English Class

NB4HS adult education programs target Haitians living in Rhode Island, comprising 95% of its program participant population.  This effort is significantly challenged by the language barrier that almost all Haitian immigrants must confront. Haitian-Creole is the primary language of Haitians, with some people also speaking French.  English is not taught in Haitian schools.  This language issue is further exacerbated by a very low literacy rate amongst Haitians (Haiti has the lowest literacy rate in the Western Hemisphere at 60%).

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The agency has tailored its program design to meet this challenge.  Utilizing a dual-language approach, NB4HS is able to meet students where they are at and simultaneously address student language issues while making academic progress in preparation of gainful employment in an English-speaking work environment.

NB4HS presently has two Instructors. Our teachers are highly experienced adult educators, including a supervising instructor with a master’s in Cross-Cultural Studies and English as a Second Language, who has published extensively on multilingual learners and provided ESOL instruction in various settings since 1980.  

Another teacher, a native speaker of Haitian-creole, has a strong understanding of the cultural dynamics of the classroom and the needs and strengths of Haitian learners. She has a master’s degree in Education.

Teachers