For this month's spotlight, we spoke with Barbara Goodno. Ms. Goodno is the Program Manager for Cedarbrook Community Church's ESOL Program. She’s been part of the program since the beginning, serving first as assistant director to Millie Walters, whose vision in 2004 was to bring English classes to adult internationals in upper Montgomery County. Since that first year, Barb has also served as an intermediate and advanced instructor. In her professional life she is a senior program manager for the government, currently serving as the associate director for online learning. She is an avid volunteer who encourages others to join this marvelous team -- "you get so much more than you give!"
Organization Spotlight: Cedarbrook Community Church
August 20, 2019
Can you tell us a little bit about your ESOL program?
Each Wednesday evening, from 7-9 p.m., Cedarbrook Community Church in Clarksburg, Maryland, offers conversational English classes for learners at five levels – from beginners to advanced. Planning for the program began in 2005 when a church member noted that many of the residents in the newly built neighborhoods in Clarksburg were adult internationals. Her work with MCAEL confirmed the need, and on September 2006, the ESOL program began. Since then, estimates are that more than 1,200 learners have participated in the classes.
What are the demographics of your learners?
In May at our last class, we celebrated our students’ achievements. As part of that celebration, our decorated space included the flags of their home countries – last year there were 45 flags. So, to answer your question -- our learners’ backgrounds are quite diverse! While many are from countries in Central and South America, we’ve hosted learners from Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe. During our break time (when the use of the heart language is OK), we hear Spanish, French, Korean, Vietnamese, Farsi, Russian – and others. As for occupations, that is also quite varied. In their home countries, many have had professional degrees; here in the U.S., they work in a variety of fields to include health care, childcare, education, management and landscaping. Several of our learners are business owners.
For readers who may not be familiar with your ESOL program, what are some things you would like them to know about your program/s?
Our program is filled with highly motivated adult learners – we learn so much from them! This year, classes will begin on Wednesday, September 18 and will conclude on Wednesday, May 27. There is no charge for the classes except for a one-time book fee of $24. We offer a rolling registration; learners are welcome to join the classes at any time. The first meeting begins with an assessment to help with placement – we work hard at offering a program that balances challenge with mastery of what they already know. We follow the Montgomery County Public School calendar for vacations and weather delays and cancellation.
Top five reasons our learners attend ESOL classes based on one of our internal surveys:
- To speak English
- Practice pronunciation
- Listen and understand
- Write to be understood (with correct grammar)
- Read and understand more clearly what is written
Can you share a recent success story?
There are so many! The one that comes to mind immediately is our learner who started in our program as a beginner several years ago. Now an intermediate-level student, this past October he took his citizenship test – and passed! His classmates helped him prepare (by quizzing him – he had to know the answers, which he of course did). Getting his citizenship was a long-time goal and it was a joy to share this accomplishment with him.
On Friday, October 25th, the MCAEL staff had the privilege of visiting WUMCO Help's facility in Poolesville, MD. What began as a quick journey to distribute our Adult English Language Program Directories turned into an insightful tour of WUMCO’s expansive ESOL classroom, designed for local residents, and their food pantry, where they provide shelf-stable goods and fresh produce to the community. Supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, community members, and local Boy Scout troops, WUMCO is committed to addressing food, language, health, and financial insecurities in Poolesville and the surrounding areas. We are proud to partner with WUMCO Help , which began with MCAEL as a Start-Up Grant recipient in 2023 and then grew to become an Access Small Grant recipient the following year. To learn more about WUMCO and the good work of all of our current Grant Partners, click here.
Dear MCAEL Community: I am writing to share with you that I will be leaving MCAEL as of early October. I have accepted a position as President and CEO at the Healthcare Initiative Foundation. After 12 years of stewarding and growing the coalition, our team, and the organization’s role in the county, it is time for me to pass the torch to new leadership and pursue some new challenges of my own. MCAEL is a strong organization that has proven the value of having one entity coordinate the work of the coalition to build a diverse network of adult English language learning opportunities. With the partnership of Montgomery County government, dedicated coalition organizations, and incredible supporters and volunteers, MCAEL continues to provide much needed and much desired English classes. With an incredible staff, the organization is well positioned to continue to meet the needs of our community. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served as MCAEL’s Executive Director. It has been rewarding to work alongside such a remarkably talented team, engaged Board members, dedicated program staff and instructors, and committed funders and supporters. While I'll miss MCAEL, the people I've worked with, and most especially the thousands of adult learners we have been able to support, I am excited to see MCAEL continue its growth and leadership in the county. The Board of Directors is meeting to identify the search process and timeline for a successor leader of MCAEL and that information will be shared as soon as practical. I will be working with the staff, board, and coalition to ensure a thoughtful and smooth transition. Thanks to you and the many other people who support MCAEL’s work, I am confident that the organization will continue to be strong and impactful. With gratitude, Kathy Stevens
I’ve had to use Uber more in the last month than the entire last year while my car was out of commission. As you may know, the app offers you the option to indicate your comfort level with conversation. While I was trying to lean into just relaxing on the car rides and not talking much, I couldn’t help myself and quickly started conversations with my drivers. Many of my drivers were non-native English speakers, and they shared their experiences adjusting to a new country while not being comfortable with the language. Their stories echoed an all-too-common experience among immigrants in our community, who often work at jobs below their training levels. We discussed how to find English classes, should they be interested, and I was even able to connect one of my drivers to a workforce development opportunity. ๏ปฟ Sure, it would have been more convenient to have my car in working order so I could drive myself to work. But I never would have made these rewarding connections.
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Montgomery Coalition for Adult English Literacy (MCAEL)
9210 Corporate Blvd., Suite 480
Rockville, MD 20850
P: 301-881-1338
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