Sacramento adult learners improve English skills at local libraries. ‘Not traditional education’
It was Go Fish time at the Sacramento Southgate Library, and instructor Amanda Gohl was trying to explain the difference between “banned” and “band.”
“What do they mean?” Gohl asked her seven adult students.
Ramón Lanzo repeated the words, struggling to understand their meanings. The other students — mostly from Russia and Mexico — stayed quiet.
“Same sound,” said Lanzo, a man in 60s from Puerto Rico.
Nearby, another student, Laura Garcia Mera offered her explanation of both words. A native of Colombia, Garcia Mera learned some English while studying in college.
“Banned is, like, not allowed,” said Garcia Mera, 40. “And a band is more for music.”
That contrast in language proficiency is expected at Southgate Library’s weekly English conversation group, where adults can practice their language fluency. The informal classes are coordinated by the Sacramento Public Library system and are free to residents, regardless of their income or immigration status.
Adult students can choose to attend the hourlong gatherings in person or online. The program annually welcomes close to 1,800 participants, many of whom have recently arrived in the U.S. These immigrants represent countries around the world including China, Kazakhstan and Thailand.
For them, the small group classes offer a welcoming environment to improve their language skills, accustom themselves to life in America and create bonds with others going through the immigrant experience.
“It’s not traditional education,” said Roman Chuhleboy, a 41–year-old from Russia. “But for me, it has worked perfect.”
‘Struggling with our English’
Most English conversation groups at Southgate Library begin the same, with librarian and instructor Gohl asking her students about “what they’ve been up to” — a phrase that she had to teach them.
“Even that phrase is not very common,” Gohl said.
Phrases and idioms are often central to her students’ learning. These expressions are sometimes concepts that don’t make sense for people with a lower English fluency, Gohl said.
Chuhleboy said learning certain phrases, like “it’s not rocket science” and “have a nice day,” have helped him communicate at work and in everyday conversations. He now has a go-to response when someone asks him about his progress in learning English.
“English has never been my cup of tea,” Chuhleboy responded.
Chuhleboy was among the seven students in Gohl’s conversation group on a recent Wednesday afternoon in December. The students spent most of the class answering questions spanning a range of topics, including pizza ingredients, space travel, meeting celebrities and thunderstorms.
At one point, the discussion ends up on Elon Musk, with different students trying their best to describe him.
“He’s an auto man,” said Dmitrii Minin, a native of Kazakhstan.
Garcia Mera merely calls him the owner of Tesla.
Lanzo opts for calling him “a friend of Donald Trump,” causing laughter among the group.
Near the end of class, Gohl transitioned to a game of Go Fish centered around homophones — words with the same pronunciation but different meanings. Other times, she will have the class play bingo or hangman. The interactive games offer opportunities for the students to “just talk” and receive feedback, Gohl said.
They are moments for the class to further bond with each other. Multiple students pointed their relationships with each other as the highlight of the classes. They are able to talk about applying for jobs, taking citizenship tests, watching TV with subtitles or just ordering coffee.
“We all are kind of struggling with our English, but it is fun to do it,” Garcia Mera said.
English conversation groups are held in person weekly at the following libraries: Galt Marian O. Lawrence, Central, North Natomas, North Highlands, Antelope, Arden Dimick and Southgate.
People interested in attending the online classes or looking for more information can email literacy@saclibrary.org.
This story was originally published December 25, 2024 at 5:00 AM.
