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ILI

The International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI) promotes intercultural understanding and diverse communities by providing high-quality language instruction and teacher training.

You are here: Home / News / Volunteering During Quarantine

May 16, 2020

Volunteering During Quarantine

Volunteering During Quarantine

Annie is an immigrant originally from Colombia, South America. She has studied in our Free English Program for Immigrants and Refugees, and last year was awarded a 3-month scholarship from Dean’s Beans to study 21 hours a week in our Intensive English Program. Annie took full advantage of that opportunity. She came to class daily, did her homework, stayed at ILI for hours working in the computer lab, chatting in English with other students (foreign and domestic), helped us with translations, volunteered in our office and at public events. She became a real fixture, and a real asset to ILI and to her classmates.

Jodie, lawyer and social worker, has been a long-time tutor, and became so enamored of the work that she took our Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) certificate program. Already a great tutor, she now brings so much more to the table.

She and Annie hit it off from the first day they met. They are both energetic, positive people, with a lot of interests and lots to talk about. Annie is a more advanced student, so this posed new challenges for Jodie in her tutoring, but her TESOL training prepared her for this.

They have been meeting together for months, first face-to-face, and now virtually. Sometimes they sat together at a table here at the school, sometimes they take meet at local cafes so Annie can practice her English in different situations.

Recently, Annie wanted to work more on her academic writing, as preparation for possible college entry.  Together, they discovered her interest in Wicca, and so Jodie made it a point to find a good book on Wicca.  They read it, alone and together, and Jodie helps Annie as she composes academic essays which include citations as well as critical thought.

Annie tells me that ‘ed’ endings (washed, called, wanted) are “kicking [my] tongue,” and that she’s enjoying their newest project together, reading Dean Cycon’s book, Javatrekker: Dispatches from the World.

Reflecting on COVID-19, Annie says it “is giving me more ways to learn new vocabulary and pushing me to improve myself in all ways.”

Jodie and Annie really enjoy each other’s company, and Jodie has also become a confidant and resource for Annie, as she navigates her life here in the U.S.

Written by Amy Ben-Ezra, School Social Worker, Volunteer Coordinator

Article by ILI Staff / News

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Students in ILI’s Intensive English Program visi Students in ILI’s Intensive English Program visited the Northampton Police station yesterday. Students asked Officer Lauren Bolduc questions about topics from animal control to traffic to violent crime to the job of a cop. The tour took us to every corner of the station from the detention center to the evidence room to Chief Jody D. Kasper in her office. Thanks NPD for an unforgettable experience. ⭐️

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #northamptonpd @northamptonmapd #studentlife #iep #intensiveenglishprogram #english #languagelearning #community #ialc #ialcschools
Congratulations to new U.S. citizen Ayça! ✨ Ori Congratulations to new U.S. citizen Ayça! ✨ Originally from Turkey, Ayça studied with us in 2016 and then received a Master’s in Communications and Information Management at @bay_path (ILI university pathway partner). Now she is Director of Marketing and Communications at the Realtor Association of Pioneer Valley. 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #congratulations #studentlife #congratulations #citizenship #northampton
“Music is the universal language of mankind.” “Music is the universal language of mankind.”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

ILI English and French instructor, Josh Owsley is also a musician! He will be playing bass with @landownerband tonight at @thedrakeamherst . 🎶Hope to see you there!

📸Photo by @vagabundodeltiempo 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #landowner #livemusic #teacherfeature #thedrakeamherst  #community
Congratulations 🎉 to our graduates  Jeffrey ( Congratulations 🎉 to our graduates  Jeffrey (Peru), Azhar (Kazakhstan), Ruveyda (Turkey), Andrei (Russia) and Yasemin (Turkey). Every month we have an international potluck to celebrate our graduates. You might have seen Azhar’s cakes before, but the cake that she made, as you will say, is truly over the top! We are sad to say goodbye to the students, but excited about the next steps that they will be taking in their lives.

Cake by @_azhar_bakery 

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #northampton #studentlife #azharbakery #potluck #education #internationalstudents #ialc #ialclanguages
“We must risk everything for the raw recipe of o “We must risk everything for the raw recipe of our passion” 

We had such an engaging afternoon at @parlorroommusic with ILI Board Member + former president of @gccgreenfield Bob Pura. Bob led a reading and discussion of his new book The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, which he co-wrote with Dr. Tara L. Parker. Audience members also got the chance to learn more about the process behind the creation of the book. 

Thank you for joining us! 📚

#ili #internationallanguageinstitute #massachusetts #bobpura #authorevent #reading #discussion #communitycollege #thecommunityscollege #northampton
Today Bob Pura and Tara Parker read from and lead Today Bob Pura and Tara Parker read from and lead a discussion of their book The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success! 📚 Join us at @parlorroommusic at 2pm. 

In their book, The Community’s College: The Pursuit of Democracy, Economic Development, and Success, co-authors Dr. Robert L. Pura and Dr. Tara L. Parker explore the extraordinary impact of this country’s community colleges on people, communities, and our democratic traditions.

As the book’s foreword by Lynn Pasquerella, President of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, states: "[T]he analysis offered by Dr. Pura and Dr. Parker unveils how community colleges—distinctively American institutions—are more essential than ever to fulfilling our nation's historic mission of educating for democracy."

Pura, a member of the ILI board of directors, retired in 2018 as president of Greenfield Community College after 17+ years in that position. Parker is the recently appointed Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at UMass Boston.
 
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