In this new age of COVID-19, many educational services have gone virtual. The Onondaga County Public Libraries are providing a virtual opportunity for English learners to not only learn the language but find friends. The Libraries literacy coordinator Amy Thorna helps oversee and teach some of the English-Service-Learning conversation groups. She has worked at the library for 14 years.
Thorna said that the ESL conversation group is where people can learn English and a relaxed environment.
“English language learners don’t often have an opportunity to speak with people who are native English speakers,” Thorna said. “Or even hear people who speak other languages speak English.”
Thorna said people joined the ESL conversation program in the past because they have needed friends. She said the social aspect of this program is very important.
“I have people in my conversation groups now who have gone back to their own countries who are coming to participate,” Thorna said. “Or who are participating in this online class to see some of their old friends they went to class here at the Libraries.”
Thorna said, the people participating might not have friends a lot of the time. The ESL conversation groups are not only teaching people English but also giving them friends.
