Community need

Immigrants with low level English skills cannot begin the process of moving forward in their new life in the United States.

In Massachusetts:

• More than 600,000 residents are foreign born; 1 in 6 adults is an immigrant or refugee.
• More than 250,000 do not speak English well enough to secure work or engage in community life. (Migration Policy Institute)
• 16,000 remain on waitlists for free or sliding-fee programs, some for as long as 2 years. (The Boston Foundation)

In our Service Area:

• 130,000 people, 26% of the total population in Middlesex County, are non-English speakers. (2019 American Community Survey)
• Less than 10% of these adults are enrolled in programs to help them learn English. (The Boston Foundation)

These people do not have the English language skills they need to move forward with their lives.

They face the following barriers to reaching their personal and professional goals:

• Difficulty obtaining employment, promotions, and/or raises
• Not able to support their children in school and/or advocate on their behalf
• Challenged to access community resources and services
• Unable to communicate with physicians and/or mental health providers
• Unprepared to take the U.S. Citizenship Exam (which is administered in English)
• Isolated and not involved in the local community

English language instruction is key to overcoming these challenges. 

English At Large is the only organization in our service area that provides free one-to-one and small group English language instruction.  For many adults who want to learn English and struggle to learn in large, classroom-based settings we are their only option.

Programs Offered to Local Learners Include:

One-to-One Tutoring
Conversation Groups
Beginner English Classes
Career Access Lab

We also offer programs through our relationships with community partners, including:

Caregiver English
Workplace English

For more information on these programs, please visit our Programs Page.