ESL For Equality Podcast

Listen to episode 21 where I have a conversation on interpretation services with Abdi Ali. I met Abdi in Nairobi, Kenya when we both worked in the Cultural Orientation department at Resettlement Support Center Africa. Abdi worked as an interpreter himself before moving on to assist the Interpreter Training Specialist in hiring and training interpreters in the field.

We talk:

- the importance of interpretation throughout the resettlement process

- the inherent challenges with interpretation

- what interpretation really looks like on the ground level

- Abdi's new initiative African Peace Bridges.

Get in touch with Abdi and learn more about African Peace Bridges:

African Peace Bridges - https://www.facebook.com/African-Peace-Bridges-102502628312337

Abdi Ali LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdi-ali-6153b068/

Listen to episode 20 where I discuss some books I've read recently that have opened my mind and had me questioning. The books are:

Race, Empire, and English Language Teaching - Suhanthie Motha - https://www.tcpress.com/race-empire-and-english-language-teaching-9780807755129

Decolonisation, Globalisation: Language-in-Education Policy and Practice - Angel Lin & Peter Martin - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/234705882_Decolonisation_Globalisation_Language-in-Education_Policy_and_Practice_New_Perspectives_on_Language_and_Education

On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous - Ocean Vuong - https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/600633/on-earth-were-briefly-gorgeous-by-ocean-vuong/

Radio Congo: Signals of Hope from Africa’s Deadliest War - Ben Rawlence - https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Radio-Congo/Ben-Rawlence/9781851689651

Welcome to the New World - Jake Halpern & Michael Sloan - https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250305596

Listen to episode 19 where I have a discussion with my dear friend Ian Randall. I know Ian Randall from back home in Chicago, IL. During grad school, I taught English at a Kaplan International, housed on the south side of Chicago on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus. While there, I was lucky enough to meet some amazing teachers who quickly and easily became lifelong friends. Ian was one of them.

He has worked at writing centers, community-based ESL programs, Intensive English Programs and more. Since our years teaching together, we have both left Chicago in pursuit of careers and lives both abroad and elsewhere in the US. Currently, Ian lives in Japan and works as an English Instructor.

We talk:

- differences between community and collegiate programs;

- the role of assessment within different English language programs;

- the importance of cultural context;

- what it is like to be an English teacher abroad;

- and more!

Resources:

yourEnglishtest.com

Newsela

https://www.lextutor.ca/vp/eng/ - vocabulary profiler

Xreading

We Speak NYC

Listen to episode 18 where I have a conversation with author and poet Laurie Kuntz. Full disclosure, Laurie was a complete stranger to me before recording this podcast.  Her work had been living on my shelf and in my classroom for years, yet it never occurred to me to question who was behind those incredibly relatable, meaningful stories I and so many of my colleagues have used! I figured since it was written in 1982, it may be too challenging to find the author or that she may not even be interested in discussing one of her works from nearly 40 years ago!

On a whim, I decided to write her a quick note and to my delight, she wrote back!  It has been really incredible to learn about Laurie’s amazing background and work history.  Her experiences shed light on how the refugee resettlement, specifically cultural orientation and training process has changed over the years.  With decades of international teaching experience, including several years in refugee camps, Laurie is truly a resource to us all.

We talk:

- Experiences as a teacher abroad;

- The intent and inspiration behind the creation of The New Arrival series;

- How poetry can save the world;

- So much more!

Resources:

Laurie Kuntz Website: https://lauriekuntz.myportfolio.com/home-1

The New Arrival Book 1: In the Refugee Camp: https://www.amazon.com/New-Arrival-Activities-Language-Development/dp/0136123422/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+new+arrival+laurie+kuntz&qid=1613496789&s=books&sr=1-2

The New Arrival Book 2: In the United States: https://www.amazon.com/New-Arrival-United-States-Bk/dp/0136123678/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+new+arrival+laurie+kuntz&qid=1613496789&s=books&sr=1-1

Children of the Enemy: Oral Histories of Vietnamese Amerasians and Their Mothers - Stephen DeBonis (Laurie's husband): https://www.amazon.com/Children-Enemy-Histories-Vietnamese-Amerasians/dp/078647601X

Listen to episode 17 where I have a conversation with Andrea Echelberger from Literacy Minnesota. Andrea is the ESL Training Coordinator at Literacy Minnesota, formerly known as Minnesota Literacy Council. If you teach refugee and immigrant adults, you are likely very familiar with this organization and the wealth of resources they have made available. Andrea has a wide range of experience teaching English, both domestically and abroad. Her passion for creating practical and useful materials, collaborating with fellow teachers and colleagues around the world, and empowering English language learners has been a real inspiration to me. We talk about resources available through Literacy Minnesota as well as a few other leading organizations, what to look for when searching for materials for adult language learners, how to manage large virtual classes, training materials for volunteers, and so much more. Definitely tune in to this one if you are a teacher/volunteer yourself or have an interest in joining a classroom one day!

