Mom keeps up with classwork with the help of a donated laptop
Like many immigrants to this country, Mexico-born Maria L. Garcia has faced a range of predicaments for not knowing English – the United States’ primary language.
Upon arriving in Tulare County as a young adult, Garcia discovered that for non-English speakers, “simple things can become highly complicated,” as she put it. That includes such tasks as trying to buy items in a store.
Her frustration grew until she had enough of the language barrier.
“Where I lived, the school ended in sixth grade, so that’s as far as I went.”
Maria L. Garcia, ESL Student
In late 2019, the 56-year-old housewife enrolled in an English as a Second Language class at Alpaugh Junior-Senior High, near her Alpaugh home. The twice-a-week ongoing class is offered through Corcoran Adult School’s Alpaugh extension program in partnership with Alpaugh Unified School District.
“English is very important here,” says Garcia, referring to the United States. “I want to be conversant in that language.”
On the first day of class, about a dozen students seemed keen to learn. Their teacher, Lauren Urmson, welcomed them. Then COVID-19 hit in early 2020. Some students dropped out. Only seven pupils, all women from Mexico, remain.
Recently, each received a Chromebook, made possible by a special grant. They review English lessons on the laptops while continuing to meet in-person, adhering to COVID-19 protocols.
In Mexico, Garcia completed sixth grade in a tiny community. Continuing her education would have required daily bus rides to a school 20 miles away, a commute her father deemed perilous.
“Where I lived, the school ended in sixth grade, so that’s as far as I went,” Garcia says.
In 1988, she married Rafael Garcia, a kindly man. Soon, the newlyweds immigrated to Alpaugh, where they raised four children, all now adults, at least three of whom have attended college.
To help support her family, Maria at times picked oranges, apricots and cotton. Her husband is a tractor driver and soil irrigator.
In parts of Tulare County – like the Latino-owned supermarkets where Maria shops with ease – Spanish dominates.
Visits to other establishments can be daunting. For instance, the Garcias went to a huge hardware store, seeking a showerhead and related items for their bathroom. Despite prodigious efforts, they couldn’t find what they needed — or Spanish-speaking staff. Englishspeaking employees tried to help. Unfortunately, the couple didn’t know the English names of the products they needed. A bilingual person eventually intervened, allowing the couple to make the purchase.
The experience showed Maria a future job opportunity, she says. “After I learn English, I would like to work in a store as a cashier or stocker.”
For more information on Corcoran Adult School’s ESL program, visit https://kingslake.corcoranunified.com/ESL.
Written by Edgar Sanchez.
| Regions | Classes |
|---|---|
| Central California | English as a Second Language |
