Grace sits at her comfortable table at home. She and her class are reading a powerful speech, “I Have a
Dream,” by Dr. Martin Luther King. Their American teacher guides the reading and questions. Classmates take turns in discussing their answers. They are practicing their critical thinking.
Today, they are heading off into breakout rooms to further explore concepts of equity and how metaphor is used in writing. Grace feels excited about this opportunity and enjoys the challenges of the American curriculum that she is learning.
Grace joined one of BEAM’s most popular programs, “Community Youth Leader Development.” (CYLD) At first, Grace worried that she might not easily understand the courses since all teachers give lessons in English. Despite that, she found out that BEAM has changed how she perceives the way she learns English so she is confident to level up.
BEAM (Bridging Educational Access for Migrants) is a registered non-profit educational foundation that aims to enhance sustainable social change through education. Sure there are a bunch of resources for learning online, however, learning from a native English speaker will always give students the advantage and BEAM sets out to do this in their CYLD program. As a part of the CYLD, students study for their GED (General Educational Development) qualification from America.
The GED certification potentially allows students access to universities all over the world. For many students, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. The only items that learners will need are a flexible laptop and a good WIFI connection. Easy peasy. Just tune into the zoom lesson, no need to go to travel every day and there is no more difficulty finding conversations with native English speakers. Having international teachers is the main factor in this successful organization.
“I get to know more about the accent. Teachers have varied accents and I find it interesting. I just learned English from texts and lessons. So, listening to native speakers and having a conversation with them is strange for me. I don’t know how to put it precisely but the way BEAM’s lecturers teach is well-trained and I can feel the experience they have… behind them,” says Grace
Grace is a typical Beam student. She learned grammar and textbook English but when it comes to having a conversation, she could not listen to the speaker and understand easily, let alone reply. With the help of BEAM, she understands how accent is important in daily life.
“I have a chance to listen to so many accents every day. I got to hear a typical American accent, a strong Australian accent, a strong Texas accent, and a mixed accent since the teachers at BEAM are from different countries,” she says. “So, this can be very useful in my further listening examinations.”
Kenbee, a current student, feels very lucky. She was struggling to survive in educational fields and lost her way. However, she found out about BEAM Education and joined the CYLD program which is the foundational course for students who need to prepare for GED. She wasn’t sure whether she made the right choice, but she said that she saw the ‘beam’ at BEAM.
“First of all, they did a great job at explaining in English. They do not usually use complex words all the time. I did not have familiar experiences with workshops and kinds of stuff at first because the foundation program in Myanmar only has learning sessions for the perspective course,” says Kenbee “However, BEAM also helps in our profession or career by developing our attitudes about society.”
Kenbee was amazed by the management and additional projects of BEAM while learning. BEAM is a concise educational facility that speaks to her. She explained how different BEAM is from other outsider programs.
“Believe me when I say. Even those thousand dollars’ worth of classes from international schools can’t reach a point of BEAM’s activity section. I used to attend other GED classes before this program but I was ignored when I speak out and they never focus on the necessities of every student. But here BEAM, they do care and consider every opinion,” she says.
Grace and Kenbee are successfully studying through the BEAM program. No place can provide free educational access with such opportunities. At BEAM, learners may speak in English and learn in English. To hit two birds with one stone is truly valuable. Take a look at the BEAM education webpage and see how you can be involved.
By Avery Waiyan
BEAM Correspondent