Muslim Consultative Network is inspired by the Quranic Verse:

"O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is he who is the most righteous of you" (Quran 49:13).

  Community Education — English as a Second Language  

MCN Outreach/Education Coordinator Megan Putney has been promoting ESL to our vulnerable,  largely immigrant community. Megan writes:

“I started my journey as a lifelong ESL teacher in 2004 when I went to South Korea to teach English at AJOU University.
My plan of staying only one year turned into three as I loved seeing my students visibly pick up the language.

“For the majority of my three years, I taught ESL to elementary, middle school and university students of all English language levels at AJOU University. I also instructed TOEFL IBT Writing, Speaking and Reading to all academic and competency levels.

“In 2007, I started my tenure with Sogang University as one of the curriculum developers and lead editors of the University's bi- annual English Language Workshop (SEW) for children. To this day, I continue to work with Sogang University as lead content and curriculum editor as well as curriculum developer for SEW. I also teach ESOL in the Bronx at the Muslim Women’s Institute of Research and Development. It’s such a rewarding experience to see prospective and current immigrants learn the language that they NEED to know in order to advance themselves in the United States.”

MCN network members COPO and MWIRD both provide ESL instruction, which is hugely important and needed by so many of our immigrant Muslim community members. A mosque-based, culturally tailored approach can best serve marginalized groups like older Muslim women who may be isolated socially and professionally because of lack of English language skills.