History

English for Successful Living, Inc. (ESL) was founded by Reverend John Porter and Chaly Jo Moyen in 2002 as an outreach program of Holy Innocents’ Episcopal Church in Sandy Springs.  In 2003, ESL became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with Chaly Jo Moyen as Executive Director.  Since that time, the organization has served over 4,000 students from more than 60 countries, and classes have been taught by an all volunteer workforce, typically comprising 60 volunteer teachers each session. Holy Innocents’ continues to provide significant financial support for the organization, as well as classrooms and office space.

ESL is now the largest community-based adult English as a Second Language program in Georgia, with excellent test results across levels, hundreds of students enrolled each session, and a pool of new and returning volunteers that keep the program active and vibrant.

The Need

The ability to speak, understand, read and write in English is critical for new arrivals to the United States, and no one is more aware of this need than immigrants themselves.  A 2002 survey conducted by The Urban Institute among immigrants in the Atlanta area concluded that English classes were their single greatest need – above legal services, help getting a driver’s license, medical care, or jobs fairs.* Without programs like English for Successful Living, many immigrants would not have the opportunity to create better lives for themselves and their families through learning the language skills necessary to secure economic self-sufficiency.  Because Hispanic full-time workers, in particular, continue to be more likely than any other group to be considered the “working poor,” it is crucial for these families to have access to classes that are affordable and convenient to their work schedules.

Our Response

English for Successful Living has built a program that meets the needs of immigrants who seek to make a better life for themselves, their families and their communities. ESL offers students the opportunity to acquire the language in a comfortable setting, using a life skills based curriculum that promotes self-sufficiency and strengthens students’ ability to meet their personal, academic and employment goals. 

English for Successful Living’s program is designed to conform to EFF Content Standards for Adult Literacy and Lifelong Learning as established by the National Institute for Literacy.  EFF standards concentrate on adult skills, including: communication, decision-making, interpersonal skills and lifelong learning skills. 

ESL’s utilizes an all volunteer teaching staff, and ultimately, the success of our volunteer program is reflected in the success of our students.  By recruiting highly engaged volunteers teachers, providing them with training in ESL teaching approaches and methodology, and giving them first-rate resources and ongoing guidance, we are able to ensure that our students receive superior English instruction that produces results.  Many immigrant families are unable to attend English classes because they have young children and but lack the resources for childcare while in class. Free childcare is a unique aspect of our program, removing one of the main barriers to access to ESL classes and greatly increasing the number of students who are able to participate. 

Our Students

Since 2003, ESL has provided over 4,000 students from around the world with exceptional English instruction.  The majority of our students hail from Mexico, Brazil and other Latin American countries; however, since 2003, more than 60 countries have been represented in the student population, including: Russia, Afghanistan, Angola, Korea, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Japan. 

Immigrant adults enroll in our program because they recognize that their economic and social prospects in the United States are severely limited by a lack of English knowledge, and increasing their proficiency in English means putting themselves in a position to improve the quality of life for themselves and their families.  By learning to communicate more effectively, our students are better able to actively participate in all aspects of their lives – building positive relationships in the community, talking with their children’s teachers, communicating with the doctor when a family member is sick or earning a raise at work.  Armed with the critical language skills they need, our students are then able to meet their personal goals and experience meaningful success.

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* The New Neighbors:  A User’s Guide to Data on Immigrants in U.S. Communities, prepared by The Urban Institute for the Annie E. Casey Foundation (2003), authors: Randy Capps, Jeffrey S. Passel, Daniel Perez-Lopez, and Michael Fry.