Family Literacy: Building community and language skills

There is something special happening this summer in central Davenport. Three times a week for six weeks, two dozen students—adults, teenagers, and children with five different languages between them—faithfully gather to study English in an encouraging, welcoming environment.

Led by Dr. Edwin Ubeda, professor of education at St. Ambrose University, and Erin Sodawasser-Hermiston, instructor in the Master of Public Health Program, with vital support from St. Ambrose students Emma Janecek, Abigail Taaffe, and Kerie Battaglia, the classes not only provide essential English instruction but also foster a sense of community. Many refugees come from communal cultures and can find the American lifestyle isolating. By gathering together, they not only learn English but build community—all the while gaining language skills for practical needs like job applications, obtaining a driver’s license, and navigating daily life tasks.

Students gather three times per week in central Davenport for energetic and useful English language instruction.

This family literacy model was adopted in partnership with St. Ambrose University and World Relief, funded by the Supporting Higher Education in Refugee Resettlement Innovation Incentive Grants program. It’s designed to open up access to English language education for families, breaking down barriers that prevent some from participating.

For instance, some language programs in our community are really wonderful, but cannot offer childcare, which makes it hard for parents—especially women—to attend class. The family literacy model eliminates this barrier by allowing adults to attend classes with their children. While adults learn English, children are cared for in the nursery located just down the hall.

On the Illinois side of the Quad-Cities, language classes are held in neighborhoods where refugees and immigrants live, providing convenience and accessibility. However, on the Iowa side of the Mississippi, resettlement is newer and families are more spread out. For students who cannot access the class by walking or by bus, volunteers and staff offer rides for those who need them.

We love this holistic and family-centered approach to education and are grateful for the partnerships and people who make this work possible. If the amount of smiles and laughter coming from the classroom is a sign, it seems like the students love it, too.