210 - Evaluation of an Online English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Pilot Program for Immigrants with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Housing Insecurity

Publication Number: 1199.210

Nicole Young-Sileo, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Prabhjot Minhas, Boston Children's Hospital, Brookline, MA, United States; C. Abigail. Temple, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Jenna Harowitz, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Amanda Dalmau, Boston Children's Hospital, Brookline, MA, United States; Megan Sandel, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States; Regine Albin, Boston Medical Center, Dorchester, MA, United States

Background: Around 1 in 5 people in the U.S. speak another language other than English in their homes and 38% of those individuals do not feel they speak English well (1). ESOL courses can be difficult to access due to long waitlists, costs, inadequate duration and transportation issues. These barriers prevent immigrant families with LEP from accessing the benefits of knowing English in the U.S. including employment and education opportunities, improved self-sufficiency, better healthcare outcomes and stable housing (2).

Objective: To evaluate a sponsored online ESOL pilot program designed to improve access to English learning for immigrant families with LEP experiencing housing insecurity in Boston.

Design/Methods: Participants were recruited through a local homeless services organization and included immigrant families with LEP and housing insecurity (n=9). They were offered free participation in an online ESOL program that included a laptop, a digital literacy course and an 18-week ESOL course*. Anonymous semi-structured interviews pre- and post-pilot were conducted and then transcribed, translated, and analyzed thematically. Five participants chose to do interviews (n=5).
*16 weeks completed due to program funding disruption

Results: Pre-pilot interviews showed that respondents were motivated to learn English to help with job and educational opportunities, communication skills and support for next generations. Identified key barriers to ESOL class participation included transportation, scheduling and inadequate duration. Post-pilot interviews revealed that although the online program was impactful, barriers to participation were still prevalent including scheduling conflicts and work and family obligations. Notably, 80% of respondents expressed preference for in-person ESOL learning and 60% were participating in several different ESOL courses. Respondents also felt that healthcare providers should play a role in connecting patients with ESOL resources.

Conclusion(s): Our pilot aimed to reduce barriers to learning English by facilitating an online ESOL course, but ultimately revealed that language learning is not one-size-fits-all and must be tailored to individual needs. While our participants were highly motivated to learn English only 30% completed the course. Participants expressed a preference for in-person learning despite added barriers, given the complexity of learning English requires direct support. One potential solution is a flexible, self-paced online course with optional in-person components. Healthcare systems could sponsor such programs, as English proficiency supports better health outcomes.

Table 1: Established Themes from Pre-Pilot Survey Transcripts


Table 2: Established Themes from Post-Pilot Survey Transcripts


ESOL Pilot Program Timeline and Participation Data
This shows the pilot program design and timeline followed by the number of participants who completed each step of the ESOL pilot program.