Recent Retiree Improves English with EMCC’s ESOL Courses
Estela Munoz wants speakers of other languages to know that at Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC), they can learn English no matter where they’re from or what age they’ve reached.
“Everyone can do it,” said the recent retiree who enrolled at EMCC and registered for one of the college’s ESOL, or English for Speakers of Other Languages, Community Education courses last spring.
“Once I retired, I decided I finally wanted to improve my English,” she said. “Now I see myself speaking more English, communicating more with others, and even finding a part-time job that will benefit my English.”
EMCC’s ESOL courses are designed for English language learners who want to improve their speaking, listening, vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills. EMCC offers four levels of ESOL courses and students take a placement test to see which level they should begin at. Once they successfully complete a level, they take another placement test to ensure they are prepared to move on to the next one.
Estela began her ESOL journey last summer at Level 2. She completed Level 3 this fall and is registered to take Level 4 in the spring.
“I can already communicate with others much better now,” she said.
She attributes much of her success to practice, practice, practice.
“Practicing in class and helping my classmates helped me stay on track to learn more and work toward the next ESOL class level,” she said. “Wherever I go, I practice. With my kids, I always practice. In person and on the phone, I try to use my English whenever I can.”
Estela took Level 3 from Dr. Barbie Firkus, who, before coming to EMCC this fall, had taught ESOL to middle school students for 10 years. Dr. Firkus said she enjoyed teaching Estela Level 3 and looks forward to teaching her Level 4 in the spring.
“I watched Estela grow both academically and socially as we worked our way through the curriculum,” Dr. Firkus said. “I noticed that she continually became more confident in both her academic skills and her English speaking.”
For Estela, the highlights of EMCC’s ESOL classes have been spending time with other students, speaking with the instructors, and learning about different cultures. She said it has also been comforting to have fellow students in her classes who are peers.
“It has been nice to know that I am not the only student my age who wants to learn more English,” she said.
Her advice to someone who wants to better their English — “Make a goal and learn it.”
“The class can help you get to your goals,” she said. “Once I finish Level 4, I want to continue taking classes at EMCC — any class that will help me improve to get to the next step in my life or next career.”
Registration is open for EMCC’s spring ESOL courses, which start on Jan. 21 and 22. The non-credit courses are all taught in person. To learn more, go to https://www.estrellamountain.edu/community-education/english-speakers-other-languages-esol.