Each week people from literally all over the world meet in the Acton library to practice speaking and listening to English in a “conversation group.” This small, supportive group gives newcomers to the United States a chance to become more fluent in English and learn about American culture. Led by a trained volunteer, the group discusses such topics as holiday celebrations, activities in the area, and travel. They also talk about everyday activities like shopping for food and clothing, speaking to a teacher or doctor, and making new friends.
Conversation groups are free and range in size from 8 to 12 adult learners. Participants meet in person weekly for an hour and a half at local libraries or community centers. (There is no online option.) The nonprofit English At Large (EAL), based in Woburn, sponsors these conversation groups in Acton and 23 other Boston-area communities.
“Adults who speak English at an intermediate or advanced level are welcome to join,” says Sarah Unninayer, conversation group coordinator at English At Large. “You should be able to have a conversation in English but may need to improve vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation.” But, she points out, the group is not a standard class.
Coming to America
Reflecting the diversity of immigrants in Massachusetts, past group participants have come from many countries, including China, Russia, Venezuela, Taiwan, Turkey, Korea, Mexico, and Morocco. They have left their homelands for a variety of reasons, such as to seek employment opportunities, escape economic or political turmoil, or join family already settled in the U.S.
Group participant Christina Park’s journey to America did not take a direct route. Originally from South Korea, she came to the US via Sweden. In 2019, her family moved to Stockholm for her husband’s job. Christina was excited for the opportunity to live in the far north and learn Swedish.
But she soon found herself studying another language. “After three years in Sweden, my husband received a job offer in Massachusetts,” Christina says. “We arrived in July 2022, and I felt like a goldfish out of water. It was so hot!”
Christina had studied English in school in South Korea but lost some of her ability in that language when she focused on Swedish. At home, she only speaks Korean with her husband and two teenage boys, so the conversation group allows her to polish her rusty English skills.
A lover of languages, Christina helped children learn English while she lived in Korea. And in Sweden, she helped children adopted from Korea learn Korean. Now she is concentrating on English again.
“The group gives me confidence in speaking English,” Christina says, adding “Every time I go to group, I learn about geography, travel, food, and places to visit with my family during the weekend.”
This summer, Christina took part in an English At Large book group, which read The Alchemist, and volunteered as a teacher at the vacation Bible school at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Acton.
Irene Oyarzabal joined the conversation group after leaving politically and economically troubled Venezuela two-and-a half years ago. Her daughter had already paved the way here and was living in Concord. Now, more family is nearby; her sister and the daughter of her son, who still lives in Venezuela, arrived in Concord four months ago.
“Each day I learn more about American life,” says Irene. “And I’m grateful for all I have received here. People have been kind.”
Since hearing about the conversation group from her daughter, she has attended several sessions, the first one online during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Conversation group is very useful,” she says. “It gives me the opportunity to talk with the teacher and others. I’ve made friends with people in the group.”
Rosy Flores and her family came to the US to avoid the threat of danger from drug cartels in Mexico. Previously, they lived in McAllen, Texas, while her husband worked just over the border in an area in Mexico that had become unsafe due to cartel fighting.
Fortunately, her husband was able to get a new engineering job In Massachusetts. And the family moved to Acton, because it was “a good investment, with good schools,” says Rosy.
At home, Rosy speaks her native Spanish, but her three children—ages 15, 13, and 10—also speak English. She took some English classes in public middle school in Mexico and understands the language more than she can speak it.
In addition to raising her family, Rosy does rental property accounting for her father’s business in Mexico and belongs to a local Hispanic social group of Columbians, Venezuelans, and other Spanish-speaking people.
“The English conversation group gives me an opportunity to speak English,” she says. She adds that she likes going to the grocery store and other places in the community and seeing people she knows from the group.
Joining the Conversation
English At Large offers conversation groups in the fall, spring, and summer. The fall semester will last from September 25 through the week of December 11 (12 weeks). Registration is required. Sign-up will start September 5, but people can express an interest now by going to English at Large conversation groups.
Learners in Acton are also eligible for EAL’s one-to-one tutoring program, career readiness program, beginner English class, and summer book group. In addition, EAL is looking for volunteers to lead conversation groups and other programs in the area.
For more information, go to:
Learners: English at Large programs
Volunteers: English at Large volunteer opportunities
