Nadia Deas, SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) The Onondaga County Public Library is helping refugees to learn and speak English. The White Branch Library, one of the libraries under the Onondaga County Public Library System, held an English speaking and learning class.
The class is named Gather Around, which is a free conversational English class for older adults who are working to learn more about the English language. This is one of the first meetings to take place since there were protests that took place on Oct. 11 in Syracuse concerning the refugee camps along the southern border. The protesters were against the process of detaining immigrants in camps as they held signs that read, “Close the camps.”
A staff member of the White Branch Library, who wishes to not be named, believes the addition of a class like this is necessary for adult refugees.
“We have a lot of immigrants. A lot of them are older adults who don’t pick up the language as easily or as fast as the children do,” she said.
This staff member also said that this class teaches the refugees of the Syracuse community things that native English speakers find as second nature.
“This morning they were asked if they could practice how to introduce themselves. That’s something you and I do on a regular basis, but they may not know how to do,” she explained
This eight-week class is still going on and will end on Oct. 31.
