SUSSEX COUNTY, Del. - Enrollment for English as a Second Language, or ESL, classes has doubled from the 2022 school year at Sussex Technical Adult Education, prompting the addition of classes at some sites and the opening of new locations to accommodate the significant increase.
Currently, there are 31 classes at 10 different locations.
Lindsey Thompson, an ESL teacher since 2008, assists individuals from other countries in transitioning to life in the United States.
"I know some of them have jobs that they don't love, and if they could just improve their English proficiency, they could take career programs," Thompson said.
Jean Fides Blanc, one of Thompson's students, who speaks Haitian Creole, French, and Spanish, expressed his enthusiasm for learning a fourth language.
"I like to learn English. I want to speak English more because I want a new job. I want to talk with every [person] in the United States," he said.
All classes are full this year, with a 300-person waiting list for students eager to enroll in ESL classes.
"We have people coming into our office every day wanting to sign up for English classes, and it breaks my heart that we can't help all of them," Kelly Whaley, supervisor of adult education at Sussex County Vocational Technical School District, said.
Thompson encourages those learning a new language to overcome their hesitation.
"Sometimes it can be embarrassing when you're learning a new language. You don't want to speak to native speakers because, again, it just seems very difficult, but I want in the classroom for the students to feel like they can safely try this new language," she said.
The Sussex County Vocational Technical School District is trying to apply for various grants to secure more funding and open additional sections to accommodate the growing need for ESL education in the community.