When Hector Reyes, a native of the Dominican Republic, applied for the role of Security Systems Technician, in IP&O’s Identity and Access Management group, his limited English presented a challenge. His interviewer, Director Michael Seas explained, “We started the interview in English. The tension was high, and Hector was extremely nervous. When the first question was asked, he froze and reached for his phone to translate. I politely said, ‘Try English, we are not here to judge you.’”
Having a Spanish-speaking wife, Seas was able to ease the tension by shifting the interview to Spanish. “He spoke a few words in English and reached for his phone again. By this time, I could see the fear in his eyes, so I responded to him in Spanish. You could see the tension leave his body. I conducted the rest of the interview in my horrible Spanish, and he responded in his native tongue,” Seas explained.
Since being hired, Reyes has taken steps to improve his English. He set his electronic devices to English and watches a lot of English-speaking television, but what he found particularly impactful was his participation in IP&O’s English as a Second Language (ESL) courses.
IP&O’s myPath Training and Employee Development group has revised its ESL program and the results are resonating with employees, like Reyes, who are seeking to be more self-reliant and confident in work and in their personal lives.
The recent fall 2024 offering, and newly revised course, Workplace ESL, emphasized communications specifically for the workplace. It was well-received by the employees whose native tongues included Japanese, Arabic, French, Mandarin, and Spanish.
The courses are held one day a week over six weeks. Each session lasts 90 minutes. ESL courses are offered throughout the year and open to all IP&O employees.
Yan Zhang, a native Mandarin speaker, who works in IP&O’s Space Management office as a Systems Support Analyst, feels the program aided her communication skills. “I appreciate that the IP&O department provides the opportunity to improve language,” she said. Zhang, who has been in the US for 11 years, admits that she was very shy about her ability to articulate clearly in English, but she has taken two ESL courses and feels much more comfortable and fluent. “I believe the class is a very important help for us,” she said. She also commented on the helpful reminders sent to learners each week about the upcoming lesson. Of the course structure, she said, “The vocabulary, grammar, and dialog for workplace helped me a lot.”
Maria Nieves, an IP&O Custodian, who works in the Clothier Hall residence dorms, said that the class helps her communicate better with the students she sees each day. “The ESL class is important and interesting,” she said. “I work in a building and interact with many residents who live in the dorms. I always talk to them to make their day happy. I like to be able to communicate with them because they are Rutgers University, and they are my Rutgers family.” Nieves added that the ESL course provides opportunities to learn about English language, culture, communication, and grammar.
Sue Bhuyan, Director, myPath Training and Employee Development, and Jessica Garon, Instructional Course Designer, deliver the program. The course objectives, developed by myPath, are based on principles of the International Phonetic Alphabet which matches sounds to symbols. Trouble areas, unique to the English language, include consonant digraphs—sh, th, ch—and other combinations of letters whose distinct sounds may cause confusion. “When a word or vowel is pronounced incorrectly, we focus on it,” said Garon. “For differentiating ch and th, we slow down our speech and model it for the learners.”
Course work includes partner activities and discussion. Several students who started out on the shy side, became more engaged toward the end of the course. “We make response optional,” said Bhuyan. “We encourage an environment in which participants feel comfortable practicing English without judgment.” The next offering, Everyday ESL began February 19 and runs every Wednesday through March 26.
“Everyday ESL topics are a little different and broader,” said Garon. “Topics may include things like gardening, travel, family, and food.”
“Each lesson will also have a grammar, speaking, and writing component,” added Bhuyan.
Reyes was so determined to take the Workplace ESL course, he drove from the Newark campus, where he is based, to the New Brunswick campus to attend the ESL sessions. His perseverance has paid off, not only for him, personally, but for his department. “Hector has been a great hire,” Seas said. Reyes who has nothing but praise for the ESL classes, is looking forward to the next session. “It was really good,” he said of the course, “I would tell everyone to do it”.
For more information contact myPath through ServiceNow: ipohelp.rutgers.edu/ipo_help
Hector Reyes is one of the latest IP&O employees to utilize myPath’s ESL course to help better his grasp on the English language.
This article can be found in the IP&O Insights Newsletter March Issue.
