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Too few English classes for immigrants who line up to learn

THIS STORY APPEARED IN

January 26, 2012|By Kathleen Burge

(Page 3 of 3)

The Framingham program, like all programs funded by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, is not allowed to charge students for taking the class. The state covers about two-thirds of the cost of the program, Tibor said; fund-raising, including some by students, and other grants cover the rest.

Maria Barbalho and her husband moved from Brazil to Framingham about 20 years ago, but their English developed slowly. The large Brazilian community in their new hometown meant they often spoke their native language.

“If you speak more Portuguese, you never learn English,’’ she said.

And while adults struggle to learn English, the children tend to learn it more easily.

Barbalho and her husband started taking classes at Framingham Adult ESL a few years ago. Their son, a college sophomore, speaks English fluently.

So, too, does Finneran’s son, who is 6. Although Finneran Skypes with her family in Vietnam every day, her son speaks only a little Vietnamese. “Now my son, he corrects my pronunciation,” Finneran said. “That’s why [I’d] better go to English school.’’