This content was published: April 7, 1999. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
PCC Celebrates ESL Awareness Week at Southeast Center
Photos and story by James Hill
In an effort to recognize the more than 2,000 non-native speaking students schooled each term by more than 40 full- and part-time ENNL (English as a non-native language) and ESL (English as a second language) instructors at Portland Community College, PCC will celebrate ESL Awareness Week April 19-23 at the Southeast Center.
The festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. at the center, located at 2850 S.E. 82nd, with flamenco dancers, student performances and display cases filled with information on PCC language programs and other opportunities available through PCC.
Since the proclamation and endorsement by Gov. John Kitzhaber in 1995, ESL professionals statewide in K-12 schools and colleges and universities have observed this week in mid-April to promote ESL/ENNL programs for students in need of language assistance.
"This is to educate the PCC community and the community at-large about the ESL programs that are available to them," said Trina Hing, PCC ESL instructor.
At PCC, students from ages 18 to 60 and older have come to the college from China, Yugoslavia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and beyond to take advantage of day or evening classes at nine different sites in Multnomah and Washington counties.
Students learn language fundamentals in any number of reading, writing and verbal interaction courses many free of charge to eligible resident, non-native speakers of English.
To learn more about ESL/ENNL offerings at PCC, or to find out about the activities during ESL Awareness Week at PCC, call Sharon Hennessy at 977-6210.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »