Longmont, CO-Intercambio de Comunidades, in partnership with Micro Business Development Corporation and Mary Golden of ESL for Professional Life, is once again offering English as a Second Language classes focused on business development.
The ten-week course begins April 2nd and will be held each Wednesday night from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at 515 Kimbark St. Ste 103. The intensive class will be limited to 12 students who have passed Intercambio's English Level 4 proficiency test. Students wishing to enroll should contact Eliberto Mendoza, Longmont Program Director, at 303.776.7070.
Geared toward intermediate and advanced English learners who are starting or growing their own businesses in the area, the class will address a wide range of topics and concerns specific to this community. The class will help improve the communication and business skills of these entrepreneurs. It is designed to address the linguistic needs of immigrants who market products or services to English-speaking customers or clients. Utilizing curriculum appropriate for the subjects addressed, students will develop their own business plans and become more knowledgeable about U.S. business culture. Contracts, financial concerns and marketing will be integral to the experience.
Intercambio, a volunteer-based organization established in 2001, has become a national model in providing instruction for ESL students and training for volunteer ESL teachers. The business-development classes are an exciting new venture that grew out of the needs of Intercambio's students as they progressed.
Besides supporting this class, Micro Business Development Corporation will link the students with local business mentors. In these real-life exchanges, students will gain an understanding of the challenges that may face them as they grow their businesses. MBD will also provide supplemental technological tools such as computers and software.
Golden, a certified ESL coach, has been guiding entrepreneurs and teaching immigrants at all levels for more than 20 years, both professionally and as a volunteer. She is dedicated to the concepts that effective teaching is student-led and that a curriculum should be built upon the students' reality and dynamic in its response to their changing circumstances. She believes that the purpose of ESL training is to expand upon rather than to replace a student's native language and culture.
The ESL for Business Professionals program is a proactive contribution to strengthening the Longmont economy and building community. By empowering local immigrant business owners, the needs of local residents will be better served. The intercultural exchange that arises as a natural outcome of this endeavor enhances the ability of all people within our community to share information and appreciate each other.