Workforce Language Services

TV Azteca, Mexico’s second largest TV network, plans to launch a 60-hour series of English classes to be broadcast on its U.S. affiliate stations. 

The televised classes, the first of their kind to be broadcast by a Mexican network in the United States, will offer cultural as well as language lessons. They will not be broadcast in Mexico or other countries in Latin America. The aim is to prepare immigrants in the United States for a host of situations ranging from taking their children to school to grocery shopping and going to the doctor.

“It just makes sense,” said Luis Echarte, chairman of Azteca America. “In order to survive and get better jobs, they have to learn basic English.”

While free and low-cost ESL classes are available in every urban area in the U.S., long wait lists, work schedules, and lack of child care prohibit many immigrants from taking advantage of this service.  TV Azteca tentatively plans to broadcast on Sunday mornings.

Of course, passively watching a TV program is not the most effective way to learn a language.  Hopefully this program will provide viewers with enough of a foundation that they are then motivated to work on their language skills in ways that truly develop language acquisition, such as by immersing themselves in situations where they must use English. 

Read the full article here.