From Classroom to Community: ESL Reading and Writing Circles in Calgary

The boundaries newcomers to Canada face are immense.

They need to find employment and housing as well as take an English or French language proficiency exam. Not to mention applying for access to essential services such as healthcare. All of which requires a working knowledge of English. Integrating into Canadian society requires that newcomers have access to English-language programs, and now more than ever, that demand is increasing. 

A CBC article from 2024 wrote that waitlists for LINC classes (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) rose to 7455 people, up from only 500 people in April 2022. Alberta’s population continues to grow, and with it, the need for English language programs. Take, for instance, the recent CBC article explaining how hundreds of students may be ineligible to register for classes come Fall 2026. To help adults find employment, navigate immigration documents, and ensure their children have access to education, they need English literacy classes. 

FESA recognizes this need in our community and has designed programs to help. Our ESL Reading and Writing Circles are designed to increase English language reading and writing skills while building community. These programs are free to take and are offered at our community partner sites across Calgary for adults learning English at a CLB 1–2 or CLB 3–4 level. Over 10 weekly sessions, participants build everyday reading and writing skills in a small-group setting.

Onboarding with FESA, I had the opportunity to observe our ESL Reading and Writing Circle at two of our partner locations. At the Mustard Seed: Ogden Hub and WINS Beltline. I was fortunate to observe a regular session, as well as the final celebration of the 10-week program. The stories shared truly speak for themselves.

Observations from an ESL Reading and Writing Circle

The program opened with our facilitator, Filomena, standing in front of a whiteboard. She was smiling broadly, welcoming the large group. 

“Good morning, beauties!” She sang to the group, her warm, distinctive pitch echoing throughout the meeting room. Jovial eyes looked around as she repeated the phrase. Murmured responses of “good morning” and “morning” slowly filled the room. 

“Could anyone tell me what that word is?” Filomena asked as she pointed to the whiteboard. 

Chuckles sounded throughout the room, as mingled responses of ‘beauty’ and ‘beautiful’ filled the space. 

“Yes!” Filomena agreed, proceeding to launch straight into her first lesson of the day. 

Plurality. 

That was my introduction to the wonderful program of ESL Reading and Writing. 

The next introductory activity was going through the inspirational quote of the day. The atmosphere was light as even more participants trickled in; nods of hello were shared as chairs were pulled out next to favorite learning partners. 

Filomena recited the quote. 

“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” 

Speaking to the room, she asked if any of the participants could tell her what that quote meant, or if there were any words from it that stood out to them. A murmur of low responses filtered through the room.

Filomena jumped on one of the responses that focused on the word "choice".

“Yes, choices, you all chose to be here today! You chose to learn! To show up for yourself and try. That shows determination and commitment;

it shows that you are willing to try, and that means so much more than simply having an ability!”

The group eagerly listened, jotting notes in their journals as she spoke. 

It was clear that the opening activities were carefully chosen. Filomena’s introduction uplifted, encouraged, and praised learners for showing up, all while teaching them about the ever-confusing grammar of the English language! 

A Celebration of Learning

Two weeks later, I went out to observe another program. This time, it was the final week of the 10-week program. Today’s session combined both WINS locations for a joint celebration of learning. 

I arrived at 10:20 am to a warm greeting from our facilitator, Katya. She had been the facilitator for the ten-week ESL Reading and Writing Circle at the Beltline WINS facility, with Douab as the facilitator for the Manchester location. 

Participants slowly arrived, and Katya greeted each one at the door with a smile and kind words. 

Participants spoke softly with one another, practicing their English while they dropped off their potluck goods before taking a seat. The scents of home-cooked goodness filled the brightly lit meeting space as participants awaited the culmination of their weeks of hard work. 

Katya started the program off with an activity: Talk to someone you’ve never met before.

Participants were hesitant as they got out of their seats to mingle, but quickly gained confidence as they paired off, and soon enough I began chatting with Fatemeh. 

Fatemeh told me that she'd been living in Canada for six years, but wanted to improve her English. Originally from Iran, she told me that she enjoyed Canada but hated the cold. I shared her sentiments, both of us lamenting the long Winters. She asked about my summer plans, and I asked about hers in turn, learning that we both loved the outdoors.

Too soon, Katya rang the bell, signaling the end of our conversation. 

“Next round!” she called, “speak to someone new!” 

Next, I had the pleasure of meeting Ari. Originally from Mongolia, but had been living in Canada for nearly a year. 

We both introduced ourselves, and I told her about my work for FESA. She quickly responded, telling me how much she loved the program, going into detail about the topics covered and how helpful they were in everyday life.

“Yes, I think it’s so great that they have a class on what to say in a doctor’s appointment, and how to get the healthcare you need,” I said excitedly. 

Ari chuckled, “Well, it is helpful for everyone, but it’s less important for me; I am a doctor,” she responded. 

I laughed brightly at her response before I asked about her plans and whether she was looking to pursue licensure in Canada. She informed me that there were specific medical English language exams that she would have to take. That was one of the reasons she chose to join our program, so that she could build the skills she needed to pursue her profession here in Canada.

After this round, Katya quickly jumped into the next activity – How well do you know Canada? 

It was a Canada multiple-choice trivia presented on a projector screen. The group voted together, shouting out answers to questions that even I struggled with: what is Canada’s highest peak? I wondered as they answered question after question correctly. 

After the activity, the potluck began. 

Home-cooked dishes from everyone’s culture were laid out in the kitchenette. People filled their plates and talked with one another. Dishes were complimented, recipes shared, and English practiced, as the sounds of enthusiastic chatter filled the room.

After the potluck, the certification ceremony began.

Katya presented the learners with a certificate to celebrate the completion of their program. The learners had come week after week, putting in the hard work to learn a new language, and it was a big moment. A celebration. Not only had they worked hard to learn a new language, but they made friends and found community in a new country. 

Support these Programs

We are so thankful for the support of Calgary Learns. Their support ensures we can continue to provide essential ESL Reading and Writing programs. Learn more about our ESL Reading and Writing Circles on our website and donate today to help us reach even more newcomer Canadians.