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Each week we have an ESL class for adults in the
library. This is Patrick Henry so we're in the
Vienna library. We do it in the little conference room
that's off to your right when you come in the main
doors, um we have for about an hour and a half.
Currently we have two groups, a beginners group
and an advanced group. Each week we come up with a
lesson plan, usually related to whatever's
going on in the calendar at that point, so around
Christmas time we'll talk about Christmas traditions
and other winter holiday traditions. We get a lot of
students from all over the place. I have some from the
Czech Republic. I have some from Syria. I have some
from China. So any and all are welcome. All levels of
ability are welcome and we just discuss. We help each
other with vocabulary. I'm there to direct the
conversation and I'm there to clarify vocabulary
terms but it's as largely student directed as we can
get it. Most of my students want to learn English for
every day conversation, for just communication with
everybody around them, in their neighborhoods, in their
schools, school meetings, teacher meetings, things
like that. Three years ago I start to learn
English. I come to USA at October 2011 because I am
Syrian. Because the situation in Syria was very
bad. My children lived here so I have to stay here to
be safe. It's very nice class. We can meet very
nice people from other countries. It's a good
opportunity to go out and to see people and really
appreciate a lot what you do for us. So this is
entirely volunteer run. We definitely need more
volunteers. We need a volunteer every single time
the class meets and people's schedules vary
so much. We're also hoping to expand across
different branches. So if you want to learn more, go
to the Fairfax County Library website it's
fairfaxcounty.gov/library or go to your local library
branch, they have information for you.