ OCLS members praise ESOL classes, other free language programs at libraries

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – It may be summer break, but class is in session for hundreds of Central Floridians looking to learn a new language. For some who have moved to the U.S. from other countries, English is their second language.

The Orange County Library System offers free classes and resources to help improve communication.

“When I arrived to the U.S., I didn’t know any English,” said Julio Oliveros Miranda, an OCLS customer. “In this country, speaking English is very important so I signed up for classes.”

Julio is from Cuba and now spends three days a week at the Southeast Branch of the OCLS. The Southeast Branch of OCLS is located at 5575 S. Semoran Blvd. in Orlando.

The library is helping to open doors of opportunity for customers like Julio, with English as a second language courses.

“I love the many people and many cultures in this class. There’s people from all ages,” Julio said.

The courses are free, taught by Emmie Bileau. And the classes are filled with people from all over the world.

“We have Spanish speakers, Russian speakers, Ukrainian students. Almost anything you can think of, they come in on any given day and they need English to join the workforce, to socialize with other people and to exist in Central Florida,” Emmie said.

While the students all speak different languages, they are bonding over the same goal: to learn English.

“There is a human quality to it, the social aspect is very important,” OCLS customer Mercedes Hidalgo said.

“The class is dynamic. It’s interactive and I learned a lot in only two months,” OCLS customer Maria Almenar said.

Along with English classes, OCLS offers a variety of language learning resources for just about any language at their library branches as well as online. You can even access them on your mobile devices. There are classes and resources for every age and they are free with an OCLS library card. Resources Maria Almenar said everyone should take advantage of.

“I’ve very grateful and want everybody to know that this opportunity, to be able to learn a new language, iscompletely free, it’s an invaluable resource,” Maria said. “I’m from Venezuela and this does not exist. We didn’t even have the opportunity to learn our own language this way. I’m very grateful.”

Emmie said is rewarding for her to be able to teach English to others.

“It’s the best feeling, you really feel like you’re helping out the community and making a difference in lives and it’s so special,” Emmie said.

When class is not in session, or you just want to work on your own time, there is a Language Lab at the Southeast Branch with computers that you can use for free loaded with online resources. Click HERE for a list of OCLS language learning classes.

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