After a successful transition to online over the fall, Center for American English Language and Culture has had a successful start to the Spring semester with the enrollment of 132 students in their classes, and many more participating in their on-line programming for international students, staff, and scholars.
As the program navigates the virtual space, it is also trying to streamline information about English language services available at the University of Virginia and at CAELC. To support its stakeholders, it has recently rolled out a new system on Sharepoint, an online file sharing system.
“Despite all the technology challenges we have been able to navigate the online sphere and grow our programs in new and exciting ways,” said Elizabeth Wittner, Academic Director for Center for American English Language and Culture.
The Volunteers with International Students, Staff, and Scholars recruited and trained 260 volunteers led by 10 supervised UVA student interns. UVA Facilities employees log onto Zoom every week from distanced computers in Skipwith Hall to meet with their volunteer English partners on-line.
The MOVE program that started because of the pandemic is also going strong with more than 324 volunteers. This includes students, staff, and faculty volunteering as translators and interpreters and speaking over 32 languages among them.
In addition to the relief information, they have also partnered with the Equity Center and Madison House to help ESOL students in Albemarle County Schools who are at risk. “MOVE volunteers are providing language support in students’ home language so that they don’t miss out on critical content area learning now that it is virtual and even more difficult to access in English,” said Wittner.
Wittner emphasizes that CAELC’s work supporting international populations remains as crucial as last year. They continue to build new relationships to facilitate language connections between UVA and the community This semester they worked with Blue Ridge Area Food Bank to translate distribution information into other languages for their community and provided ASL interpreter help at the Haven Shelter Medical Clinic.
“Many have found a sense of belonging, a sense of community within the larger UVA setting, a bridge to an unlikely friend through our programs and it motivates us to keep reaching out in our community,” said Wittner.
CAELC will also be running a four-week intensive English experience for international students for a smoother transition to life at UVA in July. According to EAP Director, Janay Crabtree, after a successful online delivery in 2020, EAP faculty and staff will offer the program online again this summer. They will support students from at least four different time zones and from multiple UVA schools and disciplines. Interested students can learn more about the program and submit an application on CAELC’s website.
More information: Summer EAP Description
