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Instruction, Translation, and Interpretation
Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids - Goodwill Employment Center
- 616-532-4200
Offers an alliance of eight community organizations brought together to implement a system of coordinated workforce development services across area agencies, providing individuals and families tools to move toward sustained financial stability.
(DURING COVID-19 workforce development programs are running remotely. People are encouraged to call for information).
Hispanic Center of West Michigan
- 616-742-0194
Provides interpretation, translation, and cultural competency services as a means of eliminating language barriers. Specializing in Spanish interpreting services in courts, the general public, schools, hospitals, and private and public agencies. Also provides workplace-based English language training. Offers free language services for COVID-19 related requests until the end of the year through Kent County funding.
Noor's Heaven of West Michigan Services
- 616-589-1625
Provides a wide range of services to the Arab and Muslim community (and others) in West Michigan. Offers job Job Search/Application Assistance, INS/ Citizenship classes, domestic violence prevention, shelter referral, food pantry referral, translation, and Child Protective Services assistant. Also offers educational and adoption services, cultural sensitivity workshops and classes, guidance and counseling in building and developing talents and skills, and more.
Roosevelt Park Ministries
- 616-475-5881
Offers Spanish language classes for residents, community members, and community partners. Classes engage prospective students in speaking, comprehending, and becoming literate in Spanish.
English as a Second Language
Alpha Grand Rapids: Alpha Men's + Alpha Women's Center
- Men's Center: 616-742-0242
- Women's Center: 616-459-9955
Offers ESL class weekly September-May and is taught by trained tutors. Childcare is provided during this class for children age 5 and younger.
Belding Area Schools - Adult and Community Education
- 616-794-4602
Provides an adult education program that includes high school completion and GED classes. Also offers continuous learning classes and activities through Community Education.
Holy Name of Jesus - San Juan Diego Academy
- 616-241-6489
Provides English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. Helps non-native speakers improve their level of English proficiency and become more confident in their abilities to speak, listen, read, and write English. Has small group instruction with classes offered at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Students can also utilize a computer lab where they can use English software to supplement and reinforce classroom learning.
Grand Rapids Public Schools
- 616-819-2000
Utilizes special methods and special curriculum to teach English to students whose native language is not English.
Ionia County Literacy Council
- 616-389-8529
Provides one to one tutoring in reading, writing, math, and spoken English to adult learners in Ionia County.
Kent Intermediate School District
- 616-819-2734
Teaches English as a Second Language classes for non-English speaking adults who want to improve their English speaking ability. Participants are at various levels of competency, e.g. foreign born persons who never attended school in their own country, persons at a pre-high school or pre-college level, professional persons of foreign birth.
Literacy Center of West Michigan
- 616-459-5151
Provides English language and reading instruction to parents who have children enrolled in participating schools in the Grand Rapids Public, Godwin Heights Public School, and Godfrey Lee Public School Districts. Currently serving Brookside Elementary, Buchanan Elementary, Burton Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, Dickinson Academy, Harrison Park Elementary, North Godwin Elementary, Sibley Elementary, Southwest Community Campus, West Godwin Elementary, Cook Library, Hispanic Center, North Godwin, and Godfrey Lee. Pre-literacy Spanish classes are offered to speakers of indigenous, oral-only languages. This pre-literacy class in Spanish supports their literacy development. Also provides workplace-based English language training.
Bethany Christian Services
- 616-965-8073
Provides full and comprehensive employment services to refugees and to companies in Kent and Ottawa Counties, with no charge to the employee or company. Free Vocational English Language Training is also available in community-based sites.
West Michigan Asian American Association
- 616-481-6194
Teaches English as a second language.
Word ESL
- 616-514-3106
Aims to provide the students with a safe, welcoming environment, providing the basic English language skills that they need. This is a one-on-one tutoring program for beginning language learners. Also provides small group learning and computer-assisted learning. There is a waiting list. Also offers citizenship classes twice a year at GRCC Tassel M-Tec Center. These classes are held on Saturday mornings. Call to inquire.
