Tracy Adult ESL Cafe Program
Submitted By: Heather Maloy
Delta Sierra Regional Alliance(San Joaquin Delta)
Website: https://tracyadult.tracy.k12.ca.us/
Type of Practice: Learner Transition
Program Area(s): ABE / ASE, ESL / EL Civics / Citizenship, CTE / Workforce Prep / Pre-apprenticeship, K12 Success
Region: Northern California
Consortia Involved: Delta Sierra Regional Alliance (San Joaquin Delta)
The Program of Practice
ESL CAFÉ IS EVERY THURSDAY 8:30 – 11:30
AT TRACY ADULT SCHOOL AND THE DISTRICT OFFICE BREAK ROOM
The class is split into two parts, lab (ESL Cafe) and classroom (lecture and application).
A real café that operates in the DEC break room. The students serve food and drinks. Students receive EFOODHANDLERS.COM CERTIFICATE
The Response
Gives students a work base learning opportunity while learning english listening, speaking skills in the advanced ESL class and receive a CTE Food Handlers Certification.
The Unique Features of the Program
Tracy Adult School’s ESL Café is an innovative program designed to help ESL students develop crucial employment soft skills while enhancing their English proficiency in a practical, service-oriented environment. By engaging students in real-world tasks such as selling coffee, drinks, and treats to fellow students and school district employees, participants reinforce the English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) and California’s Civic Objectives and Additional Assessment Plans (COAAPS). The program includes a classroom component where students work towards earning their eFoodHandlers Food Handlers certificate. Operating every Thursday from 9:00am to 11:00am, the café rotates five to six students at a time into the café where they learn under the supervision of an ESL instructor, while the remaining nineteen to twenty students focus on their certification with another instructor. The program sources its products from local businesses, ensuring fresh and quality offerings. Additionally, field trips to local baristas and guest talks from the Director of Food Services at Tracy Unified provide students with insights into employment opportunities within the school district.
• Helpful in finding a job (any job).
• Improves conversational English for the workplace.
• Experience working with other people and personalities.
• This work experience is good for the student's resume and to give real life experience in the food business industry.
• No written option for the test and this experience assist the students in preparing for the exam.
• Test is very difficult and this gives students a chance to practice skills for the workforce/
The Outcome
• 65 Students have taken the class over 4 semesters.
• 27 Students (out of 34) passed the test and got their eFoodHandlers certificate in the
first 2 semesters.
• About 80% Of students pass the test.
• About 65% passed on their first try. (students currently have 2 attempts)
• 4 Students have gone on to get jobs related to the food service industry.