Members who relocate to Washington DC and who want to improve their English can take classes with our two experienced teachers, Anu and Carmela.
Anu is a bilingual Indian national who attended English schools throughout her childhood. She has a masters in English and American literature, and a second masters in philosophy. She acquired the TEFL (Teaching English as a Second Language) certificate from Georgetown University after relocating. Anu has been teaching English to adults for 16 years, starting with undergraduate, and then graduate students. She has also taught business and legal English courses. Anu helped to start the English program at IMFFA (IMF Family Association) and currently also teaches at NOVA community college. She confesses that she has always preferred teaching adults to children.
Anu teaches the advanced course at the WBFN, where she likes to integrate grammar and conversation in a constant flow. The students use a textbook, but Anu also brings in other material, such as articles. Anu finds the conversation of her students to be fascinating, and loves it when they feel comfortable enough with their English to talk about the challenges in their lives.
When she isn't teaching, Anu works on the administration of the WBFN’s Teen Summer Program and Children’s Holiday Party.
Carmela came to DC from Canada twenty-five years ago after many relocations. She has a degree in English literature and began her teaching at a bilingual Italian school in Toronto. She has taught in Kuwait, Turkey, Italy, Spain and Portugal. In Washington she also teaches in a church program and at a public library.
At the WBFN, Carmela teaches the beginner/lower intermediate course. In addition to a textbook, she uses methods to keep the students interacting with each other, such as dialogue and drama. She uses current events but tries to keep the topics relevant to the lives and immediate needs of her students, all of whom have recently relocated. Her teaching focuses on listening, speaking and grammar.
Carmela finds her students to be well prepared for the demands of relocation and eager to improve their language skills. She loves the international community and finds teaching to be very rewarding.
About the Classes
WBFN offers three English language sessions per year. Each session consists of twenty classes of three hours each, held three times per week. The competency and number of the incoming students determines the level of the classes. The current session has two levels (beginner/intermediate and advanced), though other sessions may have three (e.g., a separate beginner class). If a student cannot be accommodated, the WBFN works with IMFFA to see if the student can attend class there.
Classes are kept small, and are needs-based. After an assessment, students decide on 3-4 objectives and areas they should focus on. In April 2017, WBFN will be offering an additional session of Business English.