Parents are children’s first and most important teachers. By helping parents expand their literacy and language skills, and their knowledge of child development, we are making sure that children have as strong a start in life as possible. Our classes benefit parents and children in all five boroughs.
English Classes for Parents
We partner with early-childhood education programs across New York City to offer parents of young children free intensive classes leading to a high school equivalency degree (formerly known as the GED) or to greater English language proficiency.
Our English classes help students acquire speaking, listening, reading, writing, and grammar skills. Parents develop the confidence and the competence to use English to navigate the world around them, including subways, banks, and the health care system. At the same time, we emphasize child-development topics and incorporate parenting strategies into the curriculum.
Literacy Partners prioritizes parent education because research shows that parents who can read and write well are best equipped to guide their children’s healthy intellectual development. Boosting parent educational attainment is key to closing the achievement gap among low-income and immigrant children, which starts when young children grow up in homes without books or parental involvement in their education. Keeping all children on track from the earliest ages is a powerful strategy to break the cycle of poverty. Read about one of our students.
Our ESOL classes are currently at capacity. For more information, contact class@literacypartners.org or 646-237-0108.
High School Equivalency
Literacy Partners offers classes to help students earn high school equivalency degrees by passing the Test Assessing Secondary Completion, or TASC (formerly the GED). We offer two levels of instruction to accommodate learners of various backgrounds and prior educational experience. The curriculum covers the reading, writing, math, social studies, and science subjects that appear on the test. We also emphasize the non-cognitive skills and habits of mind associated with success in academics and at work. We help our students prepare for and enroll in college as soon as they have passed the TASC. Read about one of our recent graduates.
Our HSE classes are currently at capacity. For more information, contact class@literacypartners.org or 646-237-0108.
English Conversation Classes
Literacy Partners provides English conversation practice groups where immigrant New Yorkers learn about free city resources, build their confidence, and share their personal triumphs and challenges. In two-hour classes, enthusiastic and compassionate facilitators use the Emmy award-winning educational video series We Speak NYC (formerly We Are New York) as a narrative springboard to discuss immigrant-centered scenarios and how to access NYC resources (e.g., paid sick leave, translators for parent-teacher conferences, free and confidential mental health services). Participants work together to practice English, solve problems, and advocate for themselves and their families in an English dominant world.
For more information, contact Adriane at adrianel@literacypartners.org or 646-237-0163.