Community Service Project
The MMS Community Service Project is a collaboration between the Multilingual Multicultural Studies Programs and the well-known New York City restaurant Tavern on the Green.
Project Description:
Tavern on the Green is one of the largest grossing restaurants in the United States and one of the most popular restaurants in New York City. It is located on 66 Street and Central Park West. The restaurant has a large number of immigrant staff members, who have limited English proficiency. Their limited English proficiency has prevented them from providing the best services to customers as well as from promotion to higher and better-paid positions in the restaurant.
MMS started its initial community project with the restaurant to provide their
staff members with free ESL classes in spring 2004. Six graduate students volunteered
to participate in the project. Dr. Frank Tang initiated and set up the project
and Dr. Gisella McSweeny coordinated and supervised the project. Due to the
popularity of the pilot project, the ESL project has continued in Fall 2004
and a new Spanish program was instituted as well beginning in Fall 2004.
The participants in the ESL classes come from a multilingual and multicultural background. While most are Spanish-speaking from Central and Latin America countries, there are also participants who came from China, Philippines, East European countries, and so on.
Service Provided:
ESL Classes:
Wednesdays and Fridays 9:00 -10:30 AM
Three teachers for different levels of ESL
Wednesdays and Fridays 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Three teachers for different levels of ESL
Spanish Classes:
Tuesdays and Fridays 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Two teachers to teach two different levels of classes
A core of dedicated substitute teachers is on hand at any given time.
Cycle of the Classes:
Eight to nine weeks of classes
for fall 2004, depending on holiday schedule
We have Blackboard up and
going in perpetuity as well as emails to share lesson ideas, discuss students'
progress, plan and coordinate lessons. Significance of the Project
This community project serves mostly low-level restaurant staff members and help them improve their English skills so that they may have a better chance to move up their career ladder.
This project also serves the restaurant management personnel so that they can better communicate with their limited English proficient staff members and attend to their needs.
This project also gives NYU graduate students an opportunity to get work experiences, develop their intercultural understanding, an awareness of the needs of immigrants, and willingness and enthusiasm to serve the ever increasing immigrant minority population in the United States. broad.