Resources:

I am ABE: https://sites.google.com/view/iamabe/about-iamabe?authuser=0

Literacy Minnesota Educator Resources: https://www.literacymn.org/educator-resources

Instructional Support Kits: https://www.literacymn.org/esl-instructional-support-kits

Remote tutoring resources page: https://www.literacymn.org/remote-tutoring-resources

Bow Valley Readers: https://globalaccess.bowvalleycollege.ca/learners/readers.php

LESLLA: https://www.leslla.org/

Atlas ABE: https://atlasabe.org/

Literacy Indy - Pathway to Literacy: https://sites.google.com/view/adultellliteracyindy/home?authuser=0

Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association: https://www.ciwaresources.com/

Listen to episode 16 for a brief rundown of some of Biden's recent immigration initiatives. While I don't cover every order or initiative, I attempt to break down the some of the largest and more complex issues. News moves fast - my apologies if some of this is no longer accurate.

Resources:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/27/us/biden-undocumented-immigrants-citizenship.html

https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-politics-race-and-ethnicity-health-care-reform-7c0584e2e7a795e24aa3c829b98dde08

Listen to episode 15 where I have the great honor of speaking with journalist and author, Helen Thorpe. She has authored three books and her magazine work has been published in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker, Texas Monthly, and more. We talk specifically of her book The Newcomers: Finding Refuge, Friendship, and Hope in an American Classroom. Through this narrative, Helen explores immigrant and refugee high school students and their families who had been relocated to Denver. Helen’s writing gives readers an intimate glimpse into what this transition looks like for young adults. Listen for a discussion on The Newcomers and an exploration of how we can be a more welcoming society.

For more information on Helen Thorpe and to find her books:

https://www.helenthorpe.com/

Bookbar Denver: https://www.bookbardenver.com/book/9781501159107

Tattered Cover: https://www.tatteredcover.com/book/9781501159107

Indie Bookstore Finder: https://www.indiebound.org/indie-store-finder

Listen to episode 14 where I talk with Sarah Jackson, the founder of the Denver/Aurora based organization Casa de Paz. Several years ago, Sarah’s eyes were opened to the realities of immigration to the United States. We discuss her experiences and how she decided she could be a welcoming force in the Denver area. Casa de Paz works directly to support individuals released from the Aurora ICE Detention Center as well as families who come to visit their loved ones. Casa de Paz is run entirely on volunteer energy and the desire to make the US a welcoming place for all. The work Casa does helps to rehumanize immigrants and support people in getting to their final destination. We also discuss Sarah's new book, The House that Love Built, as well as the documentary made about Casa de Paz, Welcome Strangers.

To learn more about the work Casa de Paz does as well as Sarah's book and the documentary, visit the following:

-https://www.casadepazcolorado.org/

-https://www.casadepazcolorado.org/book - Book

-https://www.welcomestrangersfilm.com/ - Documentary

For even more context or if you would like to learn more about the asylum seeking process, I would suggest listening to Episode 9 of this podcast (if you haven’t already) where I speak to 2 individuals who assisted asylum seekers in preparing for their credible fear interviews at the Texas/Mexico border.

Listen to Episode 13 with guest Abdullahi Mire, a freelance journalist as well as the founder of Dadaab Book Drive and the a host on Radio Gargaar in Dadaab Refugee Camp. We talk about the history and potential future of Dadaab Book Drive and how Radio Gargar has been used to spread life saving information about COVID-19. Having grown up in the camp, Abdullahi sheds light on the history as well as the current situation in Dadaab.

To contact or follow Abdullahi and to learn more about these programs, visit:

Twitter: @miire06

Twitter: @DadaabBF

Dadaab Book Drive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dadaabbookdrive

Radio Gargaar Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Radio-Gargaar-1445627172433505

Listen to Episode 12 for a discussion on the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. This episode includes a conversation with Anthony Alando, an educator within the refugee space, as well as clips from Al Jazeera news. Please note, this was recorded on November 21 - the situation has changed slightly since then.

For more information on the conflict as well as a bit of Ethiopian history, check out these links:

- https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2811903969084466 - Al Jazeera

- https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-54984056 - BBC

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ID1MVEJPyhc - France 24 (background on the issue)

- https://study.com/academy/lesson/red-terror-in-ethiopia.html

- https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/ethiopia-a-battle-for-land-and-water

Contact and/or follow Anthony:

Facebook: Kerry Anthony

Twitter: @ Anthony07017753

Email: [email protected]