English Classes
Register now!
You can enroll at any time for our adult English classes for the 2024-25 school year, as well as other English learning opportunities. Click here to get started:
What kind of English classes?
We focus on speaking. Of all 4 language skills, speaking is the most difficult, and it is also the most important. In speaking, many different skills are needed at the same time. But it is also the most difficult to find someone to practice with. If you want to practice listening, you can watch movies or shows. If you want to practice writing, you can use Microsoft Word or Google Docs to check your spelling and grammar. And you can practice reading with books or articles. So we focus on strengthening your speaking in conversational English.
You can join anytime. Many English programs require you to join at the beginning of the class year or you will have a lot of work to do in order to catch up. But we specifically choose books that allow you to join at any time, without pressure to catch up on lessons you missed.
We use books developped by professionals. We want to provide you with the best opportunity to succeed in your English. We make sure our primary curriculum is developed by professionals, based on the current scientific best practices. Our primary books are Intercambio & Neighbor to Neighbor. In addition, each class usually includes resources from outside the curriculum such as the Bible (a key to understanding US culture), news articles, or current events.
Waiting List
We wish we could help everyone in our area who wants to improve their English. But sometimes we have more people interested in our English classes than we can hold. Last school year, most of our classes ended up having a waiting list.
So we may have to put you on a “waiting list” and tell you when we have space for you in your level and time of day.
This can happen two ways:
- When you are first placed in a class, your level may have no more room.
- After you are placed in a class, if you stop coming, we may move you to the waiting list and give your place in class to someone else.
During the school year (from September to May) we have classes most every Thursday in the morning and evening. Click here for information about other English learning options, including those that continue during the summer.
Here are our two class options…
Thursday morning classes
- 9am-11am
- Held at National Hills Baptist Church, 2725 Washington Rd, Augusta, GA 30909
- Click to see our calendar for exact dates and to check for holiday exceptions
- We offer free child care during our Thursday morning classes for pre-school aged children of our English students. Please click here to register your child ahead of time.
Morning English Class (at National Hills Baptist Church)
Click or scan to join our Thursday morning ESL group on WhatsApp:
You can park in the large parking lot next to the church building and then walk in the door with the covered entrance. Look for signs directing you.
Thursday evening classes
- 7pm-9pm
- Held at First Presbyterian Church, 615 Telfair Street, Augusta, GA 30901
- Click to see our calendar for exact dates and to check for holiday exceptions.
- We may be able to offer free child care during our Thursday evening classes for pre-school aged children of our English students. Please click here to register your child ahead of time.
Evening English Class (at First Presbyterian Church)
Click or scan to join our Thursday evening ESL group on WhatsApp:
You can park in any parking lot between Telfair Street and Greene Street (see the map below). Then walk across Telfair Street to the church building. Look for signs that direct you to the right and through a garden (we call it a courtyard) to two doors together. This is the entrance for English classes.
We have security officers there until our classes are done, to monitor these parking areas only. Do not park behind the church (near the James Brown Arena).
Sometimes there are events at the James Brown Arena and it is hard to find parking. You can still park in those areas in the map below. If they are taking payments to park there, just tell them you do not have to pay because you are there for an English class and were told you could park for free.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the next English class?
We have classes just about every Thursday during the school year. If you want to check for a specific date, you can click here to open our events calendar.
Do I have to start in an English class at the beginning of the semester?
No, you can start any time. Each of our classes is independent of other classes.
How much do English classes cost?
The teachers are volunteers so that we can offer the classes for free. There is a cost of $25 for the books which you will use. But we do not want that to be a barrier, so please let us know if that is a problem for you. You can pay online by clicking here, but please wait till your teacher has confirmed what book you need.
What English levels do you offer?
We offer 5 levels of English classes:
- Level 1 (beginner)
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Level 4
- Advanced
In some cases, we also offer an Introduction course for those who are still learning the alphabet.
What kind of training do your teachers have?
The leadership in our ESL program have undergone rigorous certification at a professional level, sometimes over 100 hours. And our teachers go through training to help them adapt their deep understanding of English to the needs of non-native speakers. Some of our teachers also have a Master’s Degree in teaching ESL.
How long does class last?
When we are in person, we generally have a 2 hour class session that has a 15 minute break in the middle of it.
Will I need to study outside of class in order to improve my English?
Yes, it will be very important to work outside of the brief time we have together each week. But we are happy to help with this! In addition to your own private study, we offer social events and other activities to help you develop your English skill.
Do I have to be a US citizen to participate?
No, you do not need to be a US citizen. We are an independent, faith-based organization and are not connected to the government. We do not check immigration papers. We are delighted to serve you because we believe that you are valuable in the sight of God. You are also valuable to us!
What class level will I be in?
We offer 5 or 6 levels of English and we work hard to place you in a class level that will be a good fit for your English ability. As part of this, we conduct assessments of your current English ability and use those results when placing you in a class. This helps to ensure you, your classmates, and your teachers have the most productive English learning experience possible.
Can I come to both morning and evening classes?
That is a great idea, and we would love to have you at both times. Most classes use the same books and so you will probably be able to use the same book for both morning and evening classes.
Can I use my book from when I was in your ESL class previously?
In order to serve you better, we are using new books starting in September of 2024. But if there is a specific chapter from your previous book that you are interested in covering, just ask your teacher if they can include it during the year.
Why do you charge for the book?
We are delighted to be able to offer the classes for free – even though some of our teachers have masters degrees in teaching ESL. We have to charge for the book because we have to pay for it. But we are able to pass on a discount to you compared to what you would normally pay. In other words, we can get it for you cheaper than you would find on Amazon.
What if the cost of the new book is difficult for me to pay?
If the cost of the new book is difficult for you, please let us know when you’re registering so we can find a way to help out. We do not want the cost of the book to prevent you from joining us for class.
Do you offer child care?
We are offering child care when we can. Please contact us for more information.
Are your English classes religious?
Our primary English study content is not religious, it is a secular curriculum. And we will not force you to share our beliefs, we want you to have access to our free English classes without any requirements at all.
At the same time, our volunteer teachers serve you because of their love for you and also because of their love for God. And we cannot stop being who we are. Usually, each class will include a brief examination of some verses from the bible. This is not only because we love the bible, but because it is very helpful for students of English to understand the foundations of Western culture, thought, and language.
Can your school help me get a visa to come to the United States?
We are sorry to say that we are not able to provide visas at this time.