 Welcome to CTN member highlights. I'm Leslie McVane and today my guests are from the English language program at learning works I have Juan Alimon and Martin Kee-lee-wa. Kee-wei-yu. Welcome now Martin you've been in the English language program for a little while at learning works But you are a current student and you're here from Sudan South Sudan yeah, and tell me how you got involved in the program at learning works and What it has meant to you? Actually I involved in the learning works program Because I came from my original country of course this is my My second country or so so the important for me to learn English is very important because The country itself. It is a English Speakers, so for me to communicate to the people For daily activity. I have to learn English And that's difficult as an adult isn't it and not did you have any English at all before you came here? Before I came here my English was very limit because my country it is a English speakers Because it's colonized by English people But I learned with the most English I learned I learned here Yeah in other education because I was in that education before and then I registered in Learning works Continued program. Yeah, and one you are from El Salvador exactly and you haven't been here very long I have been here for I Think for four years four years, but your children have just recently. Yes. Yes. Yes. They came when yeah Next I mean last year. Uh-huh, and you have two children to issue to that us So now the three of you are all learning English. Yes. Yeah, and how how did you find the program at learning works? Well, my my brother-in-law He recommended that place learning words and this is interesting for me Yeah, because I before when I came here I I Doesn't speak English nothing But right now that must have been kind of scary to come to a place where most of Everybody speaks English and you must have felt a little isolated. Yeah, yeah So you're all in class together. It doesn't matter what country you come from you're not divided into groups of Spanish or speakers or French speakers or Houses speakers or whatever So how is that communicating? Not only with trying to learn English, but communicating with each other Speaking different languages. Yeah inside in the classroom. Just English. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's the rule English immersion Exactly, but when you talk with each other You probably are facing the same hurdles and frustrations as well as the same successes so Tell tell me a little bit about Martin. Maybe you want to say a little bit about the class You've been in it a little bit longer than one. I Yeah You see when we because of course as I said earlier that we are different Groups different countries and different languages, but when we came together and at his school It's only one language is form as a Bring us in both together as English Because everyone has his own language For example, like me I speak like four languages, but when we came together We speak only English and that gives you your own little community of New English speakers exactly now you both have children in the schools here and They are having to learn the language the English language When you're all at home with your children. Do you sit around and speak English now at home? Yeah, actually for myself When At home I usually like to speak English because my kids they speak Very very good English because I speak in American English Because to the born here and then I came with the one those that are youngest So they what I came with him is boy is catch English very fast because when he came he was Less than year. He was like nine months. Oh, it's a good. Yeah. Yeah. Good. Thanks, too. Yeah So I like to speak with them in English because I need to learn from them. Yeah, yeah And what about you one are you trying to speak English at home? I'm home. Yes. Yes, because this is help for us. Yeah, right And are there other Spanish speakers your brother-in-law my wife my wife? Yeah We live in my wife my two daughters and I and we try to speak just English Now at learn at the English language program at learning works It's not just about learning the language, but you also learn how to Take that language and use it in the community. Is that not correct? Yes, correct So you go out and learn how to communicate in the grocery store and other places that you might Interact with people. That's right. And how have you found that? Fun as well as challenging or It's not really challenge because Soon as you speak with the people you communicate with the people always in daily basis For example, like in the stores or at work So this where you get English very fast. I mean it helps you to how to as I say to how to communicate with people how to To to to to find your way around Community now, what would you recommend the program to other people coming in to? Yes, yes, yes, I recommend a lot of French to attend that program is very interested and this way you can learn English fast. Yeah. Yeah, it's a very good program and then Also, our new comma those people they came newly you also recommend them to attend the program And what about you? Well, the same thing to I recommend that placing everything is a free Yeah, it's amazing. Yeah, and you go every day for days a week. Oh the repetition Yeah, and also I'm going to add Regarding that program There's a difference between that program and that education because when I was in the other occasion Didn't involve in computer program, but here. Oh, I used to take a computer school and a classes Uh-huh, and they just helps me a lot. So now I can do a lot of things in computer I can send email and do it's amazing and then yeah, well if people want to find out more about this they can go to the learning works Website which we will run on here and Paul manoff is the director of the programming there and they can talk with him And I'm sure if people want to volunteer to come in and help they can as well. Yes Well, thank you both for being here. Thank you. I think your English is wonderful both of you. Thank you I understood everything. Hope you understood me Thank you. Thank you very much