Our first Conversational English class on March 15th went very well! The class will next meet on Sunday, April 12th in the library upstairs after church, led by Michele Volz and Maria Oleson, who serve as facilitators, offering engaging conversation springboards that draw out new vocabulary, thoughtful opinions, and shared insights in an encouraging atmosphere. Gentle guidance on pronunciation and syntax will be provided as needed to ensure clarity and comprehension.
Michele Volz received her TESOL certificate from UCI after earning a B.A. in English from Loyola Marymount University. She has 30 years of teaching English as a Second Language to adults for Santa Ana College at multiple sites, in addition to several years employed by Pearson Longman as a consultant training ESL teachers. She also has an M.A. in pastoral theology Loyola Marymount University.
Maria Oleson is a credentialed speech and language pathologist whose career spanned thirty years in the school districts of Orange County. Working with children of multiple languages and backgrounds was a challenging and enriching experience. As a professional, Maria prided herself on being flexible and insightful. After her formal education, there were seminars for autism, stuttering, accent reduction and various communication methods as well as being a member of the Student Success Team. Maria loved teaching communication skills and continues to embrace the language diversities of Southern California.
Thursday, March 6
6 p.m. in the Great Hall
Dinner will be served.
$20 suggested donation.
All are welcome.
Come curious. Come hungry—both spiritually and literally.
ALL ARE WELCOME
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Dr. Brad Onishi is a former Southern California megachurch pastor who has gone on to receive graduate degrees from U.C. Santa Barbara, Oxford University, and L’institut catholique de Paris. At the University of San Francisco he teaches and researches Christian nationalism, the history of evangelicalism, race and racism in American religion, gender, sex, masculinity, and secularism and secularity. In 2023 he wrote Preparing for War: The Extremist History of White Christian Nationalism—and What Comes Next.Â
