PLAZA COMUNITARIA
Many adults residing in the United States have come here without having the opportunity to attend elementary or secondary schools in Mexico. A large number of immigrants in the USA have lived and worked here for many years but cannot read or write in any language. Many would like to learn English, but research literature supports the observation of many ESL instructors regarding the inability of these students to progress past a certain point in learning English if they cannot read or write in their own mother language, Spanish.
To serve the Mexican National population, Instituto Nacional Para Educación de Adultos, INEA has sponsored the establishment of educational centers throughout the United States known as Plaza Comunitaria.
The Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) implemented the Plaza Comunitaria program in November of 2004. Plaza Comunitaria is housed in a community resource center where educational services and community training is offered in Spanish. Adults learn, aided by technology, through distance learning online, using many resources (books in Spanish, videos in Spanish.) A parent trainer provides group and individual instruction in Spanish to adults at levels ranging from kindergarten through junior high school. All Spanish materials are provided free of charge by the local Fresno Mexican Consulate. All other materials are provided by the Bakersfield City School District. Official certificates are awarded, by the Consulate to each person that satisfactorily completes examinations for each module.
The BCSD goals for the Plaza Comunitaria are: to provide parents an opportunity to increase academic knowledge thus making them mentors and role models for their children, and to increase language skills increasing transferability to English skills (ESL).
Since the grand opening of the BCSD Plaza in April 2005, eight of the twenty nine active parents, received their official certificate of completion for Elementary School. Three of the students that began the program without literacy skills are now reading at a third grade level.
The BCSD and Fresno Mexican Consulate partnership are helping parents and children succeed.
Plaza Brochure (English/Spanish) Plaza Flier (English) Plaza Flier (Spanish)
For more information contact: Rosa Pico 631-5878 or Patty Silva at 631-4763